THAT'S what a beer should taste like.

Non-commercial: Zombie Dust is up there. Light, crisp, good hop nose and flavor. Easily drinkable.
More commercial: I''d say Fat Tire. I can drink that with almost anything.

 

If we are talking about that "beer flavor" that the masses think of I would say New Glarus Spotted Cow is about as high up their as you can get in that regard.

For my self, when I sip a beer the first beer that makes me think that is NG Moon Man.

 

I only think this way within STYLES, and within styles I have a small handful of ones that are reasonable candidates for the exemplar of that style.

 

I compare everything to sierra nevada. I find them to be completely average. anything better than them is usually a good beer

 

I have to 2nd Zombie Dust.
It's just that much of a game changer!

 

Definitely depends on the style.
Imperial stout - Old Rasputin
IPA - Two Hearted
etc.

 

Barrel aged stout pedestal: BCBS hands down for me. It's just that damn perfect and I've had tons of others in this style.

 

Gumball Head - APWAs
Weinstephaner - Hefes
KBS - Bourbon Aged Stouts (to be fair I've never had it fresh or BCBS with some age on it)
Ballast Point Sculpin - American IPA

ETA: Just realized how boring this list is, I think all but KBS are the top beer of their style as ranked on this site... All well I stand by it!

 

Anchor Steam. Good balance between malt and hops. Great example of a craft beer.

 

I could name a few off the top of my head: New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat, Rochefort 10, & Duvel

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

 

I couldn't disagree more with most of you. Barrel aged beers are exactly that - beer placed in a barrel to taste like something else. Fat Tire is gimmicky; Anchor Steam steamed the taste right out of the beer, Spotted Cow is a train wreck.

Personally I'm going for the West Coast IPA style with a big hop aroma where the taste matches the smell.

 

I don't think there is one "this is what beer should taste like" beer.

 

Could be any of these:

 

Here in Florida, we are trying to get our grapefruit to taste like bittered barley malt and yeast.

 

Please explain: How is Fat Tire gimmicky, how does Anchor "steam" the taste out of the beer, and how is Spotted Cow (one of the most inoffensive gateway beers around) a train wreck? Just curious.

 

Wayyy too many different beers... but in terms of Quaffability, price, flavor, alcohol content, and all around badassery... Zombie Dust and Hop Stoopid are hard to beat.

 

When I was very young indeed, probably in the 1950s , I took a swig from a bottle of my Dad's beer.Probably Bass (which was nothing like today's Bass) and it stunned me with its "beeriness" for want of a better word.
I still like to find beeriness like this in my drinks.I don't want my beer to taste of grapefruit or coffee, I want it to taste of beer

 

Rochefort 10 is what I'd imagined a beer might taste like when I was a kid...