What Historical Beer Would You Like To Try?

My dad always talked about a "sweet beer" he had in Germany during WWII, I was all over Germany and couldn't find anything that fit that description, and he swears it wasn't a Hefeweizen...so I'll go with that

 

1-Schlitz from the 1960's. My ol' man swears it was great.
2-Thomas Jeffersons home brew tavern ale so that I could do a side by side with Yards.

 

Most pre-prohibition American beers.

Who wouldn't want to see what things were like back then?

 

Hard to decide if I would pick something from more recent history or something really archaic.
If the former, I would say Ballantine's Burton Ale, which bottles of do still exist, in varying conditions.

For the latter, I would have to go with Cornish/West Country white Ale, a wheat beer as described by Martyn Cornell in Amber Gold & Black in his chapter on historical English wheat beers. I think someone (Dogfish Head?) needs to try to make this one again.

 

The first Barclay Perkins Russian stout... whenever that was. I'm to tired to bother navigating Ron's blog right now for the exact year.

 

The original Courage Russian Imperial Stout, brewed in the 18th century. I haven't had the clone brewed by Wells&Young yet, but I plan to rectify that soon.

 

Also, the 1842 version of Pilsner Urquell.

 

Ditto that and the original Ballantine IPA.

 

The first iterations of all the macro beers.

 

A good homebrewer could whip something up for you.

 

The very first Guinness.

 

You're both talking about the same beer, and I whole-heartedly endorse both of your fine opinions

I would add: if I had access to a TARDIS I would go to London in the latter part of the 18th Century and sample many Porters.

 

You may find this interesting.It's particularly enlightening to those who think that German brewing has been the same for ages;
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/rice-beer.html

For those interested in homebrewing historic beers , Ron's blog has lots of recipes often under the heading "let's brew Wednesday"

 

Bass No.1 Barley Wine, preferably a sample from every year between 1890 and 1940.

 

An Eldridge Pope Thomas Hardy Ale.

Also, some real Pennsylvania Swankey.

 

Specifically--Some of dad's old favorites when he was briefly assigned in Illinois and tried to get when we move east-Falstaff, Schlitz, and a Hamm's. God I hope the Hamm's was better than when I had it in the early 80s.

 

In addition to the things mentioned before, anything truly ancient like beer from the Middle ages or beer from ancient Egypt or Greece. It will probably not be enjoyable to modern sensibilities but it will fascinating to say the least.

Any variation of popular beer styles from more than a 150 years ago, Belgian Ale, geuze, Imperial Stout etc.

 

The very first beer ever made!

 

The Pabst beer that won a medal at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition; this award motivated Pabst to later label that beer as Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Cheers!