Your worst beer experience

There is no 'best' beer. But Westvleteren 12 is very good and worthy of attention and its reputation. Of course everyone has a right to an opinion but you need to stop going out of your way to diss it as often as you do. Its getting bloody annoying.

 

That post was over a year ago...

 

I know but I like being thorough.

 

The worst experience I had was when I was studying in Budapest for a semester. It was probably 6 days or so after we had arrived. My American buddies and I went out drinking at a Danish style pub that served "beer" that was absolute swill, but was drinkable enough and dirt cheap that we powered through A LOT of it. For the equivalent of about $4.50, you could get "the meter" which was 10 cylindrical glasses served in a wooden carrier that looked like a pig trough with a handle. Having already downed a liter of beer or so each, we decided to form teams of two and have meter races with each other. I really don't remember much of the night after that. I do, however, remember that when we were all walking home piss drunk, I was overtaken by an attractive Norwegian girl and some of her friends. This girl bet me that I couldn't handle another shot or two and I was obliterated enough to basically say, "I bet you I fuckin' can!" We proceeded into a nearby bar and I downed two tequila shots in quick succession and I'm pretty sure this is where it went all wrong. I managed to stumble home by 3 AM or so, but had to wake up around 7:30 for an introductory language course. This may have been the first time I'd ever woken up still drunk, so I had no idea of the horror that was to be wrought on my body after a couple hours of being awake. I puked in my kitchen sink even before leaving, soldiered into the classroom, and proceeded to develop one of the worst hangovers in my life. I was nauseous, sweating profusely in a hot and humid room, and had to excuse myself (past our professor who runs the program), at least 3 or 4 times to yack in the bathroom, though I only made it to a trashcan one of those times.

I suppose this wasn't all beer's fault, but it got me most of the way to that horrific morning.

 

Strong beers and tequila shots don't mix...unless you don't want to remember half the night. I knew this fact, but it was a November in DC and a bunch of friends were heading to Mexico in a few days for a wedding. Never again.

 

Mine just happened. I was lucky enough to meet a guy from Belgium a few years ago. He sent me a sixer from Westy. Two bottles each of 8, 12, and Blonde. Subsequently, I made a road trip last year to pick up my two six packs of the Westy 12 Gift Set.

I have a friend who lives just north of Portland. Each year at Christmas, we send a beer package across county for each other to enjoy. Last year as part of his gift, I sent him a bottle of Westy 12. He aged it for a year and this past Saturday, was the day he popped the top.

He hated it. Said it didn't taste like beer and didn't understand all the hype. I've sent him Belgians before and it's mostly hit or miss. He's been stationed in Germany and now has a love for their lagers. I'm not disappointed in him, just that he didn't enjoy the beer like I'd hope he would have. I really thought I'd finally nailed one, something that he could rave about and be proud of to say he's had it. Not so much.

 

Wanted to try a high gravity malt liquor of some sort one night a year ago, so I went to the local corner store and grabbed a 40oz. Hurricane High Gravity Lager (8.1%).

I've knocked down sixers of SN Torpedo and been pretty well messed up, hung over and regretting drinking in the aftermath. No big surprise there. It happens.

I took this 40 down in about 20-25 minutes. I was beyond wasted. I couldn't even function. I somehow got myself into bed and got up 6 hours later at 5:30am to go to work...still drunk. Somehow drove to work without wrecking or catching law enforcement's attention. I was delirious at my desk. Couldn't get enough coffee. Couldn't get enough water.

The worst vurp ever hit me about 9am. That was more than I could handle and I then unleashed the fury on my waste basket. Luckily, I work in my own area and nobody was subjected to that.

From that point on, my head throbbed all day long regardless of drinking what seemed like 3 gallons of water.

While that Hurricane HGL wasn't the worst tasting thing I ever drank, it certainly smacked me something fierce.

 

I lived in Singapore for two years in high school and all I drank was Strongbow,Tiger, and whiskey sours. While I didn't have much to compare Tiger to at the time, it sure hit the spot on all of those 80 degree nights.

 

When I first got into craft beers about 8-9 years ago, I took a big swig of an infected/old Victory Whirlwind Witbier. Tasted like Liquid Hot Dog !!!

 

My 24th birthday, last September. It was a really fun night, up until about the last 10 minutes. It was the sort of thing where everybody is buying me beers, and being a lover of trying new stuff, I drank so many different types of beer that didn't sit well in my mistake. At one beer, I had a few Duvel Singles, another bar I had a couple of Three Heads Ontario Coast IPAs and a few Smuttynose Pumpkin Ales, some Troegs Dead Reckoning, some Southern Tier 2XRye, and a few others that I can't recall for obvious reasons. We went to the final bar of the night, and I'm cooked. Should not be drinking any more beer. However, everybody knows that a drunk guy on his birthday doesn't follow that sort of logic.

I whip open the bottle menu of this bar, and see Brooklyn Black Ops. Oh wow! I had never tried it before! It's my birthday, what's the hurt in spending $32 on this bottle of beer that will sit well in my stomach? Nothing right?

It went down ok, and I thought it was quite tasty at the time. The moment I got home, after finishing the bomber, I threw up with an evil force that I had never felt before. I essentially rolled out of the bathroom and went straight to bed. Apparently when I violently vomit, I produce sort of a sprinkler effect, and hit everywhere but the toilet. I felt so bad for my girlfriend, who cleaned it all up. I should call her and tell her I love her.

Worst $32 I have ever spent.

 

When I was 17 and got completely obliterated off of Heineken, without a doubt.

And OP, go back to Brugges whenever you have the time and money. Westy XII is pretty easy to get there (for marked up prices, of course.)

 

Late 80s probably. I bought (I don't know why) a GIQ of Goebel. It was 88¢, that should have been a clue. I took maybe 2 or 3 swallows and my head started nauseatingly pounding like a tumor was ready to explode. I poured it and took a bunch of aspirin and tons of water. Never buy cheap.

 

1) Going to Belgium before I had a full appreciation of the beer. I was only a couple months into my craft beer revelation and thus I didn't explore are many different beers as I should of. For instance, I went into a shop with bottles of Cantillon (including Fou Foune) and didn't buy any for myself (just one for my advisor) despite them being super-cheap. Now I'd give my left nut for one of those.

2) Over holiday break last year, something happened where I basically lost my taste for beer, particularly IPAs. I don't know exactly what happened, but I was in a super smoky bar all night (hadn't been in a smoky public place since well before smoking was banned in MI back when I was in high school), I was halfway through the 21 day Crest whitestrip plan (and may have swallowed some of the toxic gel), and it was also one of the few nights that I got shitfaced drunk because I forgot how tasty high ABV beer is actually high ABV (aka threw up all over myself before essentially passing out). When I woke up, my throat was super sore and I has lost my ability to taste beer and a lot of other cold drinks for over 2 weeks. It just recently came back, I was actually afraid it may have been permanent. The only way I can explain it is that it felt like I had a hair or something lodged in the back of my throat, and when I drank something cold (even water), I could only initially taste it on my tongue but as I swallowed I just felt a mild pain and an odd sensation as if my throat was numb or 'clogged up.' I couldn't drink beer or any other cold beverage during that period without feeling pain and it tasting terrible.

3) Bought a sixpack of St. Arnold Divine Reserve #13 at a beer bar. Forget the exact price, think it was normally $8 a bottle but I got a bit of a discount for buying a sixer. When I got back to my gf's place I went to put it on the shelf in her bedroom closet and didn't realize the shelf didn't go all the way back (it's an odd shelf) and thus I pushed the sixer off the back of the shelf on onto the furnace. The beer spilled everywhere in the apartment she had just moved into; on the carpet, on/behind the furnace, on the walls, on the ceiling...etc. Couldn't save a single bottle, and had to sleep on the couch that night....

 

your crazy...try the blackberry

 

Haha. Time heals many wounds. I like to think I've grown much more mellow in the last year or so.

I've gone from "save yourself the trouble" to "forget the hype and just drink it for what it is". The abbey is definitely worth a visit, and I said it then and I'll say it now: the Westy ice cream they serve there is absolutely incredible.

 

That is one tip top reply Dennoman. Sounds familiar. I remember the 'wounds' I had after my 1st 90 Minute. Ranted about it and Imperial IPAs for months then. Eventually figured out what I drank was way out date hence the booze Malt bomb. You live and learn.

 

When I was about ten years old I snuck a sip of my grandpa's beer.

I didn't like it and remember feeling disappointed that he did.

 

worst recent one for me was at my brother's stag in Koln- spent the entire day drinking great kolsch in various brauhaus (mostly the muhlen one of course), then went to an argentinian steakhouse. Great, great steak, served with warm argentinian faux lager.

 

that or trying to drink a hundred 35ml shots of tuborg beer in college. ungood.

 

Left England to attend 7 level at Keesler AFB in MI. Decided to hit a casino with someone I met on the plane, and drank pints of beast light (busch) with tequila chasers. Woke up on the beach confused with no idea how I got there next to a broken row boat (luckily with my wallet), and had to catch a taxi to my billeting room. Thankfully we arrived on a Saturday, and didnt have class until Monday. One of the worst hangovers I ever had.

That scared me into never drinking so much at an unfamiliar place again. I think I might have Dexter'd someone that night...