# Help the beer newb find a good fruity beer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [June 4, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337 "2011-06-04T20:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/41 "2011-06-06T16:09:24Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Guinness, for me, is very nonsweet and tastes noticeably metallic. Take larger gulps. Sipping Guinness tends to focus the taste just on your bitter-tasting buds - taking a mouthful allows your tongue to taste all of the flavors. (I know it sounds stupid - but it works.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/42 "2011-06-06T16:17:03Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Take larger gulps. Sipping Guinness tends to focus the taste just on your bitter-tasting buds - taking a mouthful allows your tongue to taste all of the flavors. (I know it sounds stupid - but it works.) Also, experiment with bottles vs glasses. When I started drinking beer, I couldn’t (and still prefer not to) drink stouts and porters out of a bottle. There was something about being able to smell the beer before I tasted it with each sip. This was especially important with a porter, otherwise it would just taste like mulch to me. Also, with the metallic taste in Guinness, you make be drinking it to cold. Most beers sort of come alive once you let them warm up a bit. I’m not one of those room temperature guys, or even a ‘it must be exactly xx degrees’ people. But after it get’s poured, just letting it sit out for 5 minutes, (especially if you’re holding it) will make it taste much fuller and get rid of that thin taste (which is what I assume you are describing as metallic). ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/43 "2011-06-06T16:29:59Z")
[New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red](http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/Beers.cfm?BeerID=10) ---
**Author:** ![Registered\_at\_Last](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc79bd/32.png) [@Registered\_at\_Last](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Registered_at_Last)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/44 "2011-06-06T16:54:59Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Gah, thread exploded! Sorry! > EPHEMERE APPLE - UNIBROUE If you get Unibroue beers in SK, then definitely try them out. They are in the belgium style and while not exactly the real thing, they very good. Very different than Canadian bog standard brew. They have a number of different brews. Try them but be aware that some of them are very high in alcohol and need to be consumed accordingly (A 355ml bottle of Fin de Monde is really 2 servings) I definitely think you should go to a pub that specializes in beer. Many of them have beer tasting flights, basically 4 or 5 small glasses (equivalent volume of a pint) where you can sample a number of different beers. I only ever barely tolerated Canadian megabrews (due to a student’s budget) until I tried an english ale. I LOVE ales … the hoppier the better. When only megabrew is on tap I tend to order a wine or pop. So, while you may love fruit beers, you may find that you also love another style that isn’t a megabrew. My current favourite is also from La Belle Province (Unibroue is from Quebec) and is St. Ambroise Pale Ale. Very hoppy english style ale (sort of anyway … officially I think it is classed as an American Pale Ale … which is a hopped up English Pale Ale). Yum … I want some now! Browsing the Saskatchewan Liquor web site, I see they carry some other Unibroue and some St. Ambroise stuff. You may also want to pick up the Big Rock Sampler … they have a number of styles that are a little bit better than the standard. Also I see some Sam Adams … their lager is, well a lager (and quite bitter at that) but I like their ales. And if you find a style you like but find it too expensive … brewing your own ales can result in very nice beers. Plus it’s fun (and cheaper). And you can control the level of bitterness. Added on preview … bitterness … hmm. I suggest that you give things a try, despite names like “English Bitter” since you might find that it is actually another part of the flavour profile you dislike. But be prepared to make some faces. But yeah, probably hold off on the St. Amboise Pale Ale … it is pretty bitter (I noticed they have a sampler 6 pack … get that, but keep the pale ale for the end … or just send it too me if the others are too bitter 😃 ) Good luck! I firmly believe that there is a beer out there for everyone (assuming they drink at all). ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/45 "2011-06-06T17:34:50Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > :rolleyes: Some the heaviest, strongest, and most complex beers are fruity and sweet. Of course if you measure your balls by how bitter you like your beer, I’m sure I can find some crazy bitter, piss weak stuff for you. 😉 I live in California, where piss weak beers are as abundant as oranges (which happen to be a 3/4 scale version of my balls) :D. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/46 "2011-06-06T17:48:49Z")
If you’re drinking at home, you can just stir a spoonful of raspberry jam into a glass of lager or pilsner. Don’t try this in a restaurant, though; you’ll look like someone who eats a candy bar with a knife and fork. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/47 "2011-06-26T05:14:54Z")
So I finally got the chance to hit up the local brew pub (Bushwakker’s in Regina, I think it’s kinda well known in Canada). I tried their current seasonal offering, which is a strawberry ale (sorry, didn’t grab more details than that). I think my tastebuds are broken, because I had to ask if it was the wrong beer, since there was no hint of fruity flavour. It just tasted like an unappetizing beer. Next I decided to try the cider route with Strongbow original. It’s definitely better than beer in that it goes down smoother, but I was still getting just too faint of a fruity tone to it. If it was down to ‘choose beer or cider’ I’d choose cider, but I’d rather have neither. But like I said, it may be my tastebuds. I’ve often tried flavoured coffees and can smell the vanilla or toffee but can’t taste it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/48 "2011-06-26T11:50:40Z")
You may then need to try the certainly more fruity, more expensive lambics. Some beers that are considered fruity are not fruity when you sip them, they just leave a fruity aftertaste. That may be what’s happening there, although I’m surprised you didn’t find the cider more fruity. Perhaps it’s just those brands. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/49 "2011-06-26T14:22:39Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > [New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red](http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/Beers.cfm?BeerID=10) I had this within the last month or two, and it was _amazingly good_. If you can manage to find anyone who has it, give it a try-- it’s sweet and jammy, but still has a fermented flavor to it as well. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, experiment with bottles vs glasses. When I started drinking beer, I couldn’t (and still prefer not to) drink stouts and porters out of a bottle. There was something about being able to smell the beer before I tasted it with each sip. This was especially important with a porter, otherwise it would just taste like mulch to me. > > Also, with the metallic taste in Guinness, you make be drinking it to cold. Most beers sort of come alive once you let them warm up a bit. I’m not one of those room temperature guys, or even a ‘it must be exactly xx degrees’ people. But after it get’s poured, just letting it sit out for 5 minutes, (especially if you’re holding it) will make it taste much fuller and get rid of that thin taste (which is what I assume you are describing as metallic). Very true. After having tried beers in different containers, I find it easiest to assess whether I like the taste and smell of the beer when poured into a wineglass or snifter-- strangely enough, like wine, beer sometimes needs a little aeration to get all the scent notes from it. Additionally, I’ve had beers change dramatically from one set of flavors to another while going from chilled to room temperature; there’s a lot of goodness that can be had in that transition, and some beers taste a lot better warm than they do chilled. > [@KarlGrenze](#): > > You may then need to try the certainly more fruity, more expensive lambics. > > Some beers that are considered fruity are not fruity when you sip them, they just leave a fruity aftertaste. That may be what’s happening there, although I’m surprised you didn’t find the cider more fruity. Perhaps it’s just those brands. As for “fruityness”, very little is going to taste like fruit juice, even hard ciders. The fruity flavors are more subtle and tend to contribute to the mouthfeel more than the actual taste. It’s like the difference between watermelon Kool Aid and an actual watermelon-- you’re not going to get an intensity of sweetness or fruit flavor because the fruity quality is not the major part of the beer; after all, it’s beer, not fermented juice (i.e. wine). Grain flavors, spices, hoppiness are all part of what makes a beer, and finding your “sweet spot” in the beer world may take time. Definitely make an effort to find places who’ll do a set of samples for you so that you can try a wide variety of things that may or may not appeal to you. Additionally, you may hate something the first time and become acclimated to it at a later time; I initially thought Old Rasputin tasted awful and too intense, but a few years later, and I drink it and enjoy it when I see it on tap. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/50 "2011-06-26T14:47:00Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, with the metallic taste in Guinness, you make be drinking it to cold. Most beers sort of come alive once you let them warm up a bit. I’m not one of those room temperature guys, or even a ‘it must be exactly xx degrees’ people. But after it get’s poured, just letting it sit out for 5 minutes, (especially if you’re holding it) will make it taste much fuller and get rid of that thin taste (which is what I assume you are describing as metallic). That’s more than likely the issue; most British/Irish beers have a sort of metallic taste until they warm up into the mid-50s or higher. And.. FYI, draft/draught Guinness is NOT a heavy beer. That’s a misconception because of a few things- it has a dense head and moderate body, it’s pitch dark, and it’s fairly strongly flavored. In reality, the original gravity at 1.038 or so is not much higher than a Bud Light, meaning that it’s neither high alcohol, nor particularly heavy bodied. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/51 "2011-06-26T16:09:14Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I just had a New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red. You are wrong. You are so, so wrong. That stuff puts Lindemann’s (and every other Lambic I’ve ever tried) to shame. I have to third or fourth or whatever this recommendation. New Glarus puts out some tasty beers, but their Wisconsin Belgian Red and their Raspberry Tart are absolutely otherworldly, and I’m not generally one for the sweet fruit beers. I’m not sure I’d compare it to a proper Belgian kriek though–it’s neither as sour and it skews a bit sweeter (with the exception of Lindemann’s standard kriek. However, their Kriek Cuvee Renee is worth seeking out). It doesn’t quite taste like a lambic to me. For that, I’d recommend Drie Fonteinen Kriek. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/52 "2011-06-27T03:39:05Z")
A point to mention on ciders – the ones from across the Atlantic (Strongbow and Magner’s, notably) are “dry” ciders. They taste more like lager beer with some apple-y hints and a little sugary finish. American ciders can be dry or sweet, but the most common (Woodchuck and Hornsby’s) are both sweet and very, very easy to drink. For a “beginner” drinker without a taste for beer, I tend to recommend those two. Especially Hornsby’s Amber Draft – sweet, tasty, and smooth. Almost cloying, but not syrupy. …and now I want one. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/53 "2011-06-27T04:20:45Z")
Another note: if you’re interested in liking beer, I wouldn’t recommend focusing on sweet fruity beers. The reason being that you’ll wind up liking the “sweet fruity” without liking the “beer.” My wife was that way for years. She liked beer – provided it “didn’t taste like beer.” What ultimately got her to like beer was to start with very light, crisp, easy lagers (Red Stripe, Heineken, and, amazingly, the Walgreen’s house brand Big Flats). We also used beer culinarily, making things like Guinness ice cream and beer-braised, well, everything. Between drinking mild beers and mixing the flavor into cooking, she acclimated to the flavor of malt and hops. She’s not quite a “beer lover” yet, but always happy to share a brew or two when the weather calls for it and she’s graduated to some more complicated beers. In fact, we’re gonna open a bottle of Sophie tonight. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/54 "2011-06-27T04:36:37Z")
The OP should try some Kopparberg cider. They have pear, mixed fruit, apple, strawberry and lime, and elderflower and lime ciders. Some of these are quite delicious, a couple of them I find a bit too cloying. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337/55 "2011-06-27T04:53:43Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Try Pyramid Apricot Ale, which is quite sweet, but not in an overpowering way. It’s also not too heavy, but is more substantial than either Blue Moon or Shocktop… > > Pyramid is a microbrew (although now it’s one of the biggest “microbreweries” around) that started up in Portland OR. around 15 years ago, but is now widely distributed throughout the entire USA. I agree with this suggestion. However, I am pretty sure they were founded in Washington and are now headquartered in Seattle. They were founded in Kalama, WA, which is near the border. Now they have brewpubs in Portland, and Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Sacramento, CA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-beer-newb-find-a-good-fruity-beer/584337.md?page=2)