Sheesh OK man… I wasn’t explaining to the likes of you…
A “session beer” is one thing. I’m very happy you know the difference.
Seriously, to me, as far as “session beers” go, shiner bock really still does equal miller lite.
Real beers are a whole 'nother category.
A beer I like that I haven’t seen mentioned is Hacker-Pschorr Dunkel Weiss, one of the few good dark wheat beers you can get in the US. Another I like is Red Hook ESB.
I have highlighted the only portion of your statement that isn’t debatable. Ratebeer puts shiner bock in the bottom 22% of beer and miller lite in the bottom 1% of beer. Shiner ain’t fancy, but if I’m at a backyard barbecue I’d MUCH rather see a keg of Shiner than a keg of Miller or Bud. And I don’t know what prices are like where you live, but I can’t buy a pitcher of Sierra Nevada for $6.00.
OK, neuroman. I’m not sure we’ve ever even encountered each other here but I promise I can concede defeat when I encounter it. This just isn’t that time.
Fuck I can’t even buy an pitcher of SN in this entire state!
If you’ve ever been to a back yard barbeque that had SN on tap you automatically win. And that’s a fucking fact.
Until you show up at one of mine, with my hard core homebrew “real beer”, three flavors… all IPA… all fucking bitter as hell.
And if you don’t like it? We keep bourbon and rum and vodka and what? Gin? yes a fully stocked so bar, so NOBODY gives a fuck about your $6 pitcher.
Drink your beer and STFU or get out… or be prepared to have your nose rearranged.
Meh… that’s a stupid quote… actually you’d have to poke and/or firstpunch at least a few vets to get that response… at least at my house.
Do not make threats of violence against other posters in this forum, or anywhere on the SDMB, for that matter.
With that bellicose attitute, I think I’ll pass on any invitation to your parties. You are wrong about Shiner Bock. Period. Full Stop. Shiner Bock is an Amber Lager, not a Bock, as I explained on page one. It is judged by the characteristics of an Amber Lager more similar to a Vienna Style lager, not an IPA, not a true Bock, not a dunkelweissen. Judged by the proper category is does a decent job. It’s not the best ever, but it is a good beer. If you think it tastes like Miller Lite, you might want to question your ability to taste anything but bitter. Shiner Bock is far more malty and less carbonated that Miller Lite. It’s not hoppy; but then it’s not supposed to be. If you’re a hop-head, then you might not like it. That’s a matter of taste. But to say it’s not a good beer is incorrect and makes you look ignorant.
We’re almost soulmates, although I’m not sure I’ve ever even tried Blue. I usually get Red.
Silenus, you meant Duvel, right?
At least that’s how it’s spelled on my glasses.
For Belgian’s available in the USA, Stella is becoming ubiquitous and is okay. La Chouffe and St. Bernardus are both good, as well, and can generally be found.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll get to Germany next summer for WC '06 and will be able to sidetrip to some Belgian breweries, with good, fresh German local brews to tide me over in between.
My current favorite is from an Asheville brewery, Highlands brewery, called Black Mocha Stout. Maybe because it’s local it’s always very fresh-tasting, full of rich roasty flavors, not sweet, and utterly delicious. It’s especially good with onion rings; unfortunately, we haven’t found anywhere in town that both makes decent onion rings and has this beer on tap.
The Asheville Pizza and Brewing company makes a Shiva IPA that goes perfectly with pizza; I love it.
The Green Man Ales company serves its beer at Jack of the Wood, the only non-irritating Irish-themed bar I’ve ever been to. One time years ago I got a nut brown ale there that made me weep for joy: it had undercurrents of toasted pecans in it that were exquisite. But the brewer moved on, and the new brewer has not to my knowledge reintroduced this recipe. Sam Smith’s Nut Brown Ale leaves me flat; I’ve never had another nut brown that was remotely similar in deliciousness.
If we go abroad from Asheville, the Sweetwater brewery in Atlanta makes a very decent set of beers; their 420 Pale Ale is not exciting, but it goes well with everything. And their IPA (I forget the name) is extremely flowery, which I like but my wife doesn’t.
I learned to like beer with Widmer’s Hefeweizen, which is unlike most wheat beers. Fortunately so: I can’t stand most wheat beers, but Widmer’s is great.
I also can’t stand Belgian ales, which I know makes me a heretic, and I think Guinness is flat and bland and metallic-tasting even when on tap, and I think Rogue’s beers have too much cheap candy dissolved in them, and I’ve never had a high-gravity beer that I would order a second time. So I know my tastes are somewhat peculiar.
Daniel
“Miles…is that you?”
Stranger
Honey Brown is very nice indeed…but gave me some of the worst headaches in my life.
t’s spelled that way on mine, too. I was listening to Jimmy Buffett when I typed it. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 
The joys of California…Sierra Nevada in kegs. Did that at the last birthday party we threw for a buddy.
I’d love to get my hands of some Old Nick again.
It’s very hard to say that one beer is the best, and that it should be recognized as the best by all. What I’ll do instead is give a list of beers that I personally hold in high esteem:
Session beers – if “session” means “evening of drinking with friends”, my favorites would be Hoegaarden, Watney’s Cream Stout, Ayinger Maibock, Paulaner Salvator, Spaten Optimator, and Spaten Franziskaner (in no particular order).
One-time beers – to me, these are beers you might just drink one of in a given outing (though you might order several other, more ordinary beers over the course of an evening out). There are many, many beers I enjoy like this. The most notable off the top of my head are Hoegaarden Grand Cru, Double Grimbergen, Triple Grimbergen, the aforementioned Bishop’s Finger, Old Nick, Thomas Hardy Ale, any of the Lindemann’s lambics, and Samichlaus. Samuel Adams Triple Bock gets honorable mention for having an … interesting flavor, but I can never finish one at a sitting (and yet I can with Samichlaus :shrug:).
You drink “ator” beers as session beers? Remind me not to try to drink you under the table.
Curses upon anyone who can still drink Bishop’s Finger! I really miss that beer. <whimper>
Eh … it’s not such a big deal.
Optimator and Salvator are only around 7–7.5 alcohol by volume (cf. 5% for Budweiser). So the comparison I make is this: two pints of Optimator will affect me like three pints of Budweiser. I’ll typically drink six or seven pints over three or four hours, and it will give me a nice mellow buzz that fades away maybe an hour or so after drinking.
I nurse beers, even “session” beers. I’m not one to knock back 15 pints in a night.
As for the others: Maibock is just under 7%. Triple Grimbergen is around 6%, while Double Grimbergen is just over 5%. Franziskaner, Hoegaarden, and Watney’s Cream Stout are about the same alcohol content as Bud (actually, the Watney’s CS might be a little lower).
Ah, where to start, so many good beers, so little time.
I learned to drink in Europe, Belgium speciffically, so I’m a little baised.
Had **Chimay ** at 10am, in Chimay, with the mayor of town. Great beer, My personal “best”.
**Blue Moon ** is always nice to drink.
Took a tour of the Belleview brewery, drank a cherry lambic (Creek) there. I wouldn’t be able to down many at once, but one or two is pretty good.
Drank Delerium in a bar near Gent. Asked for a beer list and had a book dropped infront of me with well over 1000 beers listed.
Went on a tour of Brugge with a local history professor. He took us to all of the bars of the town and told us the history of the city as we walked. Drank Duvel and De Konnig (might need to check the spelling on that one). Those were both very good too.
We were also in Gent for the city festival. Don’t remember a lot of that night, but it was fun! 
Now, back here at home, I have to settle a little…
**Newcastle ** and **Bass ** are the old standards.
Fat Tire , by New Belgium Brewing out of Colorado is good.
Labbat Blue is acceptable, if nothing else is aroung.
The affore listed Negro Medelo (sp) isn’t bad either.
In Las Vegas we have a Haufbrau, and that’s always a night well spent.
Now if I had said Samichlaus was my session beer, look out!
Locally, there’s a brew pub that makes Belgian Style Ales. . .some int eh 9-12% range.
Brewer’s Art is the brewery. If you can find a “Resurrection Ale” go for it.
De Groens’ is a local brew pub that makes good beer. Of course, it’s always fresh here.
Dogfish Head (which ultrafilter mentioned) makes good beer, and like he mentioned, the “Raison D’Etre” is a GREAT beer. I didn’t like it at first because it kind of has a “stout-like” finish, kind of thick and chocolatey, but it has grown on me, and it’s damn near a perfect beer.
I’m surprised at all the love for Newcastle here. That always tasted like Miller with brown food coloring and artificial malt flavor added. Of course, I used to live about 5 blocks from a brew pub in Oregon that made “Oregon Trail Brown Ale”. That was heaven.
Also, I’m a fan of Deschutes Beers (particular the BB Porter) and Full Sail.
As far as beers from Europe go, I like the unfiltered Hoegarden. European beer is overrated. While their widely imported beers are typically better than our widely exported beers, I don’t think their top beers match up to America’s top beers.
Some of the best stuff I’ve had across the pond was a local white beer on tap in Salzburg, Austria, actually.
[QUOTE=kinoons]
Took a tour of the Belleview brewery, drank a cherry lambic (Creek) there. I wouldn’t be able to down many at once, but one or two is pretty good.
Went on a tour of Brugge with a local history professor. He took us to all of the bars of the town and told us the history of the city as we walked. Drank Duvel and De Konnig (might need to check the spelling on that one). Those were both very good too.
QUOTE]
Nice choices kinoons. I believe the cherry lambic is Kriek, which is one of my personal favorites–great flavor.
I have heard about De Koenig (not sure of the spelling either) from a friend who also grew up in Belgium. This sounds like a brew I wish I could get my hands on.