Trying to get into beer

Just go to yards or troegs, victory, whatever brewery and check the place out have a few different beers and look deep inside yourself and ask: "is this whole lifestyle of beer for me?" You'll know right then and there!!

 

Huh? You know you can want to try new things and not go to jail. I'm trying new sours lately to try and appreciate them and so far no DUI...

 

Sometimes I go to beeradvocate.com and look deep inside myself and ask, "Is this whole beer advocate lifestyle for me?" Then I hear crickets chirping.

 

I start all newbies with Allagash White......

 

He's also a college student so he may not be flush with cash and is looking to get started with beers newbies generally like so as to not waste money running through stuff newbies generally hate. I totally agree that you need to figure out what you like on your own but a little nudge in the right direction doesn't hurt.

 

Speaking from experience, not irrational fear, just general distaste at the early stages of craft exploration. I LOATHED hoppy beers when I first started exploring beer. Same for my sister, father, and fiancee. And of that group, only my father can drink an IPA and enjoy it. Now, I will reach for an IPA over any other style of beer every single time. But, with very few exceptions, people don't like hoppy beers at first try.

Not to be a dick but I agree with this. Very odd thread. I wouldn't mind being able to palate a decent scotch but I'm not going to run over to scotchadvocate.com and ask for suggestions.

 

I agree about tasting hop forward beers for the first time, which is why in my post at the top of page 2 of this thread, I don't suggest IPA and Pale Ale for new people. Pale Ale and IPA can be a shock to the taste buds but I don't think it's a "bad taste" it's just real bitter. I remember the first Pale Ale I had, which was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, let me tell you, I was pretty much bewildered, I just didn't understand why it tasted like really bitter lemons and grapefruit, I thought for sure that Sierra Nevada was putting grapefruit juice and lemons into this beer. I was a total newbie to craft beer at the time, although I didn't think it was a "bad taste" it took a while for me to touch another Pale Ale.

Even today, Pale ale and IPA are not my favorite styles but when you get those really tropical notes in Pale Ales like pineapple, orange, mango, they're very enjoyable to drink. Finding ones that consistently give you those flavors can be a chore though.

 

Do I smell a troll?

 

Mix a six pack are the keys to the building for getting into beer. Just follow your palate.
I'd go browsing in red and brown ale territory for some of the fruitiness without the chocolate, nor face blast of hoppiness.
Good time of the year for starting out for what your taste buds seem to be looking for. That's kind of all you need to know for now. Get into the developing an appreciation for styles from there.
If there's a brewery taproom open near by. GET A FLIGHT, and do check out a barrel age something or other while your at it.

 

Got to a local beer store and grab a "mix a six" and experiment, when i started getting into beer, i would host "beerfests" or beer tastings, everyone would bring something different....don't not try a beer just because you think you wont like it or think you're not ready, in my opinion, those are the best beers to try.

 

Hey, where did Calan go? Want to know how this worked out.