the 1st beers I remember drinking were Old Style and Budweiser when I was 16 & 17 but I remember Hamm's commercials from childhood. My Grandpa Brophy drank Budweiser, although I remember seeing Falstaff in his fridge.
When I was 25, I guy I worked with brought me a bottle of Chimay Red and I had my first Guiness in the late 80's/ early 90's but otherwise I never drank anything but Bud, Miller, PBR, Hamm's and Blatz until I moved to NYC where I had Rolling Rock and Brooklyn Lager which did not please my ignorant palate.
In 1996 I had and liked Micheal Shays, not knowing it was brewed in Rochester, NY where my wife is from and where I now live.
In 1997 we moved to Rochester, NY and I found out about Beers of the World. My first trip I was amazed at all the beers I knew nothing about. I ended up buying several bottle of Samuel Smith's; Taddy Porter, Imperial Stout, Winter Warmer, etc. Thus began my love affair with English beers, although for years they were just a Christmas treat.
In the early 2000's I discovered Saranac Black Forest and Pale Ale.
I was still not an every day beer drinker even though I loved it. In 2011 I was a serious online Poker player until Black Friday on 4/15/2011. A few months later I somehow became fascinated with Craft Beer. I became very active on Beer Advocate and slowly educated myself and figured out the beers I love.
so here I am today, a lover of English, Belgian and German beers and have some favorite American beers. I love Goose Island, Founder's, Anchor and Naragansett and like Sam Adams, Brooklyn, Harpoon and Sierra Nevada.
