title_body: How can I try a wide variety beers without buying them by the case/spending a lot of money?
upvoted_answer: You can look for breweries in your areas that give tours. These often include free tastings. (Since you mentioned you're from the Chicago area, I know there's a bus tour that takes you to different breweries in Chicago and Milwaukee. There's a fee, but you'd get to try a lot of different beers.)
  
  Also, look for brewpubs and restaurants in your area that sell flights of beer. A flight is 4-5 samples of different beers served together. The cost is normally about the same as a full glass, and the total volume is usually the same or a little more. This allows you to try 4 or 5 different beers for about the same price as you'd normally pay for one.