[QUOTE=Christopher]
Unfortunately, in America, hops are what so called beer snobs use to determine a beers worthiness.
[/QUOTE]
This is absolutely and profoundly untrue. Strong hoppiness is only appropriate for certain beer styles. Bocks are not one of them and a very hoppy bock would be a big minus in my book, just like a very hoppy stout, or very hoppy pilsner. And I don’t even want to think about what a hoppy lambic or belgian abbey ale would taste like.
It’s low in alchohol content. You can drink more without getting smashed, a good thing in the summer. And I like the way it tastes.
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke]
I love my city’s St Arnold’s Brewing Company. St Arnold Winter Stout is comparable to Guinness Stout–not a comment I’d make lightly. And St Arnold Elissa IPA knocks me over with hoppiness!
St Arnold’s is a microbrewery. Spoetzl isn’t. I’ll gladly drink beers from both. Of course, the rest of the world brews some excellent beers. And I’ll sample them–while traveling or from a reputable establishment. But a 6-pack on the liquor store shelf may have had a long & bumpy trip.
[/QUOTE]
Heh…I was actually thinking of taking the brewery tour (for the 15th time) this Saturday. Staggering out tipsy at 3:00PM…fun times. 
Oh, and St. Arnold’s stout crushes Guinness IMHO. But I’m not a Guinness fan.
To answer the OP, since I live in Texas, Shiner is basically my Budweiser: the reliably average beer that’s available everywhere, so it’s what I get when none of my real favorites is on tap.
[QUOTE=Christopher]
I think it is pretty good beer for a semi micro-brew. It’s a little stronger than I like, but I will certainly buy it again. Not everybody thinks bitter hops are what beer should taste like. Unfortunately, in America, hops are what so called beer snobs use to determine a beers worthiness.
I like that swill (it’s called pilsner), and take offense to anyone that suggests that it means my taste in beer is unrefined. I make a point of trying new beers to learn their flavor. I brew beer to see how I can improve the flavor myself.
[/QUOTE]
The swill I refer to is definitely not a pilsner. It is classified as an American Lager by the BJCP.
Also, I didn’t use my comment to bring into question anyone’s taste in beer. If you like American Lagers, go drink the hell out of them. My point was based on comments that others had already posted.
I’m glad you try different beers and homebrew–I do as well.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
This is absolutely and profoundly untrue. Strong hoppiness is only appropriate for certain beer styles. Bocks are not one of them and a very hoppy bock would be a big minus in my book, just like a very hoppy stout, or very hoppy pilsner. And I don’t even want to think about what a hoppy lambic or belgian abbey ale would taste like.
[/QUOTE]
Good point overall, though I have had some rather hoppy stouts that I really enjoyed. I have had a hoppy belgian before as well–but I didn’t care for that personally. Hoppy lambic? That would truly be interesting.
[QUOTE=neorxnawange]
I don’t like being punched in the mouth by a fistful of hops, nor do I enjoy drinking a barely carbonated sludge as bitter as three week old coffee, nor do I like trying to force down what tastes like a liquefied hayfield.
[/QUOTE]
These are very easy to avoid. I don’t know where bluebonnets grow, but check out http://beermapping.com and bend a brewpub bartender’s ear for a few minutes and you might be surprised what’s out there.
[QUOTE=neorxnawange]
I enjoy Shiner, though I’m no beer snob. In fact I prefer it to most other beers that are “gas station” available around here. Here is why I like it: I don’t like being punched in the mouth by a fistful of hops, nor do I enjoy drinking a barely carbonated sludge as bitter as three week old coffee, nor do I like trying to force down what tastes like a liquefied hayfield. I’ve been told that Shiner isn’t a real bock style beer, and as far I know that may be true, but whatever it is I like that it is kind of a middle of the road beer. It’s a little heavier and tastier than American mega-brews, but not too much. It is lighter and sweeter than darker micro-brew beers, but not as watery as American mega beers. Maybe my tastes would change if I cared enough to pursue a beer drinking hobby, but when I try dark beers that my beer-nerd friends rave about I find them to be either too thick to enjoy, or . . . hard to explain, too “grassy? grainy?” Those tend to give me indigestion, filling my belly with an unsettling churning of wheaty flavor that keeps coming back up the pipes.
Maybe you can suggest for me a real bock that would suit my tastes that is better than Shiner - I’m willing to give it a try.
Also, I don’t consider Shiner to be a micro-brew, I think of them as having too large an output for that, but maybe that’s because it is so ubiquitous around here.
[/QUOTE]
It sounds to me like you should seek out some Brown Ales. See if you can find Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar for starters.
[QUOTE=RancidYakButterTeaParty]
Good point overall, though I have had some rather hoppy stouts that I really enjoyed. I have had a hoppy belgian before as well–but I didn’t care for that personally. Hoppy lambic? That would truly be interesting.
[/QUOTE]
I can’t think of a hoppy Belgian I’ve ever had, but I’ve had stouts that I suppose would be called a bit hoppy (Three Floyds in particular). However, it’s not hoppy in the way an IPA is. The hops are necessary to balance out all that malt. The predominant flavor I get from these beers is not hops, it’s malt. Although, who knows, maybe there are breweries that throw it off balance.
Pilsners are perfectly good and refined beers. No beer snob should say otherwise. I’m not a fan of American adjunct lagers (like Budmillcoors), but I am known to reach for an Old Style when appropriate.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
I am known to reach for an Old Style when appropriate.
[/QUOTE]
Me too, but you should be able to locate LaCrosse Lager for sale cheaply somewhere around you, and it’s the actual old style Old Style made by the original people with the original kraeusening process. It’s almost as cheap and it’s buch better.
I like Leinenkugel’s Bock, but not Shiner. I just don’t think Shiner has that much taste.
Shiner was my first experience with cheap beer that didn’t taste like piss. It’s what you drink when you’re first starting to appreciate that beer can taste good AND intoxicate you. It was a welcome change from the BudMillerCoors etc., and was a stepping stone into the world of good beer.
Shiner Bock was training wheels. My introduction to big-kid-land. I don’t seek it out anymore, but if it’s that vs. pool hall pisswater, I’ll go with Shiner.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
I can’t think of a hoppy Belgian I’ve ever had, but I’ve had stouts that I suppose would be called a bit hoppy (Three Floyds in particular). However, it’s not hoppy in the way an IPA is. The hops are necessary to balance out all that malt. The predominant flavor I get from these beers is not hops, it’s malt. Although, who knows, maybe there are breweries that throw it off balance.
Pilsners are perfectly good and refined beers. No beer snob should say otherwise. I’m not a fan of American adjunct lagers (like Budmillcoors), but I am known to reach for an Old Style when appropriate.
[/QUOTE]
Hoppy stouts aren’t easy to find. Three Floyds Black Sun Stout is somewhat hoppy, but one that is very hoppy that I really love is Surly Darkness. Very tough to get your hands on that one though.
For a hoppy Belgian look for Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel. It can be found at many good beer stores.
I love good pilsners as well, but hate it when people equate them with American Lagers–a huge mistake. Victory brewing makes a great pilsner.
You are right apparently. American Lager is not a pilsner even if that is what it was derived from.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
I am known to reach for an Old Style when appropriate.
[/QUOTE]
Old Style Light at about 55˚ F is one of mt favorite beers. Too bad they don’t sell it nationally. Don’t get me wrong, I drink much more than just American Lager’s, but american lagers have their purpose. On a hot summer day, I want something light tasting that I can drink to cool off without getting wasted after two beers. I’ll will admit though, it has it’s place. On the otherhand, I know people that refuse to drink anything but Keystone Light, even if it’s free and I brewed it myself.
Bud Light is just fine in my book.
[QUOTE=RancidYakButterTeaParty]
For a hoppy Belgian look for Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel. It can be found at many good beer stores.
[/QUOTE]
Just read the description of that one online. Sounds absolutely crazy, but people seem to love it. It also seems to a rather recent invention, blending British and American IPA styles with Belgian brewing, so it seems to be an anamoly when it comes to Belgians.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
Just read the description of that one online. Sounds absolutely crazy, but people seem to love it. It also seems to a rather recent invention, blending British and American IPA styles with Belgian brewing, so it seems to be an anamoly when it comes to Belgians.
[/QUOTE]
It’s definitely not a true belgian–but it is very interesting. I didn’t like it at all, but it was worth a try for the experience.
\
[QUOTE=Christopher]
Bud Light is just fine in my book.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I just can’t do Bud Light or any of the Miller beers. I suppose this may sound odd from a guy who likes Old Style, but I swear Old Style has a flavor I actually enjoy. My default American lager of choice, actually, is Sam Adams. Old Style is about the only beer “lighter” than Sam Adams that I enjoy. The absolute worst beer I’ve ever had is Busch Lite. Even at college frat parties, where it was flowing freely, I could never finish more than half a cup before feeling like puking. It took brewer patriot Sam Adams to teach me that all beer isn’t meant to taste like this.
I read that Shiner Bock was not doing well in sales, and the company hired a consultant to help them out, as they thought they had a pretty good beer, especially considering it’s price. The consultant studied their market, did taste tests among different groups of people, and told them “Raise the price a $1 a six-pack”. They did, and it took off. People saw the $4.50 a six pack price and assumed it was a typical low-end economy beer and didn’t try it. The people who did buy really cheap beer liked more typical pilsners which didn’t have as strong a flavor.
I don’t dislike it, but it’s really not the style of beer I like. I like brown ales (like Newcastle) and wheat beers like Purple Haze or Sam Adams Cherry Wheat - I’d love to find a similar wheat beer without the fruit flavor, and Abita does make one that’s essentially Purple Haze without the fruit puree but I can never find it in stores. TwoRows (a local microbrewery/restaurant) has a really good wheat beer too but it’s not in stores.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
My default American lager of choice, actually, is Sam Adams.
[/QUOTE]
Every once in a while I try Sam Adams, because as a lager and I think I should like it. Sam Adam’s is just way too hoppy for me.
[QUOTE=Christopher]
Every once in a while I try Sam Adams, because as a lager and I think I should like it. Sam Adam’s is just way too hoppy for me.
[/QUOTE]
Agreed… while it is a matter of taste, and thus, subjective, I find myself wanting to scrape my tongue after a Sam Adams, a’la Tom Hanks’ character in Big after eating Caviar…
But a Shiner Bock… that goes down easy!
[QUOTE=Christopher]
Every once in a while I try Sam Adams, because as a lager and I think I should like it. Sam Adam’s is just way too hoppy for me.
[/QUOTE]
Huh. I have never thought of Sam Adams as being hoppy.