I’m not usually one to speak in hyperbole, insisting that everything must be the ‘worst’ or ‘best’ thing I’ve ever witnessed. There is such a thing as the middle ground, some in-between. Today I will break that tradition and say that I think the mix-a-six section in a grocery or package store may be there greatest addition to the beer aisle in modern history.
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| An oasis of possibilities |
If you’re not familiar with it, the concept is quite simple. A grocery store or package store will have a wall of beers – not packaged, but hanging out individually – waiting for you to bundle them in a soon-to-not-be-empty six pack container with 5 other random beers. Short of experimentation at your local watering hole, there is no better way to try a new flavor. Have you ever thought, “I’d sure like to try that ‘Comrade Bill Bartrams Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout’ but I’d prefer to not have to buy six of them.” The mix-a-six concept was made for people like you. And me. Grab one. And find five other random beers for a trip to your beer fridge.
What’s the upside? You get to try something new – even if you hate it, you’re only invested for those 12 ounces. If you love it – congratulations! You found a new favorite beer. Now, go buy a keg. I have recently had the great opportunity to try tons of new choices. Through my 40 Days of Beer, I had some stuff delivered that I certainly had never heard of. I can be quite adventurous, but there were even a few beers that showed up on my doorstep that I might normally never have purchased for myself. And I would have been doing myself a disservice. For example, you might recall that I’m not much of an IPA guy. But someone brought me a great big bottle of Uinta Cahoots Double Rye IPA. (Thank you, WWK!) If not for that delivery, I would have been missing out on an absolute winner. More to come on that beer in a future BOTW post.
For now, go to the grocery store, grab that empty six-pack holder, and be creative. Be wild, be daring, be adventurous! It only costs you 12 ounces, but the potential to find greatness is completely worth it.
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Agreed. It's also the cheap way to drink mixed beer drinks like Black & Tan or Black Velvet if they have the beer in a cold case 🙂 No need to buy a six and a four when you can buy three of each!
And bam! That's how it's done. Great pint! I mean, great point.