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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
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- I’m one of the worlds leading buyers of craft gin in the world and a international spirit judge AMA
- I’m blown away…. By how let down I am by this Gin.
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The Price of a Beer: A Costly Lesson in Craft Brew Expectations
As beer aficionados, many of us have had moments of impulse when it comes to purchasing that special bottle. Just recently, I found myself in a situation that made me question my judgment. I splurged $47 on a single bottle of barrel-aged imperial stout, and the experience turned out to be more of a lesson than a delightful adventure.
The stout had been aged for an impressive 18 months in bourbon barrels, infused with Madagascar vanilla and Ecuadorian cacao. The clerk at the bottle shop extolled its virtues, comparing it to “liquid gold.” He touted the brewery’s accolades, including a GABF gold medal, and emphasized their meticulous barrel selection process. It all sounded wonderfully enticing, and before I knew it, I was convinced that this was a must-have experience.
After arriving home, I diligently chilled the stout to perfection, poured it into the appropriate glass, and savored each sip with anticipation. Unfortunately, the result was far from what I had envisioned. The flavor profile resembled that of rich chocolate milk topped off with a bourbon undertone. Tasty? Yes. Worth the hefty price tag? Most certainly not. In hindsight, I could have purchased a well-crafted bottle of bourbon for the same amount.
The most perplexing part of this experience was my urge to embellish my enjoyment online. I posted about the “complex flavor profile” and “exceptional barrel character” across multiple social media platforms, all in an effort to validate my extravagant purchase. Deep down, I was trying to convince myself that the hefty price equated to an extraordinary product.
This led me to reflect on a common trap many enthusiasts fall into: the idea that higher cost guarantees superior quality. I’m sure many of you have faced a similar dilemma. Have you ever splurged on a beer only to find it didn’t quite live up to the hype? What about those rare finds that were genuinely worth every penny? Feel free to share your experiences—let’s talk about the beers that truly deliver on their hefty price tags and those that leave us wondering if we’d been caught up in the excitement.