The "Discount Liquor" Trap

We've all done it. Driven by naivete, idealism, or just sheer laziness, at some point we have all fallen into the "Discount Liquor" trap.

Today, it happened to me.

I was driving home from a school after a long day of studying (yes, when you are in law school you actually have to study for final exams), and decided to pick up some beer. I was on my way to my favorite liquor store near school and hit a fair amount of traffic. This was the last thing I needed. A line of cars was standing between me and a much needed beer. 

Then I saw it. The neon lights and promises of low prices drew me in. Even the name, "Liquor Warehouse," screamed "great selection!" I was sold. I diverted from my original path and stepped into the warehouse. Much to my dismay, this "warehouse" was little more than a closet filled with Natural Light and Traveler's Club vodka. I found myself eye to eye once again with the very products which once lay hidden under my bed from my parents in high school. Overcome with disappointment, frustration, and anger, a mere 20 seconds later I stormed out the front door and back to my car.

Thus, I continued on my journey. Inching through traffic, closer and closer by the second, I thought to myself, maybe I should have just sucked it up at the other store. This moment of weakness quickly subsided, however, when I finally arrived. Like a kid in a candy store, no, like I just walked through the gates of heaven - I could have sworn I saw a bright light surrounding the sign that read, "Micro-Brews."

Finally.

Thirty dollars later, I was was walking out the door with a pack of Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA, and two of Dogfish's larger bottles that I had never tried before - Theobroma and Namaste. Well, this night just got interesting.

Dogfish Head beers never disappoint. Everyone that I've tried so far has been flavorful, complex, and most importantly - strong. Each of these brews has an ABV of around 9% (except for Namaste, which was a mere 5%). I'll post a full review of each of these beers at some point in the future, but that is not my goal here.

No, here I attempt to impart one simple message. The passion, quality ingredients, and dedication that go into a quality craft beer all go to waste if you don't know where to look.

Like most of you, in college I reveled in the ability to walk to the corner liquor store and grab a 30 of [insert generic cheap beer here]. And now, living in a city on a graduate student's budget, I won't deny that the allure of this convenience has not completely escaped me. But for those nights when you just feel like sitting on the couch and enjoying, actually enjoying, the beer you're drinking, do me and yourself a favor: put your big boy (or girl) pants on and drive to a real liquor store.

Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale

Seasonal beers are my favorite. Well crafted seasonals do precisely what their names suggest, they embody the spirit of the season for which they were made to represent. Blue Moon's Winter Abbey Ale is no exception. It takes a very unique beer to make you feel like you're sitting next a warm fire even when it's served ice cold.

Image from The Beer Taster

Full disclosure, this warm feeling might have less to do with the Winter Abbey and more to do with the five more that followed it. Regardless, this is one tasty brew.

My expectations for this beer were colored by past Blue Moon experiences. When I say colored, I mean that literally. All of the other Blue Moon brews that I've tried are lighter, wheat-ier beers. To say that I was surprised when the bar tender handed me a beer almost the color of Guinness is an understatement.


In actuality, it is not quite as dark as a stout. Blue Moon describes the beer as  a "chestnut brown-colored ale," and I think this is a fairly accurate representation. It has a great mix off coffee, chocolate and caramel flavorings, with just a mild bitterness. But you didn't really come here expecting me to regurgitate information from Blue Moon's website. All that "important" stuff (aroma, mouth feel, taste, finish) is described in other places by people (slightly) more qualified that me. No, I would like to use this post to talk about Blue Moon's Winter Abbey Ale in the context of this blog's goals: drink like an adult.

The real take away here is that after college, it's OK to spend more than $2.00 on you beer!

I know, pretty radical stuff. Don't get me wrong, I've got as much student debt as the next guy, so I keeping my bar tab manageable is certainly in the back of my mind (somewhere, way back). But, unless you're willing to shell out an extra few bucks, you might miss out on gems like this one.

(It also helps when you're seeing your Dad's band play that night, so he offers to pay for your drinks!)

Hi, I'm Ian.

These things are always hard. 

Sorry, that was a terrible joke. But seriously, I never know what to say in these things. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to visit this page. There is a lot of really important stuff on the internet that you could be looking at instead. I suppose I should start by introducing myself. 

Hi, I'm Ian. 

If you read any of my posts, you'll notice that I am a well blended mix of sarcasm, condescension, and endearment. I will attempt to lead you on the path of beer righteousness. My friends (and fellow contributors) know, and you will learn fairly quickly that there is a two step process to loving me: 

1. Never take me seriously
2. Recognize that I am always right

Now that I've officially turned you off from me completely, I would like to thank you once again for visiting. Like I always tell girls after a first date, "I'm really not as bad as you think."