Your cart is currently empty!
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
- No Stupid Questions Wednesday – ask anything about beer
- 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?
Categories
Tags
Social Links
The Price of Indulgence: Have You Ever Overpaid for a Beer?
In the realm of craft beer enthusiasts, there’s always a fine line between savoring a premium brew and getting swept up in the hype. Recently, I found myself on the wrong side of that line when I splurged $47 on a single bottle of barrel-aged imperial stout. This brew was said to have aged for 18 months in bourbon barrels, boasting additions of Madagascar vanilla and Ecuadorian cacao. With a resume that included a gold medal from the Great American Beer Festival and promises of extraordinary flavor, it certainly had my attention.
Enticed by the bottle-shop expert’s glowing recommendations, I made the purchase without hesitation. I envisioned an unrivaled tasting experience that would make this hefty price tag feel justified. Upon arriving home, I took meticulous care in preparing for the tasting—properly chilling the brew and selecting the perfect glassware to enhance the flavors. Yet, as I took that first sip, I realized the flavor profile was reminiscent of rich chocolate milk with a bourbon finish. Yes, it was pleasing, but the taste fell short of commanding a $47 price point. A fleeting thought crossed my mind: I could have purchased a decent bottle of bourbon for that amount.
The trouble didn’t end there; I found myself grappling with a sense of disappointment. The urge to convince myself of the beer’s greatness clashed with my reality, leading me to share photos on Untappd, Facebook, and Instagram. I touted its “complex flavor profile” and “exceptional barrel character,” all in an effort to validate my splurge. In truth, I fell victim to the allure of marketing and the psychological impact of a high price tag, assuming that the cost was synonymous with quality.
This experience left me questioning how many others have been ensnared by similar traps in the world of craft beer. Have you ever spent a significant amount on a bottle that didn’t meet your expectations? What’s the most you’ve ever paid for a beer, and did it prove to be worth every penny? Share your stories in the comments below and let’s explore the fine line between indulgence and regret in our craft beer journeys.