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Steven Coulson
Steven has been drinking beers, wines and spirits for decades and has a propensity to go about them at length after a few drinks.
Latest Posts
- 57/m: Love beer, but it doesn’t love me as much anymore
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- Does anyone else get treated like a beer snob for ordering literally anything that isn’t a macro lager?
- Is there a polite way to refuse a beer that’s being served in the wrong glassware without making everyone at the table uncomfortable?
- # What’s the most pretentious thing you’ve ever said about beer that you secretly didn’t understand yourself?
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The Price of Perfection: Is an Expensive Beer Worth It?
As craft beer enthusiasts, many of us have found ourselves on a quest for the next exceptional brew. However, this journey can sometimes lead to financial decisions that leave us questioning our choices. Recently, I found myself grappling with this very dilemma after splurging $47 on a single bottle of barrel-aged imperial stout.
This particular brew had been aged for 18 months in bourbon barrels, flavored with Madagascar vanilla and Ecuadorian cacao. The beer store’s attendant was practically a salesperson for liquid gold, boasting of the brewery’s accolades, including a prestigious GABF gold medal. He captivated me with tales of their meticulous barrel selection and promised a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” that I simply could not resist.
Eager to indulge in what I believed to be an exceptional offering, I purchased the bottle with great anticipation. Once home, I chilled it, selected the perfect glassware, and approached my tasting with careful deliberation. However, the experience was surprisingly underwhelming. Instead of the complex flavors I expected, it tasted primarily of rich chocolate milk, with a gentle bourbon finish. While it was enjoyable, I couldn’t help but feel it fell short of justifying its steep price tag—especially considering that I could have easily procured a worthy bottle of bourbon for the same amount.
What struck me the most was the psychological trap I found myself in. After making such a hefty investment, I felt compelled to share photos on social media platforms like Untappd, Facebook, and Instagram, exclaiming about its “complex flavor profile” and “exceptional barrel character.” In truth, I was merely trying to rationalize my purchase rather than genuinely enjoying the experience.
This led me to reflect on a common pitfall in the world of craft beer: getting swept away by hype and pricing. It begs the question: have you ever encountered a similar situation? How much have you spent on a beer that truly delivered an experience worthy of its cost? Let’s open the floor for discussion—sharing our stories can help us navigate the vibrant, yet sometimes overwhelming, landscape of craft beer.