the whole anchor family; Anchor Steam, Liberty Ale, Anchor Porter.
From breweries, Pale Ales on the hoppy side, but without a bite. Local Selection: Seven Sisters.
• most beers that I brew myself (currently have an all grain robust Porter in the secondary fermenter)
After that, Guinness (cellar temp draft of course)…
I’m also partial to Chimay, Anchor Steam…and lately Rogues’ Dead Guy Ale mmmmm
Here is another vote for Negro Modelo as the best. It’s a dark mexican beer that is widely available, and it’s oh-so good.
The beer I drink most, however, is Killian’s Irish Red. I’ve never been to a bar that didn’t have it. I discovered the virtues of K.R. in college.
Abita Turbo Dog is a fine choice, and it’s native to my home state. I also love Beck’s Dark, Woodchuck, and Sam Adams Cherry Wheat.
Beers I hate… Almost everything made by Anheuser-Busch. They make the most putrid shit imaginable.
Besides my homebrew, I’d go with Red Tail Ale, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (real good, but it takes some practice), Full Sail Ale, and most put out by New Holland and Bell’s. I’m surpirsed none of the Aussie beer lovers has mentioned Sheaf Stout.
I must say that every time this topic comes up I’m amazed to see Heineken on people’s lists. Maybe it’s good when it’s fresh, but here in North America it’s consistantly skunked. The green bottle may be a good trademark, but it makes for lousy light protection. Samuel Smith’s ales in clear bottles suffer a similar sad fate.
Best American Beer: Ommegang http://ommegang.com/Ommegang/
Best Canadian Beer: Raftman http://www.unibroue.com/products/raftman.html
Best English Ale: Landlord http://www.timothy-taylor.co.uk/
Since Landlord is impossible to find in the US I’ll nominate Fullers ESB or London Pride http://www.fullers.co.uk/ and Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery Pale Ale http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/samsmith.html as stand ins.
Best Belgian Ale? Ask me in 2 weeks when I get back, but I’m leaning towards something from De Dolle. I bought a case of their limited edition anniversary ale last year and all I can say is WOW!
Best Berman Beer: Kuchelbauer Weisse
Best Mexican Beer: Corona Barrilito if it’s still being made. If not, Negra Modelo. http://www.corona.com/negramodelo.html
Favorite Locals: Flying Fish ESB http://www.flyingfish.com/ and Weyerbacher’s ESB http://www.weyerbacher.com/
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewery, Chippewa Falls, Wis., makes as good aJacob Leinenkugel Brewery, Chippewa Falls, Wis., makes as good a commercial beer as you are likely to find in the Midwest. Heileman’s Special Export was good stuff but disappeared into the bowels of Miller’s along with the G. Heileman Brewing Co. of LaCrosse, Wis.
If you are going to talk beer, however, you have to talk about the three-bazillion local breweries in Germany. I really liked BBK, Bavarian Brewery Kaiserslautern. As unlikely as it may sound there is a Czech beer made in the Bohemian town of Budweis. There is an effort to market the stuff in the US, but the boys at Augie Bush’s shop in St. Louis is causing some trouble about the name. At home in the Czech Republic it’s called Budweiser.
The really fun thread would be an opinion poll of excruciatingly bad beers.
I disclaim responsibility for spelling errors.
Wrong button, damn it. Try again.
The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewery, Chippewa Falls, Wis., makes as good a commercial beer as you are likely to find in the Midwest. Heileman’s Special Export was good stuff but disappeared into the bowels of Miller’s along with the G. Heileman Brewing Co. of LaCrosse, Wis.
If you are going to talk beer, however, you have to talk about the three-bazillion local breweries in Germany. I really liked BBK, Bavarian Brewery Kaiserslautern. there is a Czech beer made in the Bohemian town of Budweis that is pretty good. The boys at Augie Bush’s shop in St. Louis are causing some trouble about marketing it in the US under its European name. At home in the Czech Republic it’s called Budweiser.
The really fun thread would be an opinion poll of excruciatingly bad beers.
I disclaim responsibility for spelling errors.
…but there is no other:
McEwan’s Scotch Ale! (forget about the India Pale Ale)
I must confess I’m not a big beer drinker, but this is the bee’s knees. I’ve found that I really enjoy the Trappist Ales as well. Negro Modelo will do in a pinch as will Newcastle Nut Brown Ale.
Shephards’s Neame Bishop’s Finger (England)
Watney’s Cream Stout (England)
Samuel Adams Double Bock (USA)
Celis Grand Cru (USA)
Abita Turbo Dog (USA)
Dixie Blackened Voodoo (USA)
Hoegaarden (Belgium)
Double Grimbergen (Belgium)
Triple Grimbergen (Belgium)
**Ayinger Maibock **(Germany)
Spaten Optimator (Germany)
Spaten Franziskaner (Germany)
Paulaner Salvator (Germany)
and, for that occasional kick in the pants …
Samichlaus (Switzerland)
I just foundo out in the “Fosters tastes like wombat puke” thread that Sheaf is available in the States. That’s unbelievable - it doesn’t even sell much here, but I reckon it’s better than Guinness.
Anyway, here’s my list:
My erstwhile homebrew (especially the Trad. English Bitter)
Stella Artois (nobody mentioned this one yet??)
Peroni
Heineken
Tooheys Old
Sheaf Stout
Guinness
Fuller’s London Pride
I could go on (O how I could go on…)
In no particular order:
Great Mexican beers
Negra Modelo with or without lime
Corona with lime
Pacifico
And when I’m feeling like water with a palatable beer taste, Corona Light.
Great Britainish stuff
Guiness
Murphy’s Irish Stout
Harps
Belhaven Scotch Ale
Young’s Oatmeal Stout
Bass Ale, but I have to be in the mood to drink it
The only Belgian beer I’ve ever had
Belgian Blue Moon White with lemon
Great Japanese beers
Kirin Ichiban
Sapporo
Sapporo Stout
Asahi
These are all I can remember right now.
Gosh this thread has got me thirsty. I want to try some of this Fat Tire and Lefthand Sawtooth–I LOVE those names!–stuff y’all keep mentioning. What do Abita Turbo Dog, Fat Tire, and Lefthand Sawtooth taste like? If they’re sweet, fruity, or chocolaty, then I won’t waste my time on them because I can’t stand those tastes in beer.
I don’t know beer, but I know what I like, and what I like is:
Ubu Ale, from the Lake Placid Brewery. I dunno how available it is outside of upstate New York. It comes in half-gallon jugs, for $10. Pricey for a beer, but even we poor college students sometimes scrape up enough money to buy it (though usually in a 5-gallon keg for $40, which comes out to a buck a pint), which should speak well for its quality. Tastes like heaven in liquid form.
Anchor makes a porter? Oh Christ, it’s time for another trip to Total Beverage…
Anyhow, I figured this little ditty from a wax cylinder recording done in 1899 might be an appropriate offering. Just for kicks. 
Guiness & Murphy’s Irish Stout??? No, thanks - too bitter and tend to upset one’s stomach after a few. Plenty of alternatives out there for those who aren’t gathered in by the hype.
I can’t BELIEVE no one has mentioned Brazil’s XINGU or England’s Mackeson Triple-Stout.
I heard good things about Fat Tire, and finally broke down and bought a sixer (I live in Texas, it’s pretty widely available here). It’s pretty good, nothing particularly special in my opinion. One of my favorite not-too-popular brews is Abita Turbo Dog. Yes, the name makes it sound like a bad malt liquor, but it’s really a great ale with a lot of character.
I have read Michael Jackson’s books on beer (the beer lover, not the child loving freak), and I tend to disagree with his comments. He tends to love the beers I can only drink one of without going to my familiar favorites. You know, the super hoppy ones you can smell a few feet away.
Here goes:
Shiner Bock. Mr. Jackson didn’t think much of it, but I do.
Paulanar Oktoberfest. Mr. Jackson gives it good reviews. Tasty, and I can drink a few.
No 3 Ale. I drank it when in Scotland in the 80’s. A dark beer that is chuggable. Too bad it ain’t in the U.S… Mr. Jackson gave it the same mark as Shiner Bock, so it must be as beloved by Scots as Shiner is by Texans.
Red Dog. A once specialty beer of Miller that is now one of the cheapest around. A great beer for the price.
Miller. The O.P. gave it a good rating. Funny, it is one of the cheapest beers in the U.S. But I find it good for the price.
Guinness out of the tap and in a pint glass.
Gordon Biersch’s Märtzen
Samuel Adams in a pinch
Modelo is not bad, either.
Please, no citrus wedges in my brew, thank you.