Draught Day

The commish

With the first overall pick in the 2013 craft beer draft, the Sous Brewer selects…

Okay, so all bad puns that may or may not exist within the title of this post aside (perhaps it’s a palindrome); the NFL draft is currently underway up in New York. It got me thinking, what if there was a craft beer draft? What if you had the number one overall pick?

It’s basically a question of “what is your favorite craft beer?” This of course is a nearly impossible question to answer, as there are so many wonderful craft beers out there to choose from. Even if you have a favorite style, which might help to limit the field somewhat, you’re still faced with the daunting task of selecting one out of a cast of thousands; a brew that you can build your evening around. Perhaps you select based on best available, or perhaps you select based on biggest need.

Then again, perhaps there is no wrong answer and this is all much ado about nothing.

So how do people decide? What are the factors that we use, whether they are conscious or subconscious, to choose between all of these delicious options we have before us?

Yeah, that's right, whatever beer I want, whenever I want

The first thing that comes to mind is availability, which technically is a limitation that is imposed on us beyond our control and not a determining factor that we use to help us choose. You could levy some degree of control over availability by only dining in restaurants with expansive beer menus, or choosing to shop at a specialty beer store over a grocery store, but even then, you’re still at the mercy of someone else’s understanding of what people like. In a perfect world, we could all have access to whatever beer we want at any given time because we would have the computer that Jean Luc Picard has in his stateroom that makes whatever food or drink you say into it. In a perfect world, I would be paid $100 per word for these ridiculous blog posts of mine.

An example of a distinguishing factor that we have a lot more control over is the “support your local brewer” mentality. If offering patronage to your native economy is something that gives you a sense of civic pride, this is a great way to select one beer over another. The locals are becoming more prevalent in most markets, but are often times smaller and more artisinal. For this reason, they crave your business, and by selecting them, you keep your money in the local economy. Everybody wins!

Brand loyalty from southeastern Pennsylvania

Somewhat related to the “local” motivator is the “brand loyalty” objective. Many people grew up on a particular brand of beer, or have a loved one who works for a specific company. Perhaps you prefer breweries from the city you were born in (which is kind of like extended-local brewer support). Whatever the reason for your loyalty, assuming your preferred brewery is available (there’s that pesky availability thing again), it can certainly help you whittle down the options.

You could also pick based on a brewery’s, or even on a beer’s, reputation. It’s very common for people to see a beer that they’re not sure about, but since it’s made by a brewery that they know makes great beer, they go for it, based on the reputation of the brewers. Similarly, perhaps they read beer blogs and other brewing publications, and notice that everyone is raving about a particular brew. Reputation is great way to separate the throngs of available options on the beer shelf.

Speaking of people raving about beer, another determining factor could be a recommendation. If you have friends like me in your life, you've probably got a list a mile long of “beers you have to try.” We beer people love to share our experiences (obviously), so if you’re looking for someone to make the choice for you, all you have to do is ask.

Most people will never see this
Untappd badge, awarded for drinking
2,500 unique beers

The final motivator that I will mention here is probably my favorite… the “ I've never had this beer before” consideration. This one speaks to the inner-adventurer in all of us. This is a style of beer selection that has been propped-up by the Untappd app on our smart phones and hand-held devices, which has created a legion of beer drinkers who are always on the lookout for the ever-elusive unique check-in. When you are trolling the aisles at the beer store looking specifically for beers you've never had before, particularly if you’re checking your Untappd account to make sure, you know you've become what I affectionately call a beer nerd. It’s okay to admit it.

There are, of course, many other motivating factors at play that lead a person to select one brew over another (IE: label art, mood, cleverness of the name, etc.). Whichever method you are using, as long as it helps you narrow down the potential beers, it works. As long as you don’t wind up in the hypothetical situation of having to select the first overall pick in a craft beer draft of sorts, in which case I don’t know what to tell you. Trade down?

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!