How to find your next beer!

What beer should I drink?!?!?!

Let's say that I am taking FOREVER making up my mind in while trying to pick a beer to drink. What do I do? How do I answer the question of what beer to drink?

Now my mother always told me to not talk to strangers, yet I have never listened to her about that. When I am wandering the liquor store aisles, especially one with a good beer selection, and I don't know what to get, I will ask someone on staff. The beer person at a liquor store is usually knowledgeable and is enthusiastic about beer. They are also very happy that you aren't asking them where you can find the greatest quantity of beer for the cheapest price.

Here is my thought process when I go up to talk to that clerk in the store.

1. What am I looking for in beer?
• I don't want to waste my time or theirs so I figure some basics out first. 
• Do I want a specific style of beer?
• IPA, Wheat, Porter, Stout, Saison, Sour Ale, etc...
• Do I want a beer similar to a specific beer I have had before?
• Is there a seasonal style that is out that I might like?
• Am I willing to just give in to chance and listen to any suggestion the clerk may have?
2. How busy is the store?
• Never interrupt or try to monopolize the clerk's time. 
• DON'T BE THAT GUY!
• You are the one asking for help, so it would be in your benefit to be nice and patient.
• If there is a rush, you may just want to try to pick something out rather than wait out the masses.
3. How do I know who to talk to? 
• This generalization might be sweeping but I don't intend offend, especially females with knowledge of craft beer, BUT...
• You will most likely be looking for a thirty something guy; some of them have big woodsman beards, usually restocking a shelf of beer. You can also look for someone that looks like an owner or manager.
• This clerk and especially owner/manager will know their inventory and has either been educated by their distributor or is actually a craft beer buff and knows their stuff.
• Generally speaking (**salutes**) I will gauge the person's knowledge of beer by the look they give when I ask about any good beers they have gotten recently.
4.  What should I ask?
• This is why the first step was to ask yourself what you want in a beer.
• While you might not know exactly what you want, this forethought will give you a starting point in the conversation.
• Use those questions to guide the conversation.
• You would be surprised by what the store clerk will come up with to suggest.
5. Why should I trouble myself when I can just pick up a thirty pack of the cheap stuff?
• I can definitely understand this question. You have places to be, and besides you can save money by going with the cheap stuff.
• The best reason is taste and experiencing a new reality that is the art of craft beer, which you just don't get with a "light" beer.
• If you want to know what makes a quality craft beer take a look these: Part I and Part II.

Again just remember, as long as you are polite and have a smile the store clerk at most liquor stores with a decent beer selection will be happy to chat because you are asking more than just, "Where is your cold domestic flavored water?"

Plus once they get to know you they might start saving the good stuff in the back for you, but more on that some other time.

Coming up is a review of Rock and Run Brewery in Liberty, some more beer reviews, a contest, and maybe a poll question. I am also going to list out some of my favorite places to go buy beer!