Buying Good Beer on a Budget

So, you find your beer fund doesn't quite live up to the demands of your adventurous palate. Don't despair, your good beer days aren't over. You can still enjoy beer on a budget. Here are a few tips for finding bargains. Or if you're looking for affordable ways to enjoy your cocktails or spirits check out Colleen Graham's guide to affordable drinks.

• Think local.
For most of us there is a regional brewer or local brewpub that is making some pretty good beer. In most cases the closer to you a beer is brewed the more affordable it will be. Often local brewers are featured in different sections at the beer store so look around or ask.


• Watch for sales.
As inventories ebb and flow beers get marked down to get them off the shelves. This is especially true for the local beers mentioned above so keep an eye open for those sale stickers.


• Stop chasing trends.
So you read about the latest greatest beer on Beer Advocate and decide that you must try it. Avoid that temptation. Sure, it might be a good beer but there is plenty of variety among the $1 to $2 per bottle beers. You don't need to lay out $20 just for a taste of the hype.


• Go back to some old favorites.
As you've wandered from beer to beer there are probably some very affordable favorites from the past that would be glad to see you again. Those solid brands that have been around for years are almost always affordable.


• Get to know your local brewpub.
Find out if the pub has a happy hour and if growlers are included. Prices vary by quite a lot but some brewpubs offer very reasonable prices on their packaged beer or growlers, especially if you bring in your empties. And be sure to ask for tastes before spending your money on a beer you have yet to try. Some brewpubs charge for tastes but if you make it clear that you're getting a growler the bartender will likely give you a couple on the house. (Don't forget to tip!)


• Don't shun the big brands.
The definition of a big brand differs among beer geeks. Some think that Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada have gotten so big that they lost their edge. Others tend to draw the line at the mega-brewers like Anheuser-Busch Inbev or Guinness. But they all make some respectable beers and they are almost always reasonably priced.
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