Building Your Own Six Pack: A strategy guide to D’s Six Pax

A trip to the vaunted beer cave at D’s Six Pax and Dogz can be an overwhelming experience, even for a veteran beer nerd.

Hundreds of varieties, some quite rare and obscure, are available at any given moment, which can lead to both confusion and a total inability on the part of the buyer to make a decision. One look around the cave, which is stocked floor to ceiling with one of the most amazing selections around, and any beer lover will become overwhelmed by an urge to buy everything in sight. If you’re like me, however, this is simply not an option. Decisions must be made. Fortunately, there’s a system at D’s that will enable you to build a six-pack and get the most bang out of the considerable buck you’ll be spending.

The system is based less on specific beers to target than it is on filling niches. Of course, anyone who loves a particular style can buy six different IPAs or stouts and be perfectly happy with their purchase. But with such a wide variety available, it seems a shame to not explore a bit and see what the cave has to offer. 

With that in mind, the perfect D’s six-pack should hit on each of the following categories: an old favorite, a pale ale or IPA, a German or Belgian variety, a dark beer, a wildcard and a shot in the dark. Following this formula ensures several things. It makes sure that you know that you’re getting at least one great beer, courtesy of the old favorite. It ensures that you’ll spend maximum time exploring the cave, which will inevitably lead to more discoveries. And, it keeps the adventurous, experimental nature of a visit to the cave alive, while also preventing you from going totally insane — a legitimate possibility in the beer cave.

I employed the formula in my most recent trip to D’s.

After choosing an empty six-pack from the basket (Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, because I wanted to look cool), I circled the cave, trying to locate any new offerings that required research. After steadying myself, I went straight for the United Kingdom section and picked out Skull Splitter, an intense and boozy ale from Scotland’s Orkney Brewery. Possibly my favorite beer in the world, it easily fulfills the old favorite category and singlehandedly makes a trip to D’s worth it.

Next, I picked up Stone Go To IPA for something hoppy. Those looking for something more intense will not be disappointed, as the cave backs a brilliant IPA and pale ale selection — with some more abusive than others.  

With two slots filled, I walked to the massive shelf of Belgian and German selections. This can be an intense moment for anyone in the cave, regardless of experience. Unless you really know what you’re looking at here, play it safe, since these beers can get expensive fast.

Not feeling the heavy yeastiness of a Belgian variety, I chose Ayinger Celebrator, a much ballyhooed doppelbock from Aying, Germany. The dark beer selection was easy, as North Coast’s beloved Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout was available for a mere $3.75. Yes, please.

This left two slots left, the wildcard and the total shot in the dark. While these categories may sound the same, they’re based on different logic. The wildcard is a beer you’ve heard of but don’t know much about and have never tried, whereas the shot in the dark is essentially a way to justify picking a really cool bottle. The wildcard came, once again, from Scotland — in the form of Williams Bros.’ Alba Scots Pine Ale, a herbaceous ancient ale that has lately been garnering attention stateside.

Finally came the total shot in the dark, in which I might as well have closed my eyes and picked at random. This seems risky, but given the selection at D’s, it’s unlikely that you’ll make a bad choice. After some more wandering, I picked Full Sail Session Black Lager, an easy-drinking schwarzbier from Oregon. And yes, the bottle was as cute as a button.

All of this amounted to a total cost of $20.22. It sounds expensive (and it is), but it’s easy to spend much more at D’s if you don’t go in with an organized approach. Plus, the variety and quality in a single six pack pays for itself.