New drinker, looking to get some recommendations!

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by mbng, Feb 21, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. mbng

    mbng Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2016

    Hello everyone!

    Unlike most you, I'm not a fan of beer (yet), however, I would really like to get into it.
    I don't really like the taste of most everything I tried (which isn't too much). The only thing I don't mind is blue moon, or other Belgium wheat ales, like ufo harpoon. I absolutely hated dark stouts, and the worst beers I've tried are Guinness and Michelob light.
    Anyways, I am going into get a sampler pack of some craft beers and wanted to know what your recommendations (in terms of style, or specific brands) would be based on my previous experiences. I'm in Florida if you think I would really love a specific beer, but I'm more looking for recommendations of type, rather than specific.
    Thanks in advance!!!
     
    papat444 likes this.
  2. akolb

    akolb Initiate (0) Aug 8, 2015 Colorado

    Welcome to good beer!

    I would recommend a couple different styles to a new craft drinker.
    Pale Ale: the style that berthed craft beer. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a must-try for any beer drinker.
    Amber/Red Ales: nice, balanced drinkable beers. I would start with New Belgium's Fat Tire.
    American Wheat Ales: building off your previous experience, I would go for beers such as Sierra Nevada Kellerweise or Odell Easy Street Wheat.

    Once you give those styles a try you can move on to India Pale Ales, Belgian Ales, and many many others.

    I would give stouts and porters another shot. Guinness isn't a particularly good stout, and these styles have a ton to offer. Deschutes Black Butte Porter is a classic intro beer. I find that with friends of mine that are new to drinking, often they will not like certain styles at first (usually IPAs), but after time spent expanding their taste buds and trying new beers eventually they come around.

    As far as sampler packs go, Sierra Nevada, Boston Beer Co. (Sam Adams), and Left Hand offer good, approachable varieties.

    Cheers!
     
  3. scottbrew4u

    scottbrew4u Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2005 Pennsylvania

    Some good beers in your state of Florida! You might like Floridian from Funky Buddha. It is in grocery stores often.
    Keep experimenting. Your tastebuds will change I've time and with experience.
     
    mbng likes this.
  4. Shanex

    Shanex Grand Pooh-Bah (4,960) Dec 10, 2015 France
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Dark stouts are not for everyone, I hear you... IPA might be your beers of choice. Do try Belgians if available in Florida. Duvel, Chimay, Orval are drinkable by everyone who doesn't at least strongly dislike the taste of beer. Also being an American SN pale ale and Boston lager might be a start for a beer newbie. I don't want to be too presumptuous but if you're young you might develop taste later

    Welcome to the show.
     
    mbng likes this.
  5. M_C_Hampton

    M_C_Hampton Initiate (0) Oct 9, 2012 Georgia

    Since you are from Florida, Cigar City out of Tampa makes a wonderful brown ale called Maduro. Florida Cracker is their Belgian White (wheat) offering which is also good. In fact, many of their beers are highly respected.

    Weihenstephaner from Germany makes one of the best Heffeweizens (wheat beers) in the world.

    From my home state, Sweetwater 420 is a readily available Extra Special Bitter that is bitter but not too hoppy.

    For something darker, Terrapin Liquid Bliss is a chocolate peanut butter porter that is outstanding.
     
    mbng likes this.
  6. TheIPAHunter

    TheIPAHunter Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,026) Aug 12, 2007 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Fall in love with IPAs, and thank me later. Cheers, brother!
     
    MUTINY and mbng like this.
  7. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,790) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    If you dont mind UFO or Blue Moon then just seek out lighter belgian styles like Witbier, white ales, saisons etc... eventually youll come to find darker belgians which may lead to darker beers in general like a stout or a belgian ipa which can lead to dipas. Good luck. We all get there thru some path.
     
    frozen-1984 and mbng like this.
  8. SLewis

    SLewis Pundit (901) Jun 17, 2014 North Carolina

    Sam Adams Boston Lager. You'll think it's bitter at first, but midway through the six pack you'll be converted to the craft beer cult.
     
    mbng and HorseheadsHophead like this.
  9. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Welcome to the BA site, mbng. Two things for you to consider: 1.) if you have a brewery close to you, go there and order a sampler flight of the beer styles that you lean toward, but explore others too; and 2.) go to your local beer store and pick out some single bottles, again in styles that you think you'd like.

    Check out these style descriptions too: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/
     
    MUTINY, vabeerguy and mbng like this.
  10. chipawayboy

    chipawayboy Pooh-Bah (2,181) Oct 26, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Not a fan of beer ....but looking for beers you think I would love. Err whaa ? Troll post.
     
  11. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,790) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Good example at the moment @SLewis gave me the idea. You can find Cold Snap everywhere about now. Give that a shot given the beers you already like.
     
    OldManMetal and mbng like this.
  12. kaos

    kaos Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2014 New York

    Start with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Its delicious. You can get Jai Alai in Florida. Actually Florida gets a good selection of craft beers. I have seen Fat Head there recently too. Lagunitas Born Yesterday is a great Pale Ale too. Start with craft pale ales. Then move to IPA and DIPA.
     
    eppCOS and mbng like this.
  13. joe1510

    joe1510 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,522) Aug 21, 2006 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    I would say that if you don't really enjoy beer, move deeper into something you already do enjoy. I mean, we all have enough vices anyway. Why force yourself into another? Right? Right??
     
    zid and PatrickCT like this.
  14. kgammell1

    kgammell1 Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2013 Maryland

    I second the Cigar City beers. As you get into craft beer, Cigar City will become your best friend.
     
    vabeerguy and mbng like this.
  15. Zorro

    Zorro Grand Pooh-Bah (3,258) Dec 25, 2003 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Start with Lagers. Mainstream German lagers like Warsteiner and Spaten Pils are a good start.
     
    mbng and Mtn like this.
  16. kgammell1

    kgammell1 Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2013 Maryland

    Honestly, I had a friend who was similar. Heck, when I first starting drinking, I couldn't stomach IPA's after the third or fourth sip; the hops just puckered my mouth. And stouts were too rich for me too. If you want to get into all the styles and appreciate beer for the wonderful drink it is, then taste, taste, taste and taste some more.

    Recommendations:

    Amber Ales and malty beers like Sam Adams Boston Lager
    Brown Ales (Maduro is great, Samuel Smith Nut Brown is awesome and drinkable too)
    Pale Ales (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is easy to get, Schlafly Pale Ale is good, Flying Dog Doggie Style is good too)
     
    mbng likes this.
  17. Chcshammonde

    Chcshammonde Initiate (0) Sep 20, 2014 California

    I got deep into craft beer by way of Belgian Ales and German classics. so I'd surely recommend those. Some that I started with:

    Chimay Blue
    Duvel
    Gulden Draak (blew my mind when I first had it, still fantastic to this day)
    Delirium Tremens
    Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
    Weihenstephaner Korbinian
    Weihenstephaner Vitus
    Hofbrau Original
    Spaten
    Paulaner Oktoberfest
    Paulaner Salvator

    You can get these at any Bevmo.

    Happy hunting!
     
    ljdrinksbeer, mbng and PatrickCT like this.
  18. ArsMoriendiOU818

    ArsMoriendiOU818 Pooh-Bah (1,632) Nov 5, 2013 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    If you like Blue Moon, your jumping point should probably be Florida's own Cigar City's Florida Cracker. They also have some other great examples of less extreme styles, i.e., one's you're more likely to like right away, and are readily available throughout the entire state. Some examples would be Cigar City's Maduro Brown Ale, Invasion Pale Ale (maybe), Tampa Lager (if you're willing to try a beer closer to what you're already used to, but with more flavor), and Jai Alai, which is an IPA (the biggest craft-category by a wide-margin, and an excellent example of the style).

    Better yet, if you live anywhere near Tampa, you should hit up their brewery and/or their brewpub and try flights of different beers. You never know what you may wind up enjoying.
     
    TriggerFingers and mbng like this.
  19. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    Try a wide variety of styles. I would recommend trying Sierra Nevada pale ale, weihenstephaner hefeweizen, cigar city jai alai, boulevard tank 7, duvel, and left hand milk stout. I know you said you hate stouts but you might not, I personally don't like Irish dry stouts, like guiness, and it scared me away for a while, but stouts are now my favorite style.
     
    mbng likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.