Cold.

Harp. Maybe a Grolsch just for variety.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
...Heineken... still tastes bitter and IMO bad I dont understand how so many people can like that beer....

Beers and ales are generally SUPPOSED to be bitter (at least, the classical styles are)!

Beer and ale are typically made of only a few ingredients, one of them being hops (the flower of the hop plant, humulus lupulus). Hops are used in the brewing process for several reasons, the main reason being to add bitterness! So, bitterness is a normal characteristic of beer and ale.

Of course, there are many degrees of bitterness to be found out there. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell what you're getting unless you educate yourself on beers and ales, first. For example: if you don't like bitterness, then you should stay away from IPAs (India Pale Ales) and such, since they tend to be "over hopped", and very bitter. On the other hand, lagers tend to use relatively little hops, and to use them mostly for their aroma. Most all of the most popular mega brands in the USA are lagers, and often very light (not "lite") lagers at that. While imminently guzzleable, I find that most mainstream American lagers are insipid at best, and vastly less interesting than many micro-brews or imports. But lagers are what most Americans are used to, so it's no surprise that they often don't like more traditional, hoppier brews at first.

Short of learning about beers and ales first, your best bet may be to do exactly what you're doing now: try lots of different brews. Short of going to tastings or pubs that let you order samplers, the build your own 6-pack is probably your best bet! As time goes on, you may find that you will come to appreciate bitterness in a brew. And although Heineken® is well-known and heavily marketed, it really isn't anything special. So don't judge other 'premium' beers by that standard.

One last thing: Try lots of brews, take note of what you like, and enjoy!

[quote]Short of learning about beers and ales first, your best bet may be to do exactly what you're doing now: try lots of different brews. Short of going to tastings or pubs that let you order samplers, the build your own 6-pack is probably your best bet! As time goes on, you may find that you will come to appreciate bitterness in a brew. And although Heineken® is well-known and heavily marketed, it really isn't anything special. So don't judge other 'premium' beers by that standard.

One last thing: Try lots of brews, take note of what you like, and enjoy![/quot

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Perfect. I would have said all that but all that typing....

Bitterness is messured in IBU. You can go over the top as with Dog head fish 120, but I think that's more of a noveltiy than anything. Kinda like the hottest hot souce. But such IPA's as DHF 60 are really good. Not guzzling beer, but not a sipper either. And at 6+ ABV you're not going to drink a 12 pack. 3 is good for me.

My very favs are Orval which is a Trappist ale, and Chimay White, also a Trappist tripple. When I drink one, I think of the Monks tending the brew in their robes (or whatever they wear)and raise my glass in that general direction.

quote:

Originally posted by dusty3030:
Yuengling. I like the traditional lager. Very, very smooth full flavored beer with no aftertaste (to me anyhow).

+1 It's all I ever drink anymore.

The best beer I have ever tasted has got to be Carlesberg. Man I cannot get enough of that stuff.

I'm gonna stray, and offer some more generic guidance. Heineken is classified as a Premium American Lager (yes, despite its origin), which means it doesn't take much from either of the two main flavor camps, 'malty' or 'hoppy'. Since you seem averse to bitter, I'd lean away from the balanced, low malt/hops beers, and towards maltier ones.

From the links below, I'd maybe start with anything in the Commercial Examples section of the English Brown Ale page, or the Oktoberfest section of the Amber Lager page (hey, tis the season coming up )

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style11.html
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style03.html

Kronenbourg 1664. Damn I like that stuff.

Red Stripe

Delerium Tremens, Paulaner Hefeweizen, Spaten Marzen/Oktoberfest, Murphys, Fat Tire, Sam Adams Boston Lager

Originally posted by dusty3030

quote:

Yuengling. I like the traditional lager. Very, very smooth full flavored beer with no aftertaste (to me anyhow).

I do enjoy Yuengling traditional lager, it is the beer that I generally drink when I am out with friends.

Some beers I have recently tried and enjoyed are: Paulander Hefeweizen, Schneider Weiss (both were included in the last 6 pack I made), Leinenkugel Honey Weiss which I had for the first time tonight.

I wish I had picked up Red Stripe I see it has been mentoned a few times and I actually almost picked it up on my last trip but the wife was rushing me.

Good recomendations so far guys and gals keep em coming!

If you like lager, you'll probably like pilsners - Pilsner Urquel oughtta be worth trying. In fact try Czech beers in general. The lighter shaded Paulaner's out of Germany should be good, too. If you like Yeungling, Shiner's might suit you as well.

Or just do what I started doing earlier this year and brew your own! Much easier to do than you might think. Here's a couple suppliers to get started:

http://www.northernbrewer.com

http://www.midwestsupplies.com

Personally, I like just about any pale ale (usually a hoppy (read: bitter) brew). Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a great example of an American pale ale that you should be able to find at a store near you.

Stella Artois is a great Belgian pilsner lager that is similar to Heineken but a bit more smooth and mellow.

The posters before are right on... try a buncha stuff and find out what you like.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wino,

Yuengling Traditional Lager and Red Stripe (Hooray) is what I enjoy. I never really liked the "heavy" brews but hated the watered down crap Both have a good balance between the two extremes, IMO.

I am convinced that the best beer I have ever had is Maredsous 8 (the one with the red label). Shame it's so expensive.

Stella always gives good head. Great beer!

Foster's, Guinness, Fat Tire, Heffeweizen, Boulevard Wheat, FLying Monkey, Dundee's honey lager, Harp, Corona.

Avoid Watney's Red Barrel like the plague. I nearly barfed before I could spit that crap out.

Years ago I loved the now long gone pabst dark on draft (anyone remember it)? It was my fav. beer at Atlanta's Everybody's Pizza near Emory.
Over the years, Everybody's went to canned ingredients, Pabst Dark died before I barely got started.

Totally different beer but I do enjoy the Red Stripe.

Swordsmn, I never had Pabst's dark draft, but I used to buy it in bottles at the grocery story back about 1980. Damn that stuff was good. I haven't seen it in years. Wish I could find it again.

I've gotten hooked on Sam Adams Light, chilled to about 36 degrees. I used to like Tequiza during the summer, but I don't think it's made any more.