[dean]

When you drink beer is succession, do you drink up or down in ABV and BU's?  I tend to prefer drinking down otherwise some of the finess seems to disappear(sp?).  I can't go by BU's alone or ABV alone.

For instance, when drinking Founder's, if I really want to enjoy all their beers, I drink the Breakfast Stout 60 IBU's & 8.3%abv, Dirty Bastard 50 IBU's & 8.5%, Centennial IPA 65 IBU's & 7.2% then Pale Ale 35 IBU's & 5.4% abv.  Otherwise one will overpower the other and I don't get the full flavor and aroma of the beer.  

I haven't put Red's Rye in there yet and its one of my favorites, way better than their PA which is Not one of my favorites. 

[corkybstewart]

Wow, that's putting a lot of thought into your beer drinking .  I pretty much go with what tastes best while I'm cooking, what goes best with dinner and then I do enjoy a Trappist ale while I do dishes.

[dhacker]

Wow, that's putting a lot of thought into your beer drinking . . .

 . .and a lot of beer drinking through your liver.

[mikeypedersen]

Never had the Founder's beers, but I can't imagine that drinking an IPA before a Pale Ale will help your tasting of the Pale Ale.  There's a much better chance that some of the more delicate flavors/aromas will go undetected from drinking the more flavorful and robust beer first, for 2 beers so close in style in and flavor.

[brewboy]

Too much structure for me. I grab whatever feels right at the time.

[coypoo]

You really should go the other way around, up in IBU's, alcohol, SRM, and so on. Think about it this way, would you drink a 95 IBU 10% IIPA before you drank a pale ale? Or would you drink a RIS before you drank a brown? If you start higher, you will ruin your taste buds to the delicate flavors of the more mild beers. But if that is what works for you, then more power to you

[uthristy]

You should always go lighter to heavy.

[dean]

You really should go the other way around, up in IBU's, alcohol, SRM, and so on. Think about it this way, would you drink a 95 IBU 10% IIPA before you drank a pale ale? Or would you drink a RIS before you drank a brown? If you start higher, you will ruin your taste buds to the delicate flavors of the more mild beers. But if that is what works for you, then more power to you

Well, thats what I thought too but once I drink the PA or the IPA my tastebuds are blown and I don't taste the delicacies(sp?) of the other beers.  Especially don't drink something very hop forward before drinking the Breakfast Stout, at least in this case.  Jmo...

[dean]

Wow... I just looked up how to spell delicacies... its another one of them that blow the rule (i before e, except after c) out of the water eh?    Thats why I never did well in english class, too many rules with exceptions... some, home, comb, tomb, etc.    

[dean]

Hmm... maybe thats the answer to my original question?  There are exceptions to every rule?   Hmmm... so does that mean a person can literally drink themselves sober?  

Geeze... I had to look up themself, then thought no... its theirself, but it couldn't be because it sounds plural... aaghhhhhhh!  I don't know.  Just what I need, another OCD!   

thy self?.... 

[denny]

For me, it depends on why I'm drinking...if I really want to evaluate a beer, I go from less assertive to more assertive.  If I'm drinking strictly for enjoyment, it doesn't matter what order they're in....it's whatever seems best at the moment.

[uthristy]

  Hmmm... so does that mean a person can literally drink themselves sober?   

Don't know about sober but as most drinkers learn theres a point where you can keep drinking all night as long you intake stays constant. Throw in a double shot or shooter (insert your poison) and its game over.

[denny]

Don't know about sober but as most drinkers learn theres a point where you can keep drinking all night as long you intake stays constant.

_Maybe_ when I was younger, but no way these days....