Selecting a Wine Drinker's First Beer

The Bruery-Tart of Darkness.

 

Prairie Puncheon.

Very pleasant surprise for me, something I can see a wine drinker absolutely loving.

 

Won't disagree with your life's experience, but your post made me realize DFH offerings that combine wine and beer. These might be good offerings (or might not be due to "infected w/beer wine" tastes). DFH tend to be higher ABV in general to go with the quoted suggestion, but I think other brewers have done at least wine-barrel aging, if not pure mixes, for consideration.

 

Rochefort 10 and chimay blue would both be good options. Other than wine does he enjoy coffee or chocolate? If so you could easily have him try a nice porter or stout with those flavors as another option.

 

Rodenbach Grand Cru.

 

Duvel for white wine drinkers.

 

I think Dogfish Palo Santo is very winelike. My wife's a wine drinker and she loved that one, as well as a lot of stouts and Belgian-styles.

 

^This

Well, if you can find any over your way, I'd say buy a bottle or two of Victory's Red Thunder. It's very mellow, and aged in wine barrels, so you get some nice wine-like flavor notes from the barrels. http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/345/87404/

Or go with any brew that's spent some time being aged in wine barrels. Some of those common notes may convince him that beer can be pretty darn good.

My friend's dad dislikes most beers and loves wine, but he has a weak spot for Trappist ales, so those may be something to look into as well.

 

Wine barrel aged Can Can
Maderia Sucre
Double barrel jack frost

 

This was my exact thought. Duchesse or Rodenbach.

When it comes to the scotchy side of things...Backwoods Bastard?

 

I would say a Sour, Wild American Ale, or a Saison.

 

I would avoid anything sour, or including Brett, as those funky aromas are the hallmarks of spoiled or tainted wine. Keep the beer free of anything wild. I'm a long time red wine guy and still can't get used to Brett beers, Saisons, wild ales etc.

The best suggestion I saw was Ayinger Celebrator, which has a remarkable nose and flavor complexity with a clean yeast profile. Another possibility if he likes coffee or bitter chocolate, is a stout. For me it would be an ipa like heady topper, which smells incredible.

 

I have found that Belgian beers in general and Flemish Reds and Browns in particular have been a great introduction for those that love wine but tend to shun beer. Trappist/Abbey style beers have also been a success, as have certain lambics and saisons.

 

My mom is a wine drinker (cab, merlot are her favorites). She disliked every beer I had her try for awhile because it tasted like "beer." Then she tried a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and loved it, because it didn't taste like "beer" to her. So a porter/stout with some flavor such as chocolate, coffee, vanilla might work. Anecdotal evidence, of course!

 

How about something smooth and easy drinking Like a green flash palate wrecker.

 

My dad's been more of a wine drinker, although he does have beer on his own. He particularly enjoys darker sours, since they're close to wine, but is not above anything good (Old Raspy is still his favorite beer, I think. Either that or Duchesse.)

 

My Fathers a strict red wine only kind of guy. I told him I'd find a beer he likes, I went with first, Westbrook Gose..He loved it. Next I showed him Tilquin...Turns out he likes all sour, fruity beers. I dont think this is uncommon for Wine Drinkers as its the most similar style to wine.

 

A little love for La Fin Du Monde-but Celabrator and Aventinus are good choices.Wine Lover-agree with all the Belgium's but
if I was to choose I would go with La Fin.

 

I've been drinking wine and beer for a while now and it amazes me that people would recommend any sour beer to someone just starting out. Granted we're all different, but I'm actively trying to expand my beer horizons and I still have a difficult time with many sours.

My mind immediately jumped to some of the Belgian or Belgian-style beers that others have mentioned. How about St. Bernardus Abt. 12?