What should I try?

I was going to say Belgian Triples, and start with St. Bernardus.

 

i wouldn't drive 60 miles yet if i were you, but if i did, take a look at all the styles out there, see which ones intrigue you and pick up the highest rated ones available to you.

like pick 6 styles, and get the three highest rated of each that you can find and go from there

 

the bigger craft brew companies are stone and rogue. i would start with those brands and see what you like from the styles they provide and go from there

 

Talk to the person that runs the store and tell them what you like. He or she will enjoy introducing you to their offerings and have an interest in getting you hooked. Don't go after the facemelting big stuff off the bat.

Sierra Nevada Pale ale is a gold standard and always a good place to start
Rogue dead guy--a maibock but smooth and so easy to drink. Great with a pizza

Given that it is hot as hell outside--
Ask for a quality pilsner they can recommend--see if there is anything local.
A belgian/Saison is another great summer option

Get one of a bunch and a bomber or two. Take recommendations.

 

Here's the thing- the beers you are familiar with, and do enjoy to a certain extent, are industrial examples based on more 'pedigreed' styles. You should definitely try quality Pilsners and Helles Lagers to start out, especially those that are not packaged in green bottles. Reserve a few slots in that sixer for something like: Weihenstephaner Pilsner, Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold or Paulaner Munich Lager- as long as it is in a brown bottle.

Bocks are great- rich and malty. So are Oktoberfests. Doppelbocks are stronger bocks, and you might like those even more. Maybe a slot or two for those styles. Leading contenders would be Paulaner or Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest, Paulaner Salvator (Doppelbock). Einbecker has a great Bock, though it is in a green bottle.

Then- I'd throw in a Wild Card. Try your hand at an American Pale Ale, just to see how different things can be. Anchor Liberty Ale and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale feature very prominent citrusy hop profiles, and can become quite addictive once you become familiar with them.

Welcome to BA- hope you enjoy the ride!

 

I completly forgot about Sierra Nevada!!! you should definitely give them a try

 

even though most people new to beer dislike IPAs, i'd recommend sculpin. it was the beer that got me into beers. i've given it to about 5 different friends who drink only macro lagers and 1 who dislikes beer altogether and all have loved it. you'll be amazed at the intensity of flavor and aroma that can be packed into a beer.

i'd also say anchor steam. as a lager, it'll be a somewhat familiar but just better and more complex than bud miller coors etc.

if you dislike the chocolate you taste in guinness, you probably won't like a good amount of stouts and porters (at least yet). give sierra nevada stout a try if you like coffee.

when it comes in season again in january, try deschutes red chair.

 

Prima Pils from Victory is a good place to start, since it seems you're not a fan of the roastier, darker brews. Prima is an amazing pilsner with a ton of flavor. I'd also suggest Ommegang BPA, Saison DuPont (a farmhouse style ale, notes of banana, clove, slight spiciness), Brooklyn Lager, pretty much any Octoberfest you can find, and I'll give another vote to Sierra Nevada pale ale as well, great gateway beer. If you like pumpkin pie, you should definitely check out some pumpkin ales. Southern Tier Pumpking is the benchmark of the style, at least IMHO.

 

Gulden Draak, Duvel, Delirium Tremens, Chimay Red or white, Hoegaarden.

 

Here's the thing. We don't know what's really around you, or what is at this place 60 miles away. It's not gonna be easy for anyone here to say "go pick _____ and ____ and _____ up" from the info you gave us.

Coming to the forum and asking what you should drink is also not the most fulfilling way to get into the hobby of craft beer. What do we know, anyway?

Just go where ever you can and look for something new. Something you haven't had before as far as style or brewery. That way you'll start to get a better understanding for things firsthand instead of relying on anonymous strangers what you should and shouldn't drink. Pay attention to the style you're drinking and start reviewing the beers, even if it's just minimally. You'll start to pick up more flavors and nuances from the beers you're trying and after a while you can weed out what you prefer and what you don't.

 

It's likely "kind of skunky" because it's green bottles that no one buys anymore. It was mildly popular at one point, and with good reason, but there is simply not enough turnover on it to compensate for the green-bottle shortcomings. Pilsner Urquell is the way to go with a basic European beer that is now better protected (still green bottles, though, or cans!). I see people are recommending Belgian ales as an entry point, but I would delay that. After PU, I'd look for Germans: Spaten, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and Weihenstephaner (multiple styles, from fairly light variants, to sweet, nutty and pretty heavy Doppelbock; prices range from $2-4 for 12-oz or 500cc, but much cheaper per bottle in a 12). Once you've gone though German/Czech styles, you can worry about English, Belgian and New American styles. At that point, I'd look for mixed 12s from specific breweries. Victory is my go-to 12 (they tend to taste a bit maltier and boozier and the 12 includes a Belgian-style Tripel, but it's a good cross-section of styles), Troegs has a good mix (although it's summer seasonal right now, which is not my favorite). Southern Tier (when fresh--again, currently summer, earlier was an IPA mix) is another. I've seen mixed 12s from all sorts of unexpected breweries (stores in MA even had Bear Republic mixed 12). I suspect Sweetwater may have one, especially in the South. The point of a mixed 12 is that it gives you a choice of 3 or 4 different styles for only $2-3 more than a 6-pack of any one of those styles. A straight 12 of Sierra Nevada or Hoegaarden right now costs nearly as much as a 6-pack or 4-pack of most top craft beers. I can't imagine anyone not being able to handle a 12 of either of them once, even if they find the taste not fully to their liking. Hoegaarden has only one style in US right now (Belgian White Wheat ale). But SN has multiple. Pale Ale is most accessible and mildly hoppy (more bitter than fruity). Torpedo is very hoppy (more fruity, tropical than bitter). And Summertime is something that I can't really describe other than to say it's not my favorite (I'm generally not a fan of most summer beers, but that's only a personal preference). Your mileage may vary. (Sam Adams has a lot of different beers out there, so dismissing the lager should not foreclose other opportunities with that brand.)

 

I'm gonna take a bit of a leap here and say try some Pranqster

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/112/411

might hit the spot

 

I would say anything from Sierra Nevada, Rogue and Stone. Those are the 3 that got me into craft beer.

 

Not knowing the state you live in, really limits this forum from being able to suggest to you beers available in your area, so you might get a lot of suggestions of beers you can't find.

TongoRad had great suggestions and ones you can most likely find, since they're German and Sierra Nevada is widely available.

Do you have any breweries near you? If you do, go there and get a sampler of every style they make. That should help you identify the styles you explore first. Talk to the bartender and explain what you're doing (as suggested by surfcaster) and i am sure they would be helpful in explaining what youre tasting. Look the styles you liked up on the beer styles tab here and then track down the best rated ones available in your area.

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

 

FTFY

Seriously, anyone who got into craft via Rogue was seriously lucky not to have stumbled on one of their exbeeriments or one of the overpriced mediocre beers. In principle, I would not recommend it as a brand to a newbie. Stone's different. Their motto seems to be "Go Big or go home!" Unless you're prepared for a flavor wallop--and not always a pleasant one--I'd avoid it too. Another thing about Stone is that their hops fade rapidly and their less-hoped beers are often better aged. Not knowing the timing makes trying them randomly a crapshoot. I would certainly recommend Stone, but not as an entry point.

 

Anchor Steam.

 

Since you thought Guinness was too chocolaty, I'd completely stay away from ANY stouts or porters...at least for now.

It's difficult to ascertain what craft is readily available to you, without knowing your exact location.

 

I would skip the store that's 60 miles away for now.
Grab a Reissdorf Kolsch.
Grab a Sam Adams seasonal mixed 12 pack.
Explore the styles you enjoyed with this site by your side.
Don't get overly fixated on skunk.