Love these off topic threads. Should have ventured here before!
I have turned into quite a craft beer lover over the last 6 years!
Used to be a Heineken and Newcastle drinker but now find them to taste TERRIBLE. A doctor my brother works with happens to be married to someone who started a local brewery in 2006 here in Minneapolis called Surly and they are extremely popular now and about to expand. They have opened my eyes to what true beer can taste like and I've refined my taste as a result.
I still love most Surly brews but have ventured out and its quite a journey I must say! Seeing all these new breweries finally opening in the USA is very exciting, expecially here in MN. Almost getting back to pre-prohibition levels now.
Some of my favorites include Founders, 3 Floyds, Steel Toe (another newer MN brewery), Brooklyn, and Deschutes.
I've been enjoying Russian Imperial Stouts almost exclusively for the last year. 3 Floyds Dark Lord, Surly Darkness, Founders Imperial, Foothills Sexual Chocolate, New England Imperial Stout Trooper, Half Acre Big Hugs, Cigar City Marshal Zhukor, Bruery Black Tuesday, Smuttynose Imperial, Weyerbacher Old Heathen, etc, etc...that and some DIPA for a change now and then.
Its very exciting to try the same "class" of beer from the various breweries. There are many suttle differences and its great to be able to experiene them all.
Very excited to try a beer from a brewery in TX called Jester King. They make an imperial stout called Black Metal and I have some on the way right now!