I cannot disagree enough. I bought a six of Raison (figuring, heck, I love the 60 (and moreso the 90) minute IPA, and I’ve heard the brewery is good for most anything they make), and had to suffer through the last three bottles (waste not, want not), after the first three convinced me it’s really not that good. It has too much of an aftertaste of raisins. Which I know is kind of the point of the beer, and it’s a brave experiment, but I had to fight to choke it down.
For an easy to find everyday beer, I typically have Yuengling* or Killians in my fridge. Occassionally Old Speckled Hen, Bass, Newcastle Brown, or Smithwicks. Yeah, I tend toward the British and Irish beers. For a treat, I’ll try a Stout or a continental Doppelbock that I hadn’t tried (Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is mighty tasty).
But really, just go out and try anything and everything. And keep note of what you like more or less.
*Not necessarily easy for anybody outside of the mid-Atlantic, as I understand it.
Count me in as liking Bass, too, although it’s one of the beers that seems to taste much better on draught than in the bottle. It’s not the greatest amber ale in the world by any stretch, but it’s readily available and always decent, kind of analogous to a good inexpensive red table wine. And like Jim says, it’s good warm and cold.
I’ll handle the relabeling, you do the distribution and marketing, and we can make a fortune.
The problem with lists like this one is that they are compiled by people who like beer. They are next to useless when used by someone who is just starting out with the beverage. Right off the bat I would eliminate #2-7, 12-18, 20-23. As much as I love those beers, they aren’t what you use to grab the newcomers. Ditto the recommendations of IPAS, Imperial Stouts and other beers with intense levels of hops. No, the kind of list the OP needs is like the one liberty3701 gave…easliy accessible brews that are a step above the usual mass-produced swill. wm–, find yourself a good brewpub and sample things. If you don’t like a brew, it doesn’t mean squat to anybody but you. Keep notes, and we can let you know of other beers that resemble ones you do like.
Well, it’s not really so much a brave experiment as a very successful take on Belgian strong/dark ales. It’s a drink that’s meant to be drunk slowly, preferably not straight out of the fridge, and in a bulb, wine-type glass.
I’m not a huge fan of Belgian strong dark ales, but I do enjoy one from time to time. It’s not a beer that you really can pound back. Looking at the type of beers you drink, I can see why you didn’t like this one. Try a few other Belgians (like Chimay Blue or Trois Pistoles) and see whether the problem is with the style, rather than particularly Raison d’Etre.
It will show me for the light weight I am, but while I like the Saranac Mountain Ale, I prefer the Pale Ale and I cannot stand Guinness or Magic Hat #9. It is a matter of taste, I do not like heavy beers but instead I like lighter flavorful beers. Stranger On A Train & August West, I glad you both commented on Corona, I know Beer is a matter of taste, but I just cannot comprehend what makes people like Corona. At least with Milwaukee’s Best or Olympia you know you are drinking a cheap, inexpensive Beer. Corona taste like a cheap inexpensive Beer but you pay a premium for it.
It’s the mystique. Corona was the surfer’s beer, back when. It was a “foreign” beer with a name blondes with artificial chests could pronounce, but it didn’t have any flavor that required you to have tastebuds. It also came in a clear bottle, while the other beers didn’t (ever wonder why?) Instant hit! (Mexicans think we’re nuts, by the way. There are so many really good Mexican beers available, and the gringos drink that swill!) So many people now actually think the skunkiness is what it’s supposed to taste like that Corona couldn’t switch to brown bottles if they wanted to.
I believe, via recommendations from BeerAdvocate, I tried it in a merlot stem and, because it was my normal drinkware, a pint glass. I don’t think I had any from the bottle. However, all were started within two mintues out of the fridge. It could be the beer type, and I will readily admit that I don’t have too much experience with Belgians (or a lot of other German and Belgian beers like hefeweisse/weisbier/witbier, gueuze, gose, or pilsner). More research is needed. Good thing there’s a DC Dopefest tonight at a beer bar
I see your point to a degree. However, the beer that got me to make the transition to the world of “good” beer is one that you would cross off the list “North Coast Old Rasputin”. This was the first micro I had ever tried–and from the moment I had it, I was in love. This spurned my interest in finding what else is out there.
If someone has good taste–then it won’t really matter what good beer they start with–they will realize that it is good. There are hardly any IPA’s on that list–so the hop bitterness won’t be too much of an issue either. The lambics might be overpowering for a newbie–but who knows what his tastes are like? Lambics are the only beer that my wife will touch, and I had tried everything under the sun before she took a drink of one of mine by accident once and realized that she loved the style.
The main reason for posting that list is because it details beers that are available in Missouri–so he might be able to find them with a little searching.
A wife that loves lambic…will wonders never cease! That one’s a keeper!
What I hope wm– is getting from all this is to keep trying different beers. There is a wonderful world of flavor out there, once you break away from BudMillerCoors.
Hey silenus, what was your opinion of the red beer in the tube last Friday (assuming you tried it)? I thought it was pretty tasty, as was the dark I got at the bar.
Any idea what the red beer was? I mean style, etc.
High Roller Red is a medium-bodied, moderately-hopped ale. Very middle-of-the-road. A decent choice when you are trying to get a beer everybody will drink, but their pale ale is better. So is their stout. Now that the Holy Cow is gone, I think my beer drinking will be confined to Main Street Station when I’m not at the Crown & Anchor.
The most fun was watching Yeti try to pour the giraffe.
I have revealed myself to be a Corona drinker in a beer-lovers’ thread … and now am paying the price! So gentlemen, please do fight my ignorance. I mentioned I’ve been imbibing all my life, and have settled down on Corona. My reasons are that it’s light tasting and refreshing (to me) and not all heavy and after-tasty. No surfer mystique here. I didn’t even know that. I agree it’s overpriced.
So – how about recommending ME something that fits my criteria. I’ve had Guiness, Grolesh, oogles and gobs of microbrews. All I want is something light and tasty and beerie I can sip on while I’m making dinner. I don’t want pee. I do like the taste of beer. I just don’t want something that grabs me by the scruff and shakes me around, which is how I feel after those strong European beers.
:o :mad: