Preferred Beers and Beer Styles
There was a thread on this a few years back, but tastes, products and forum members have of course changed since then. What's your favourite beer? What styles do you enjoy? What have you tried recently? Do you have recommendations or warnings?
My favourite beer is a local brew, Propeller Pale Ale. I remember sharing a large bottle with a friend of mine, and we drank it as an accompaniment to some smoked mackerel. At that time, we had very little experience with beer - the extent of our experience at that time was comprised of cautious sipping of stuff like Fosters, Heineken, Labatt and Keith's - and had never tried any microbrewery products. Perhaps needless to say, we were bowled over by the taste. It was one of those great gastronomic revelations, where you realise, "This is how it should be!"
Since that time, I've found a few other favourites, but I always like to try something new. Recently, I tried Chimay Red Cap. Even after unsuccessful experiments with the Blue and some other highly-recommended strong Belgian beers, I decided to try the Red Cap, and I rather enjoyed it. It takes away some of the dark, spicy notes and alcohol of the Blue, while still being complex and flavourful.
Here are some old (and new) favourites of mine, which you may want to try if you get the chance: McEwans Scotch Ale, Liefmans Goudenband, Fuller's London Porter, Pilsner Urquell, Mort Subite Framboise, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Guinness Extra Stout, Granite Brewery Peculiar, Newcastle Brown Ale, Propeller Extra Special Bitter.
I'll concede that there are likely better examples for every style represented here, but I'd still recommend any of them.
One warning: never buy or drink Madison, if it is in fact still available. I don't think it's sold around here. It's a French beer laced with Grand Marnier, and it is absolutely disgusting. Imagine crappy beer, made sickly sweet with that dark Grand Marnier orange essence. I had trouble drinking one bottle. It's not even good as a novelty.
The only general, strong dislike I've found so far doesn't have much to do with ingredients or styles, but with presentation. I can't stand nitrogen widgets. They suck the flavour out of beer and give it a bizarre feel. Whenever I mistakenly buy a widget can, I like to open it and let it go flat before I take a drink.
So, I'm spoken for. What say you?
My favourite beer is a local brew, Propeller Pale Ale. I remember sharing a large bottle with a friend of mine, and we drank it as an accompaniment to some smoked mackerel. At that time, we had very little experience with beer - the extent of our experience at that time was comprised of cautious sipping of stuff like Fosters, Heineken, Labatt and Keith's - and had never tried any microbrewery products. Perhaps needless to say, we were bowled over by the taste. It was one of those great gastronomic revelations, where you realise, "This is how it should be!"
Since that time, I've found a few other favourites, but I always like to try something new. Recently, I tried Chimay Red Cap. Even after unsuccessful experiments with the Blue and some other highly-recommended strong Belgian beers, I decided to try the Red Cap, and I rather enjoyed it. It takes away some of the dark, spicy notes and alcohol of the Blue, while still being complex and flavourful.
Here are some old (and new) favourites of mine, which you may want to try if you get the chance: McEwans Scotch Ale, Liefmans Goudenband, Fuller's London Porter, Pilsner Urquell, Mort Subite Framboise, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Guinness Extra Stout, Granite Brewery Peculiar, Newcastle Brown Ale, Propeller Extra Special Bitter.
I'll concede that there are likely better examples for every style represented here, but I'd still recommend any of them.
One warning: never buy or drink Madison, if it is in fact still available. I don't think it's sold around here. It's a French beer laced with Grand Marnier, and it is absolutely disgusting. Imagine crappy beer, made sickly sweet with that dark Grand Marnier orange essence. I had trouble drinking one bottle. It's not even good as a novelty.
The only general, strong dislike I've found so far doesn't have much to do with ingredients or styles, but with presentation. I can't stand nitrogen widgets. They suck the flavour out of beer and give it a bizarre feel. Whenever I mistakenly buy a widget can, I like to open it and let it go flat before I take a drink.
So, I'm spoken for. What say you?
Comments
I ocassionally enjoy something darker like a Sam Adams. Or, I go to the local Microbrewery "Iron Hill." I generally like a lager, not too dark. Ocassionally I'll get an Ale (they have their own names, of course). The mircobrew beer will fvck you up a little more quickly, but at $3.50-$4.00 a pint, it better.
It's a little tough on the wallet. 3 or 4 pints, share some nachos and wings with a friend...and your in for $35 a piece. But, that's off topic.
Favorite Overall: Yuengling Lager
Favorite Light: Amstel
Most fvcked up for the money: Natural Ice (plus, it seems to make chicks hook up w/each other. I don't know, it just does. I've accepted it on faith).
Most water like: Natural Light (also REALLY bad)
Favorite Medium/darker lager: Sam Adams
Others I like: Molson, Labatts
Worst: Too many to name.
For some fun, try chugging Guiness.
White Russian
1 1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Kahlua
3/4 oz Light Cream or Milk
Directions/Comments: Mix the vodka and kahlua together then float the cream on top. Add ice if desired.
From the bottle
Originally posted by Anders
Favorite beer:
....
From the bottle
You better keep that puppy in the freezer, Anders. I have fond memories of shots of cold stoli at a russian (hey! dinner takes four hours) resturant.
My choice:
IPA
Pyramid Brewery does one that's good, and Deschutes Brewery does a GREAT one, Red Hook has fallen from grace, BTW. Also, any good stout will do in a pinch.
[self ask:@"God damn son of a bitch. What the hell?"];
[people stopPostingAboutVodka];
[Anders apologiesFrom:self];
I fondly remember the summer of 2003, once a week, I would bike home from work, stopping at the Liquor Store to pick up a nice big bottle of Propeller and drink it warm when I got home.
According to RateBeer, it's an English Pale Ale, so I guess I still haven't tried a real IPA. Keith's doesn't count.
Originally posted by SDW2001
My favorite is Pennsylvania's own Yuengling Lager. http://www.yuengling.com/
Same here.
1) it's never too early to drink beer.
2) guinness is good year round, but better in the winter.
3) hoegaarden is good year round, but better in the summer.
4) light beers and other mass produced american beers for the most part suck ass, unless, it's a hot day and you're slowly rafting down a river with 5 or more of your buddies. then, and only then, are they acceptable to drink in mass quantities. hopefully getting you sick just to remind yourself how shitty they really are.
5) europeans make good beers, especially the brits, scots, irish, krauts, chechs, and the adorable waffle people.
6) although american, sierra nevada, and boulevard make really tasty pale ales.
7) remember, there's a good reason you drink mexican beers with lime.
Originally posted by groverat
If these guys make it, I drink it.
i used dig on the shiner product until i started doing design work for them. as far as clients go, they were one of the biggest pains in the ass. didn't help that my boss didn't know how to manage the client. after round and round of concepts based on their ever changing in the wind creative direction, ultimately they would end up with some watered down (no pun intended) frankenstein monstrosity. kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. if someone passes me one, i'll gladly drink it, but i'll be damned if i support their sorry asses anymore with my dollars.
I had some shinerbock a few weeks ago. I was surprised. not that it was good, but in the way it tastes. It wasn't another pretentious microbrew that tries to be cool by mixing in all sorts of crap that doesn't belong in beer, or for that matter a pale-ale-ish beer, of which there seem to be so damn many these days. It was just a good, albeit heavy, honest beer.
With that said, my favorite beer is Jever. That's hard to find, so my fridge is usually stocked with Grolsh, Becks, and Budweiser (the American version). I also like a super-cold Moosehead, Fosters, or an Anheiser Select from time to time when it's really hot outside. I also must mention DeGroens, which is a mean Pilsner brewed in Baltimore, and in a fresh keg it's hard to beat this side of the Atlantic.
I hate sweet beers like Corona on the light side, and Newcastle on the dark side. Hate em. When I'm feeling Mexican I'd rather have a Dos Equis or even a Pacifico, and when British I'd rather have a Boddington's or a Carling.
Sorry Irishmen, but I find Guinness and Smithwicks to be a little too mild. They're not bad though.
Anyway, if you're in DC, I highly recommend regular trips to The Brickskeller (somewhere near Dupont Circle) if you're in the pub mood or Chevy Chase Liquors (5544 Conn. Ave) If you're in the mood for some Six Packs.
Originally posted by ShawnJ
Same here.
Yes,
Most underrated beer in my opinion.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
It wasn't another pretentious microbrew that tries to be cool by mixing in all sorts of crap that doesn't belong in beer, or for that matter a pale-ale-ish beer, of which there seem to be so damn many these days. It was just a good, albeit heavy, honest beer.
That is exactly what I like about it.
I can drink like 90 of those tasteless light/fancy beers without even noticing. It takes some doing to get through 4 Shiners.
I'll buy Bass, too, occasionally. Usually it's just Shiner or Ziegenbock; those are the fridge mainstays.
BTW, to those of you complaining about paying $3.50 a pint... I pay on average £2.20 ($4.40). It's not too bad if you don't go out drinking too often. Three pints once or twice a week doesn't break the bank.
Amorya
Originally posted by Amorya
BTW, to those of you complaining about paying $3.50 a pint...
It's only an annoyance when stella is $3.50 a pint. On this side of the pond it's marketed as a top-shelf beer. Funny thing is that you're hard pressed to find a pint cheaper than $2.50, or more expensive than $3.50. Unless of course you're drinking dollar-drafts of Bud Ice.
Which reminds me, I did notice that Budweiser is the official beer of the FA.
Becks
Leinenkugels
Samuel Adams
Hacker Pschorr
St Pauli Girl
Of the local brews....
most all have fairly decent flavor, head, aftertaste and kick, but my favorite is Titletown Brewing Piper Down Scottish Ale.
My mouth is watering...and yes, on-tap in the pub is the only way to go!
it's my favorite.