What is a good beer for a beginner?

[leroy_the_mule]

My dear wife, bless her soul, never developed a taste for beer. She says it's too bitter. But she is attracted to the obvious psychic benefits. What brands of beer are sweeter and not as "hoppy", without being nauseating.

[Badtz Maru]

Try Newcastle Brown Ale. Kinda pricey ($7.99 for a six-pack around here) but it has a very smooth, non-bitter taste, not very hoppy.

[Violet]

Go to a microbrewery and request something light.

[Earthling]

Try a wheat beer. Specifically, Celis White is nice.

But if what you mean by "the obvious psychic benefits" is the buzz, then any other type of alcoholic beverage would do the job, no?

[Green Bean]

Is there a microbrewery near you that has pumpkin beer. I love it--a little sweet and spicy. Yum yum.

[leroy_the_mule]

Originally posted by Philistine

But if what you mean by "the obvious psychic benefits" is the buzz, then any other type of alcoholic beverage would do the job, no?

I think a beer buzz feels different than a wine glow or a whiskey drunk. Is it the mildly sedative effect of hops? I appreciate all these suggestions(slobber, slobber) but live about 100 miles from the nearest microbrewery or fine beer store. Maybe I should get a good recipe book,beer kit or mail-order beer web link?

[Enderw24]

Originally posted by Badtz Maru
Try Newcastle Brown Ale. Kinda pricey ($7.99 for a six-pack around here) but it has a very smooth, non-bitter taste, not very hoppy.

Strange...Newcastle is my favorite beer. But I find it to actually be somewhat bitter. I dunno, maybe that's just me.

I never liked beer for awhile. That's because I kept drinking swill in a can. Bud Light, Milwaukee's Best, it's all the same crap. But then I got into ales and it completely opened my eyes to the world of beers.

I'd recommend a Fat Tire which isn't that bitter. If you still want to go light and cheap, I think Coors is your best bet.

I personally don't like many of the Sam Adams brands, but if she wants flavorful beers that may be your best bet.

[TheThill]

You should definitely find her a sweet beer. Sample a few microbrews (assuming you are in the states) until you find something with a nice round, nutty taste. Darker brownish beers often fit the bill (not stouts like Guinness!!!) Also avoid lagers or anything cheap, whether domestic or imports. Czech beers can be sweet (sweetish Czech beers are my personal favorites), but well-preserved, non-skunky ones are sometimes hard to find in the States (avoid those green bottles!)

[Barbarian]

I don't know much about what's available in Wisconsin, but I'll give you this advice.

Only drink beers from a glass.
Don't drink anything made by a major brewery.
Your local liquor store will special order stuff if you ask.

[Xixox]

Two good starter beers:
Corona - Stick a quarter-slice of lime through the bottleneck, numnums!

Leinenkugel's Berryweiss - Heard someone mention Wisconsin, this should be easy to get, although it's a seasonal brew. This is a hybrid between a beer and a wine cooler.

[Gorgon Heap]

Of everything I've seen on here yet, I'd have to agree with Green Bean. I've heard gooood things about that pumpkin beer.

Otherwise ... well, pretty much all that weak domestic stuff. Coors and Bud light are pretty much the same thing, and I hesitate to suggest anyone drink a lesser beer than those. MGD, Old Mil ... startin' to get pretty nasty.

I'd stay away from the microbrews; I've never tasted one that wasn't damn bitter.

I have a couple wussy friends who think the same way as your wife, but flat-out refuse to drink beer "Because it tastes nasty". You know, the pack-a-day guys. Anyways, they only drink girly-drinks (any fans of the Kids in the Hall will know what I mean) and lame crap like Mike's Hard Lemonade. Hey, I like'em, but I'm not gonna drink'em 24/7, you know?

Hmmmm ... yeah. If I had to give something more definitive, I'd say look for some flavored wheat beers. I had this Raspberry Wheat at a brewery in North Carolina that was just incredible. Sweet as hell, but still beerily good.

[reveille]

if the "obvious psychic benefits" means getting drunk, just tell her to drink mike's hard lemonade or smirnoff ice or some other flavored malt beverage...just as much alcohol (if not more) and tasty...yum...

[Ethilrist]

Ditto on the Leinie's Berryweiss; I haven't had too much luck with fruit beers (they taste too much like cheap beer with kool-aid in it). However, Leinie's makes a variety of beers, and they're local. You should also be able to get the Point beers (from Stevens Point); their Bock is pretty nice and not too bitter.

I'd recommend getting one of those beer samplers, a 12-pack with four different types of beer in it.

My current favorites are Leinie's Bock (not currently available, but $4 a six-pack in season, which is cheaper than I can make it), their Red Ale, Creamy Dark, and Honey Weiss beers.

Also, Octoberfests tend not to be very bitter, and they're in season. Everybody and his brother should be selling some this time of year.

[Diver]

What worked for me was to learn to drink a really bad beer first, then everything else tasted great.

I learned to drink beer in Vietnam. The beer was BamiBa (sp? means "33"). It cost about a dime per bottle at the time and us poor GI's that wanted to drink large quantities of adult beverages went with the cheapest stuff we could find. After that, any beer I pick up tastes just fine.

[Dilbert]

Originally posted by Gorgon Heap
Otherwise ... well, pretty much all that weak domestic stuff. Coors and Bud light are pretty much the same thing, and I hesitate to suggest anyone drink a lesser beer than those. MGD, Old Mil ... startin' to get pretty nasty.

I'd stay away from the microbrews; I've never tasted one that wasn't damn bitter.

Well, I have to disagree with MGD being a lesser beer than Coors or Bud. Bud gives me headaches unless it's the ice variety. Coors is very watery. Howerver, beer is very much a matter of taste, so whatever works for you is fine with me.

Leroy:

Yes, most microbrews tend to be bitter. They put a lot of hops in them. Most home brews are the same way. However if you go to http://www.MrBeer.com, it is possible to order the supplies to make some very sweet beers, and you have the option of leaving the hops out. You can make your first batch (2 gallons) for about $40.00, after that, it's about $10 - $15 per batch. I have the kit and it's pretty fun and not too hard.

I'd say definitely try Mike's Hard Lemonade or Schmirnoff (sp) Ice. They are both fairly sweet but use beer as the base so it will have the same effect as any other beer without the same taste.

[lno]

Ugh, Smirnoff Ice.

Smirnoff Ice is like Zima that a diabetic has pissed in.

[Barbarian]

I feel the need to repeat myself.

Coors, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft, and Budweiser ARE NOT BEERS! They are cheap, low-alcohol swill foisted off on a public that thinks beer is about image instead of taste.

They are the remnants of Prohibition policy.


I long for the day when all major breweries have gone bankrupt...

[Dilbert]

Originally posted by lno
Ugh, Smirnoff Ice.

Smirnoff Ice is like Zima that a diabetic has pissed in.

I didn't say I liked it in the least. Although dumping it out would have been alcohol abuse, but I couldn't manage more than one in a night. I forgot about Zima, but I'm not sure exactly what category that falls into. I think it might be a wine cooler more than a beer.

[PhiloVance]

Beer is Beer!

Come to think of it, all beer looks like piss. I wonder if it tastes different?

[beagledave]

Originally posted by PhiloVance
Beer is Beer!

uh..no. A stout is not a lager, a wheat beer is not a barley wine...may I ask how many of the 30+ recognized beer STYLES (not BRANDS) you've actually tried?

Come to think of it, all beer looks like piss. I wonder if it tastes different?

I wonder why you troll a thread like this, where the OP asks for beer suggestions?

[Tequila Mockingbird]

I third the Leinenkugel's Berryweiss. If she likes raspberries, you may even have her try Abita's Purple Haze. If you're looking for a beer that's not berry flavored, I'd suggest Rolling Rock. Very light, crisp and clean tasting, not hoppy at all. Also she might enjoy Goose Island's Blonde Ale or even their Hexnut Brown. Both are lightly hopped, more of a malty taste than hop.

[Gorgon Heap]

From 'ol Letrobe, huh? No thanks. If you like that, you probably like Yeungling. Yikes. Ying-Yang is a little more bitter, and you're right, they might like the bitterlessness of Rolling Rock. I just think it tastes like crap.

[Futile Gesture]

Originally posted by Barbarian
Coors, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft, and Budweiser ARE NOT BEERS!

You all must know this one...

Why is Budweiser like sex in a canoe?

Punchline supplied on request or maybe I should just duck and cover.

[Big Sam]

C'mon people. We all know that Coors Light is the most non-tasting, closest to water beer you can get. I personally hate the stuff, because it has no taste. But for a new beer drinker it might be ideal, because it has no taste. I prefer a nice dark Guinness. It's so thick it's like drinking chocolate milk. Guess thats why my friends call me Black Beered.

[Tretiak]

If you can find, check out Old Peculiar. When I was in graduate school and English classmate of mine used to say it was what they would buy for the girls who generally did not like beer. He said it was because it was kinda sweet and would get them drunk. I have no idea why he wanted to get the girls drunk though...

[Fiddle Peghead]

Originally posted by PhiloVance
Beer is Beer!

Come to think of it, all beer looks like piss. I wonder if it tastes different?

Yes, it actually tastes quite different. You see, piss has a more salt--- oops.... forget I said that.

[Caricci]

Amstel Light (as long as its fresh) and Corona with lime are good "lady's beers". In fact, I never cared for beer before someone introduced me to Amstel.

[Ferrous]

Well, I LOVE hoppy beers, so I usually come at the question from the other end.
But, as I have a compulsive need to contribute to any discussion about beer...

You might try Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It's not bitter, but has a nice flowery-spicy aromatic hop quality. Maybe it will help Mrs. the_mule's palate develop a taste for the wonderfulness of hops.

[rsa]

You might want to have her try Pacifico, a Mexican beer. It is about the only lighter beer that I drink. It has a nice mild flavor. Also, although not a beer, many ladies like a good cidar. Or she could do as some Brits do and drink a half lager half 7-UP mix.

[Politzania]

I am definitely a "beer is nasty" kinda gal - but a friend had me try a sip of some honey wheat beer whose name escapes me for the moment - it was a German name.... hrmph.

[Great Dave]

My ex-girlfriend didn't drink beer until she had Heineken in Amsterdam. Heiney here ain't quite the same, usually it's a little skunky. I'd recommend Pyramid Apricot Ale, or a light Mexican beer. Or a honey brown or honey wheat. Strawberry blonde might do the trick.

[ModernRonin2]

Ever heard of Blue Moon Belgian White? It's brewed by Coors, though you won't find their name anywhere on the bottle. (Just like you won't find the name Coors on a can
of Keystone Light - which is the crap left in the vats after they drain off Coors Light.) Check out the advertising blurb for it here: http://www.coors.com/brews/bluemoon.html

It's a bit weak and watery for my tastes, which means for a new beer drinker it should be tolerable. It's a little bit sweet, too. Not at all unpleasant; I could drink it all day. And compared to what I usually drink (Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Guinness, etc) very non-bitter. Anyway, worth a try. And it shouldn't be hard to get since it's brewed by a major brewery.

If she likes Mexican beers, Negra Modelo with a moderately sized slice of lime squeezed into the bottle and the lime thrown down the neck is decent too.


-Ben

[TheLoadedDog]

I'm not normally a fan of mainstream Australian beers, because they tend to be sweet and bland, but that might be just the thing for the situation the OP describes. On the off-chance the Swan or KB lagers are available, they'd be a good start as they are quite sweet. Foster's Lager is available just about everywhere, and that wouldn't be bad. "333" from Vietnam would be suitable too. Foster's, Bud, and 333 use rice in their formula to make the brew lighter in taste and texture.

rsa mentioned the 50/50 beer and 7UP mix, commonly known as a "shandy". Beer purists may scoff, but it's actually quite a pleasant, refreshing drink. Of course, you can vary the amount of 7UP, and here in Australia some people like to order a "beer with a dash". So, that's my recommendation for the OP's wife: a nicely chilled glass of Foster's with about 20% 7Up to take the "edge" off the hops.

[Jeffrey Hartnett]

I would suggest Grant's Weis Bier if you can find it.
It is a micro-brew from Yakima, Washington.
It is not anywhere near as hoppy and therefor bitter as most of the other micros.
It seemed to me, however, that is was not as strong as some of the other micros.
Thus, it may lack the "pyschic" effect that the Mrs. is looking for.

[GKW]

I have never developed a taste for beer either. My German sister-in-law swears that the best way to start with beer is to pour 7-up in it. This concoction was drinkable but didn't convert me. I think this is called a 'shandy' in some places.

The only time I've actually come close to enjoying beer is while playing softball. I dunno maybe it was the red dust, the summer heat, the camaraderie, guys cheering us on - but I swilled down a couple of Leopards (Australian brand) without any trouble. So my advice is make her play before she drinks.

[mnemosyne]

I suffer from the intense inability to associate any taste with any descriptive term (I can taste fine, I just can't figure out what "hoppy" means, despite certainly having tasted it), but I have known many non-beer drinkers who have been able to enjoy the occasional Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale (and it's called IPA, not "Keith's", silly BeerStore people!).

Also, for the not-so-micro-brew, but not mega-brew either, I like Sleemans. (I also go to the University of Guelph - go figure). The lighter one, IMHO, is the Steam Ale, and even my SO, who abhores beer, can tolerate that one.
They are both Canadian-brewed, so none of that 3% water you get in the States.

If you want a damn good beer, try one of the Quebec micros like La fin du monde (the end of the world), La Maudite {The cursed ?), L'Eau Benite (Holy Water), etc. For the beer-lover, the whole Uni-Broue line of beers is great. I Unibroue has an english webpage, but you can also see the names and labels at http://internettrash.com/users/volks...oue_pro_f.html, and their webside is http://www.unibroue.com . If anything, their artwork is worth seeing the site, IMHO. Your wife might like the Blanche de Chambly or the U.

[Neurotik]

For a good beginner beer there have been many fine suggestions. I would start out with a Mexican, IMHO. HOWEVER, Corona and Pacifico are highly overrated. If you want an excellent beginner beer get a bottle of Negra Modelo and stick a quarter lime in the neck. I guarantee she will like it. It is very refreshing, not that bitter, but with an excellent beer taste (none of this raspberry crap).

I'm telling you Negra Modelo is the way to go. Put it in the bank.

[Silver Fire]

Busch Light. In a CAN.

[Qwisp]

I was going to suggest Blue Moon, but ModernRonin beat me to it. It's a nice wheat beer, add a slice of lemon and yum. It's my favorite everyday kinda of beer. It's relatively cheap as well $5.99 for a six at some stores.

[justwannano]

Try adding about 1/3 of a glass of tomato juice to whatever you're drinking.It hides the taste pretty well and still has the beer effect you (ah oh excuse me) she is looking for.
Some like it hot.Thats why they make tobasco.
Garnish with celery if you like.
A great morning after drink.

[quinoa]

when i was in london i tried caffreys and it was pretty good. i had a friend who really dislikes the taste of beer try it and she really liked it too. boddingtons is similar to caffreys too i think. they are both pretty light. too light for me nowadays actually. pumpkin beer is good.. and i tried this rice ale at a microbrewery that was really good! in the grocery store, i like pete's wicked ale and the 'winter brew' they make. they might be worth a try, but my brother who also dislikes beer didn't seem to be won over. so i recommend caffreys or boddingtons first!

[China Guy]

Originally posted by Neurotik
For a good beginner beer there have been many fine suggestions. I would start out with a Mexican, IMHO. HOWEVER, Corona and Pacifico are highly overrated. If you want an excellent beginner beer get a bottle of Negra Modelo and stick a quarter lime in the neck. I guarantee she will like it. It is very refreshing, not that bitter, but with an excellent beer taste (none of this raspberry crap).

I'm telling you Negra Modelo is the way to go. Put it in the bank.

I second the Negro Modelo (IIRC it's Negro and not Negra). No need for the lime, but you can try it and see if it does anything for you.

Negro Modelo is brewed by those same people that bring you Corona. Negro Modelo is a very mild tasting bock beer, so it is pretty brown but not a heavy taste. Mildly sweet. A lot of people I know that don't really like beer thought it was great.

I found it in of all places in Saipan on my honeymoon. My bride and I drank loads.

[Mr. Cynical]

If you are in an area serviced by the New Belgium Brewing company, out of Fort Collins, CO, I would take Ender's statement a bit further.

For a person attempting to get accustomed to the flavor of beer, (and I can't believe I'm saying this) a better choice than Fat Tire would be NBB's Sunshine Wheat.

It's a Belgian-style beer, flavored with light hints of spice. It's very very light, and very easy to drink. To me, it's the perfect light beer, the kind you drink when you're THIRSTY.

If you want to get DRUNK, however, I recommend the Trippel. One six-pack, I guarantee you'll be feeling FINE (it's running at about 9% alcohol). I like that the beer completes the brewing IN the bottle. You can see the yeast in the bottom if you hold it to the light.

[Demo]

Lagunitas DogTown Pale Ale is the smoothest, hardiest, most flavorful beer I have ever had.

[Mr. Cynical]

Never mind Demo, he doesn't know what's good. Except for his taste in women. That's pretty good.

[dead0man]

Since leroy said that he doesn't live anywhere near a micro or "fine" beer store, most of these suggestions are probably not very helpful. So I will coroborate(sp?) what someone else said and suggest Rolling Rock. Some "newbies" like it and some hate it. I'm typical midwestern white boy who doesnt like spending 20-40$ to get drunk. I stick with Bud Ice and Rolling Rock for my cheap buzzes. I'll drink pretty much anything though, you get that way when you grow up on "THE BEAST", Pabst and Natural Light. BLECH!!!! Also, try throwing a beer infront of her after a shot of something nasty. Cod Liver Oil would taste good then. Nothing like a buzz from a mixture of Kentukys finest and Bud. BLECH!!!! again.

Dead0man

[leroy_the_mule]

Cyber-hugs to all my beer-loving buddies! In case anyone was wondering the only thing that has almost worked so far is giving her swallows of Point while coaching her to keep her eyebrows up, jaw and throat loose, and making sure she follows each swallow with a forceful exhalation and chips.

Maybe we'll find a simpler solution once we finally get to the beer store.

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by leroy_the_mule
In case anyone was wondering the only thing that has almost worked so far is giving her swallows of Point while coaching her to keep her eyebrows up, jaw and throat loose, and making sure she follows each swallow with a forceful exhalation and chips.

Good god, for a minute, I thought this had been hijacked into another Oral Sex thread.

[Olentzero]

Originally posted by ModernRonin2
Ever heard of Blue Moon Belgian White? It's brewed by Coors, though you won't find their name anywhere on the bottle.

Ah, god, NO!!! Say it ain't so!

Actually, it's not the best weissbier I can get easily get my hands on, so it's no big deal to no longer drink it. (I quit drinking Killian's back in the early 90s for the same reason.)

A good starter beer, eh? Hmm... I agree with whoever said Mrs. Leroy should start with an ale or a lager - you're up on the light end of things and the best ones have no overbearing taste. (I'm a red, porter and stout man myself.) Try an IPA - that's an India Pale Ale - it's a recipe that was specially made to withstand the long journey from England to India back in the golden age of shipping. Or any Pale Ale will probably do, if it's from a brewery that's fairly local.

If you really want a good zing from a beer, I highly recommend Urbock 23. It's about as high as you can get as far as alcohol content in a beer is concerned and is sweet without being overly so. WARNING!!! Do NOT under any circumstances consume more than two bottles of Urbock over the course of a night! Drink 'em slow and enjoy 'em, your spirits (and you) will be sufficiently high by the end of the evening. Knock 'em back like they're Natty Boh or The Beast and you are asking for a universe of hurt.

Oi, beagledave: Does Michael Jackson's book list all 30+ beer styles?