Tips for a Beer Newbie

DRINK SOURS!

 

I severely dislike most stouts/porters and everyone else goes apeshit over them. Diversity in available styles is one the main reasons that I love the craft beer community.

 

Your not wrong, taste is subjective and there are no wrong answers in craft beer. I love IPA's but hate Surly Abrassive and Lawsons Double sunshine. Many say I'm crazy but I'm not wrong, nor are the people that love them. If we all liked the same thing there wouldnt be thousands of great beers to choose from. Find what you like and drink what you like. Cheers

 

Good looks, man. Burton Baton is a treat. Don't go into expecting a super-bitter Double IPA though. That Bigfoot will certainly out-hop it. One 'mistake' I made when I first started this nonsense was I basically stuck to high-gravity stuff (7%+ ABV). Don't miss out on 'standard' pale ales! Great way to get a feel for a brewery.

Also, I highly recommend reading Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. It's a font of information on beer.

Finally, to echo another's sentiment. Don't try to argue in this forum. You'll never win. Ever. Even a little. If you're into the technical stuff, check out the Homebrewing sub-forum. People are generally very knowledgeable and well behaved down there.

 

Nah - don't do that. If you get a 6er of a stout drink a few and keep the rest until next year. I did that last year so I get to try Bell's Expedition old and new plus a few others. Lots of stouts are better with a year or more on them.

 

I agree completely. I recently picked up Tasting Beer - it is a great resource and very readable.

 

+1
For the longest time I was ashamed to admit that I didn't like stouts & that I drain poured a Founders Breakfast Stout. I've been working my way back through & loving some recent porters like Plum Noir & He Said Pumpkin Baltic porter. As others said don't write off a certain style forever, as you drink more & can discern a good from a bad (according to your tastes) then you can come back and working your way back into a style. The great news is that even if you don't you'll have a ton of amazing beers to try & enjoy no matter your favorite style

 

I wouldn't stay away from anything. Try it all. One sour from a good bottle shop isn't going to make you broke. I love sours and I'm certainly glad I tried them. One of the first and most important lessons I learned was to be very wary of green bottles! Now that's a more likely waste of money, if you ask me!

 

Agreed, unless they happened to be made by Cantillon.

 

Maybe you just don't like the bitterness. That is okay, drink what you like and don't worry about what is popular. If you want some suggestions for IPA's that you just might like then you might want to try-"Celebration" by Sierra Nevada. "Nugget Nectar" by Troegs(although not technically an IPA is smells and tastes like one). "IPA" by Yards "Maximus" or anything else by Laguanits, "Double Simcoe" by Wyerbacher or "Centennial IPA" by Founders

 

Try everything.

 

Also... don't immediately follow an apple lambic with Summit Oktoberfest.......bad combination......

 

45 minute drive to get good/decent craft beer?/ That sounds like torture. If that is the case maybe you could try and find something you like from a larger craft brewery that has more of a market penetration. Maybe Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada or somebody. Some brand that you like and get nearer to you if ever have that itch for drinking a few brews. It also helps if you go out to dinner with family/friends and feel like a few beers and dont want to drink a bud or something, usually the only craft a lot of places have is a bigger name like Sams.

As others have said look locally. With the take off of craft beer in the last decade almost every state has a few good breweries, and should offer a whole range of different styles to try. Also what better way to stimulate your local economy than buying good ole American local beer.

 

Props to you! Thank you for saying to never get into an argument on this site. Beer is not worth fighting over; it is to be shared with friends and enjoyed by all. Anger and beer don't mix. Beer is to be consumed when happy!

Cheers, my friend.

 

Don't listen to this guy.

 

What is everyone's anti-sour deal?

 

Question is... What is everyone's sour deal?

 

Seriously, why the hate!?!?!?

 

Best advice I can give to a beer newbie is don't be a dick, it isn't the end of the world if you don't get every single limited beer that is released (and there are already entirely too many people on here that complain when they don't get said releases), and drink what you like to drink.

 

Seems pretty clear to me - they love the beers, hate the price.

No comment on this apparent hallucinatory effect from not drinking sours of imaging one's wallet is speaking.