Local Recommendations Please

Try everything. (On sampler tray, start with lightest beer first, server will usually orient the drinks in order you should drink them. Otherwise some styles will overtax your taste buds and make the lighter beer taste different).

Find a local brewpub or brewery that brews diverse styles and just sit down and try a flight/sampler. After you're done, find another local brewpub or brewery and repeat. Just visit a different brewpub or brewery each week and get a sampler from each. After a while, you'll pick up on things you like and things you don't like.

If you find a beer at one of your sampling events that you enjoy, then get a growler/half-growler of it and take it home to enjoy so you can relax, drink, and think more about the beer. Samples is the way to go. It's much better than buying a 6 or 12 pack of a beer or beer style that you might not like. Buying variety packs from good brewers is also helpful, since you get 3x4 different beer that you can drink.

Don't look up ratings or beer scores on a beer until after you've had a few and have decided whether or not you like it. Opinions/reviews written by others might help you understand why you like it or why you don't like it (good reviewers usually pinpoint qualities and ingredients including flaws and other things).

 

This is great advice, too many people new to the game get overly excited about ratings and chasing the 90+ beers but dont even understand what makes them extra good compared to a beer that scores in the 70s, try a bunch take some notes, read "tasting beer" by randy mosher and then worry about the elite beers.

 

Excellent suggestions. I'd also add trying to buy singles and make your own six pack if you can do that in NH (some places in MA do it, just don't know about NH).

 

I agree the above are some really good suggestions. Also get to know the employees at your local/favorite liquor store I had very good luck with this. Similar to what jamesewelch typed look up/drink beer (styles) and the beers that tend to be true to that particular style so you have a good foundation... Lastly have fun and enjoy... Cheers

 

Most places yes. It varies from state to state and pub/brewpub/brewery to pub/brewpub/brewery. Here in VT, they just passed a law that allows pubs to do samples/flights. Whereas before the law, only breweries and brewpubs could do samples/flights.

Some breweries give free samples (no trays/flights, if so tip well) one at a time. Other breweries charge for a flight/tray of about ~6 samples. Other breweries might charge per sample. It varies from place to place, but if it's a good/great brewpub or brewery, then they'll definitely have some form of samples for you.

In some pubs (in VT), you can also get half-pours (a little more than a sample) for about 60% of a pint price.

Also, not every place will offer samples (most bars/pubs probably won't in your area), but if you're nice you can ask for just a taste of something (once or twice at most) and the bartender will pour you a small sample, if so tip well. Nearly every brewery or brewpub will probably have something like samples on the menu.

 

Its hard to find Berliner Weisses outside of the summer so since you like the style buy a couple bottles now. Notch, White Birch, Jacks Abby, The Tap, Dogfish Head all put some out this summer and you should still be able to find them hidden between all the annoying pumpkin beers.

 

What part of NH are you from? Can try to give some localized advice.

 

Sea Dog is in Maine, so up that-a-way.

 

Agreed on the comments about samples/flights. I know of a couple bars in NH that have done these in the past (Strange Brew, Cask & Vine among them), but I don't know if they still do. Most brewpubs and brewery taprooms do though. I'm not sure where in New Hampshire you are, but the Portsmouth Brewery, Moat Mountain, Martha's Exchange, Elm City, Earth Eagle, Throwback, From the Barrel, Able Ebenezer, 603 and others all offer flights for sale. Most places will offer a certain number of samples that usually you can choose (or they might recommend). Read the descriptions if they have them and choose the ones that sound good, or tell the server/bartender/brewer a bit about what you like and see what they recommend. Some other breweries, such as White Birch and Smuttynose, don't offer flights for sale, but do offer samples at their breweries. That's another good--and fun--way to get to know different beer styles, but also some of the people making beer in your area.

I think most specialty beer stores in New Hampshire (Bert's, the Beer Store, Lazy Dog, the Drinkery, Craft Beer Cellar, and plenty of others) allow you to buy single bottles/cans, which is another good way to see what you like. I'd personally try sampler flights over the mixed bottles, because you're better able to compare side-by-side and you can get a sense of a particular brewery as well, but the single bottles are also good. Consider splitting some bottles with a few friends to see what you like. And like most of the folks serving beer at breweries and brewpubs, I've found the people at the better beer stores to be very knowledgeable and friendly--don't hesitate to strike up a conversation, let them know what you like and dislike, and ask for advice.

 

If you like sour, sweet, fruity try some lambics too. Lindemans are pretty easy to get and are sweet and sour fruit beers from Belgium. I don't really drink Lindmans because they are very sweet, but I do love some other Lambics which are still fruity and sour. Try some Hanssens, Boon, Timmermans too for some less sweet lambics. I would also recommend something like Rodenbach, Duchesse de Bourgogne, or Liefmans Goudenband, which aren't made with fruit, but are a nice balance of sweet malt and sour.