Craft Beer & Your Significant Other: One Wife's Journey Into Turning Her Beau Into A Beer Geek

04 Mar Craft Beer & Your Significant Other: One Wife’s Journey Into Turning Her Beau Into A Beer Geek

Posted at 18:55h in Uncategorized by Justin Knepp 0 Comments

By Writing Community Member Laura Menard

Ah, spring. The temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming, and love is in the air. You know the drill: you swipe right, they swipe right, sparks fly, you set up a date. You suggest a local brewery or taproom, then they drop the bomb: your perfect match just isn’t that into beer. Before you delete Tinder and adopt a bunch of cats, hang on! There’s still hope for a relationship.

When my husband Gideon and I first met back in 2012, I was (and still am) a craft-beer swilling hop fiend. He, on the other hand, thought a nice Bud Light was more his speed and wouldn’t touch an IPA with a ten foot pole. We stuck together, though, and fast-forward four years and there’s not a beer he won’t try – he’s even introduced me to a few new favorites. For this article, I decided to bring in his perspective on his craft beer evolution with a short interview.

What kind of beer did you drink before we started dating and why was that your preference?
I was mainly a whiskey drinker before we started dating with brief dabbles into beer. I drank a lot of PBR, Budweiser, and Coors mainly because it was free when I was playing gigs. My favorite beer before we started dating was Weihestaphener Dunkle Weissbier, but I drank stouts, browns, and porters on a fairly regular basis. So…dark beer.

What was it that made you initially dislike IPAs? What changed your mind?
IPAs turned me off because of how bitter they were. Bitter just wasn’t a flavor profile that I had become accustomed to yet. One sip and everything tasted bitter for an hour or so. What’s the old joke about how you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. I kept trying your IPAs until they weren’t gross and then kept trying until I liked them. I still don’t care for bitter for bitter’s sake. Give me malt balanced IPA or dank (mosaic) hops and I’m a happy camper.

What’s the biggest difference between your taste four years ago and your taste now?
Honestly, knowledge. I knew almost nothing about beer 4 years ago. The more good beer I taste the more I want to learn about beer. The more I learn the more I want to taste. Beer is complex and fascinating, especially wild and sour beers.

What’s your favorite beer/experience that you’ve tried that you might have missed out on if you hadn’t branched out?
Hands down: Wilds and sours. When done wrong they are absolutely disgusting. When done right they are as beautiful as falling in love. (Author’s note: smooth). Sour Note’s Flanders Style Red and Upland’s Sour Reserve were game changers for me. I had no idea that beer could be that complex. I look forward to the day when every Indiana brewery has delicious sours on tap. Next to wilds/sours are saisons, Belgians, and anything with brettanomyces. I can’t wait to see what Central State gets up to in coming years.

Finally, what advice would you give people who start dating someone who isn’t into craft beer?
Outside of dumping them for someone else (kidding!), I’d advise paying attention and asking questions. Paying attention makes everything better. That is true of all relationships and especially true with beer. If the person is open to the experience then keep trying new beers. When you find one they like, then you have a place to build from.

Of course, even with all this advice there are going to be people who just never develop a taste for beer. That’s ok too. An important part of any relationship is compromise, and luckily there are plenty of places for you to take your picky paramour where you can get a good beer and they can indulge in a variety of other libations. Most breweries have at least one wine/mead option alongside their taps, and plenty of area restaurants and bars stock a good selection to fit anyone’s preferences. Check out the following list for some options:

La Margarita: This Fountain Square watering hole has an extensive beer list (think those hard to find bombers you’ve been drooling over) as well as a huge selection of tequila and mezcal. Belly up to the bar for a fun evening out.
Sinking Ship: With two locations boasting page-long beer lists as well as a full bar, this is a nice low-key place to take your significant other for some pub grub.
Bent Rail Brewery: Although they don’t have their own beers on tap yet, they do have a good draft and can/bottle selection. Check them out on Monday nights for cocktail specials.
MacNiven’s Restaurant & Bar: Is your SO sweet on scotch? MacNiven’s has a great beer list, as well as one of the more impressive full bars in Indianapolis, featuring a large scotch and bourbon selection.
Shallo’s Antique Restaurant & Bar: With the Midwest’s largest selection of imported beer plus plenty of mixed drink and liquor options, Shallo’s has something for everyone.

Did I miss your favorite crossover taproom? Have some additional advice for couples who don’t share a love of craft beer? Let us know in the comments.