After Birdmonster’s thread about horrible beer , let’s go towards the positive and tell about our favorite beers.
Myself, I’m just about to place an order for a case of Delirium Tremens for an X-mas party I’m going to next weekend. Ho ho ho indeed, but well worth it for the splurge. This is easily the best beer I’ve ever ordered in a bar on a lark and NOT gone insane when it came to $10 for the bottle, it’s that good.
My favs:
There are others…but that’s off the top of my head.
Loaded question! 
Winner of the Silenus All-Around: Sierra Navada Pale Ale
Best with Meals, General: Duval Red
Best Sipping Beer, while watching the flames in the fireplace and contemplating the Meaning of Life: A tie. Either Spaten Optimator or Sierra Nevada celebration Ale. I’m partial to the 1999 vintage.
Best Beer To Get Some Action By: St. Pauli Girl. (My wife’s current favorite. )
Best Session Beer: Guinness and Harp Half and Half.
Geez, silenus drinks all the same beer I do.
Oh! Negra Modelo is yummy, too.
Shiner Bock. Best beer ever.
But if your question is “beer I can actually get at a bar,” I’ll probably go with Corona if it’s summertime and Sam Adams if it’s not.
For everyday drinking I would nominate Leffe Blond. For more contemplative moments it would be Chimay Blue Label.
No no no no no, best beer ever: Westvleteren 12.
Best beer you can find? Oh. . . Orval. Yum yum. Best you can find in a normal pub? Black Butte Porter. Sierra Nevada. Fat Tire.
You, sirrah, have excellent taste!
I agree about Negro Modelo. Shiner Bock is pretty yummy as well. I am also partial to Full Sail.
I will be running up to the Redhood Brewery for my annual 3 gallon jug of ESB this weekend. For someone that drinks the equivilent of 2 cases of beer a year, Redhook is mighty fine in my book.
I haven’t had the Full Sail or the Shiner Bock, so I know what will be on my beer list next time I’m in the market.
Eh, it’s much easier to classify shit beer, because it’s not nearly as subjective.
“Best beer” discussions usually get so elitist/snobbish that it makes winophiles shake their heads in awe. Apparently no good beer can be brewed in large batches, widely distributed, and reasonably priced and still be considered decent.
I enjoy Orval, Chimay, trappists and lambics as much as the next guy, but they certainly aren’t universally better than more widely available “common” beers. In many cases the brewing standards, consistency, freshness and cleanliness of such beers is pathetic compared to most macrobrews.
Hell, I’m sure someone is going to come along sooner than later to suggest Pilsner Urquell for it’s wonderful traditional Czech brewing, of course forgetting that it tastes like cat piss and has a rep for having embarrassing health standards in their bottling plant.
Personally I loves me some Guiness, Samuel Smith’s Stout, Paulaner, Hacker Pschorr but I’ll be damned if I pass up a frosty cold Budweiser.
Ick. I’ll have a Rolling Rock instead, please (said silenus, who grew up on Coors and Schlitz.)
Full Sail is premium. I used to go to the brewery every time I was passing through Hood River on my way to Portland. Kinda hard to get east of Minnesota if your’re not in a state that allows mail shipped alcohol but well worth it otherwise.
The best beer ever is Traquair Jacobite Ale, but you pretty much have to special order it. The best beer that you can reasonably expect to find is Dogfish Head Raison d’Etre, but I don’t think I’d say no to a pint of anything nominated so far.
I’ve got a friend in Bend that comes down to LA and environs every few months, I’ll see if I can get him to bring me some next trip.
On tap:
In a bottle:
If there is a UK Doper who wants to do me a really big favor…the beer I really miss is Bishop’s Finger Kentish Ale. It seems Bishops Neame no longer imports to the US. I really miss that ale!
The next one I have