What's a good beer?

[Greyroofoo]

I'm relatively new to the realm of beer drinking and I figured there'd be some experienced "veterans" here. I like a beer that tastes somewhat good off the bat, and one that gets me drunk quickly. And of course it should be inexpensive. I'm not saying it should be the cheapest beer around, but it shouldn't be pricey.

[sovereignstar]

You should try a bar. They're all right.

[Greyroofoo]

Bars always seemed to charge twice as much for beer than store bought

[jbmagic]

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?t=40211&highlight=beer

[HomerJSimpson]

Pabst Blue Ribbon. B'st bear evar!

[chinaski]

Pabst Blue Ribbon. B'st bear evar!
on my 5th pint now!

[terpkristin]

if you're in an area you can get it, Yeungling is good. Relatively inexpensive, decent lager, and hell, it gets me drunker than most beers (er, compared to having, say 2 Yeunglings vs. 2 Sam Adams or something, I feel drunker after 2 Yeunglings).

/tk

[Craptacular]

I don't drink, but some of my buddies in college would get 40s of Mickeys Ice. Don't know about the taste, but it definitely had the "cheap" and "drunk quickly" parts down.

[Lathum]

Red Dog

[Warhammer]

Killian's Red

[Anthony]

Corona. it's the only way to fly.

[pennywisesb]

Colt .45







Just kidding. Newcastle is the best.

[Glengoyne]

For the purposes you describe.

Mickey's Big Mouths

Ya just gotta put down a few of the little green grenades.

[korme]

Relatively inexpensive beer that gets you drunk quickly and has a good taste. Budweiser is the winner here.

[korme]

Corona. it's the only way to fly.
must buy limes

[WrongWay]

I'm relatively new to the realm of beer drinking and I figured there'd be some experienced "veterans" here. I like a beer that tastes somewhat good off the bat, and one that gets me drunk quickly. And of course it should be inexpensive. I'm not saying it should be the cheapest beer around, but it shouldn't be pricey.
LOL Who has not gone through this "Beers of the world" craze? Hoping to find some exotic Beer that actually taste good. Impossible. Now, that I am older and wiser I stick to what I like and for me thats Coors, my brothers is a Budman and My cousin drinks Miller. Anyway, save your money, drink Beer for pleasure and when you do want to get trashed find yourself a good hard mixed drink.

Unfortunately finding a mixed drink you like is hard on a budget. When I first made it down to Mexico I couldn't believe the way their tequilla tasted compared to the crap I was drinking up in the states. Anyway on a very limited budget I found the only mixed drink I could drink without being drunk first was a double rum and seven. This has a small taste and a big kick and will get you trashed in no time at all.

2 things to remember, anything 0ver 40% is calorie free, and with hard liquor there is basically no hangover the next day.

[MrBug708]

Corona. it's the only way to fly.

Easiest beer to drink that doesn't taste like shit.

Actually most Mexican beer tastes pretty good. Pacifico, Negro, Tecate, Sol, and even the cheap MExicali

[Vince]

I'm relatively new to the realm of beer drinking and I figured there'd be some experienced "veterans" here. I like a beer that tastes somewhat good off the bat, and one that gets me drunk quickly. And of course it should be inexpensive. I'm not saying it should be the cheapest beer around, but it shouldn't be pricey.
Your best bet if you are going for taste is going to be to find a local microbrew. Honestly, using the words "taste" and (insert the following: "Budweiser," "Mickey's Ice," "Coors," etc) together in the same sentence with "good" is ridiculous, except in a completely relative sense. But seriously -- if you want a good tasting beer, in my opinion, avoid the hell out of domestic beer.

The only problem that I find with your three criterion (1. Taste, 2. Drunk Quickly, and 3. Price) is that they are all sort of directly related -- truly good beer is more expensive than Bud Light. Drunk quickly usually means higher alcohol content -- something like an IPA (India Pale Ale). Price -- well, how much are you looking to spend on a per-beer basis? If you want truly "cheap" beer, I think you just need to try the domestics to see which you prefer (Coors, Miller, Bud, etc) -- I've found that these beers are a complete matter of personal preference. If you're willing to kick it up a notch in cost, you can really broaden your options.

PS -- you have a PM.

[Easy Mac]

The obvious answers to your question are:

None, because they all taste like shit...
or
an empty one.

[ColtCrazy]

Bar none the best beers I've ever had are Belgian Fruit Beers, Lambics. kriek (cherry) is my favorite but frambroise(sp, Raspberry) are very good too.

Otherwise, domestic stuff is crap, but there are some good microbrews in the US.

I basically drink Cider or Guiness personally if I can't find (or afford, they can run up to $10 a bottle in the US if you find them) the Belgian stuff.

[Rasmuth]

Leinenkugel...

[BYU 14]

Bar none the best beers I've ever had are Belgian Fruit Beers, Lambics. kriek (cherry) is my favorite but frambroise(sp, Raspberry) are very good too.

Otherwise, domestic stuff is crap, but there are some good microbrews in the US.

I basically drink Cider or Guiness personally if I can't find (or afford, they can run up to $10 a bottle in the US if you find them) the Belgian stuff.

Where can these be found at?

[pennywisesb]

Easiest beer to drink that doesn't taste like shit.

Actually most Mexican beer tastes pretty good. Pacifico, Negro, Tecate, Sol, and even the cheap MExicali

I can't believe you forgot Dos Equis Mr. Bug.....You disappoint me. XX is the best of any of the Mexican beers IMO.

[pennywisesb]

Your best bet if you are going for taste is going to be to find a local microbrew. Honestly, using the words "taste" and (insert the following: "Budweiser," "Mickey's Ice," "Coors," etc) together in the same sentence with "good" is ridiculous, except in a completely relative sense. But seriously -- if you want a good tasting beer, in my opinion, avoid the hell out of domestic beer.

The only problem that I find with your three criterion (1. Taste, 2. Drunk Quickly, and 3. Price) is that they are all sort of directly related -- truly good beer is more expensive than Bud Light. Drunk quickly usually means higher alcohol content -- something like an IPA (India Pale Ale). Price -- well, how much are you looking to spend on a per-beer basis? If you want truly "cheap" beer, I think you just need to try the domestics to see which you prefer (Coors, Miller, Bud, etc) -- I've found that these beers are a complete matter of personal preference. If you're willing to kick it up a notch in cost, you can really broaden your options.

PS -- you have a PM.

Dola. And remember people, Vince and I went to the (U)niversity of (C)alifornia at (S)anta (B)arbara (University of Casual Sex and Beer), so we are pro's when it comes to beer drinking :p

[hukarez]

Dola. And remember people, Vince and I went to the (U)niversity of (C)alifornia at (S)anta (B)arbara (University of Casual Sex and Beer), so we are pro's when it comes to beer drinking :p
Strange, when I attended UCSB, I was told it was: "U Can Steal Bikes".

But, I digress! My favorite for now is Karl Strauss.

[pennywisesb]

Strange, when I attended UCSB, I was told it was: "U Can Steal Bikes".


It is that as well. I went through 3 bikes in my 4 years there. :eek:

[hukarez]

It is that as well. I went through 3 bikes in my 4 years there. :eek:
http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Memories. BUI's, MIP's! I'll drink to that.

[ISiddiqui]

I'll also chime in and say good taste and price are inversely related. There is a reason that Guiness, Sam Adams, Bass Ale, etc, are more expensive than Bud, Coors, and Miller. However, you can try Amber Bock (made by Miller, IIRC) and Blue Moon (made by Coors). They are fairly decent and fairly cheap.

[dawgfan]

Samuel Jackson beer..."It'll get you drunk!"

[dawgfan]

Dola -

Now that I got my smart-ass reply out of my system, I'd say your best bet is to simply experiment. From my observation, there are no magic beers that all people enjoy - you have to figure out what tastes good to your palette. Also consider that your tastes in beer will likely evolve as time goes by and you learn to pick out the different flavors. Additionally, different situations will favor different beers.

With that said, one of my personal faves is a good stout. The most common (and still one of the best) is Guiness. Get it from the tap, or if buying at the store buy the cans. Contrary to most beers, Guiness is better out of the can. This is due to the device in the Guiness cans that give the proper foamy head to the beer. Stouts are thick, very dark beers with a higher alcohol content. You probably won't drink a stout quickly - it's meant to be enjoyed slowly to savor the flavor. It's also a good choice if you're out drinking and missed dinner - it works well to fill the belly and chase away the hunger pangs. My favorite stout is a local brew called Moss Bay, but it's only available on tap. There are also some coffee flavored stouts out there.

If I'm not in a stout mood, I'm generally drinking either an amber ale or an India pale ale (IPA) from a microbrew. My general favorite is Fat Tire, a Belgian amber ale. It's very smooth with a nice flavor. Good for general purpose beer consumption. Another good one is Mirror Pond, which has a similar flavor. Red Hook is a Seattle microbrewery that now has large distribution - their IPA is a good one to try and is relatively easy to find. Sierra Nevada and Full Sail are other widely distributed microbrew lines that make good beers.

If it's hot out and I'm looking for a lighter beer (not to be confused with a "Lite" beer) I usually opt for one of the Mexican brews. Corona is the most well-known and easiest to find, but I prefer Sol or Pacifico. Both are lagers, with Pacifico a style of lager known as "pilsner". These are lighter beers than ales and much lighter than stouts, and they go down easier on a real hot day.

Best advice would be to find some taverns with a good variety of microbrews on tap and start trying them all out to see which flavors you prefer.

[DanGarion]

Dola. And remember people, Vince and I went to the (U)niversity of (C)alifornia at (S)anta (B)arbara (University of Casual Sex and Beer), so we are pro's when it comes to beer drinking :p


KILROY!!

[DanGarion]

Oh yeah, the best is Pyramid Hefeweizen, it's a nice unfiltered wheat beer with some hints of fruit. Great stuff, make sure you get a lemon as well since that enhances the flavor.

[clintl]

If you're looking for cheap but tasty, there used to be a beer that was fairly widely available (at least on the West Coast) called Rainier Ale. Not really microbrewery quality, but it was a very nice amber ale made by a big brewery (and not to be confused with Rainier Beer, which is a typical cheap American lager). It was about the price of Michelob. I haven't seen it for a while, though, so I don't know if it still exists. I think the Rainier brewery got bought up by the same company that makes crap like Pabst and Olympia.

[JeeberD]

Cheap beer sucks. Don't waste your time on it...

[moriarty]

Guinness.

If you're used to drinking Bud Light, it make take a while to acquire a taste, but once you do, look out.

[kiwiLB57]

The beer of choice in the deep south of the South Island of New Zealand is Speights. This is the beer I come home to time and time again.

I am no expert, but have some interesting beer drinking stories, including a couple featuring the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam: the best brewery / city combination around.

Anyways, Speights (http://www.speights.co.nz/) is by far my favourite beer.

For background on the beer try here for video (http://www.speights.co.nz/south_downloads.cfm?view=video) and here for the Coast to Coast (http://www.coasttocoast.co.nz/) .

Cheers and Beers,

Raymond

[PackerFanatic]

Haha...someone actually said Colt 45, unbelieveable.

If you are ever in Wisconsin (which is a MUST if you are a beer drinker), check out Point Beer, made right here in Stevens Point. Really damn good beer.

[Ryche]

Rolling Rock would get my vote I think if you want something that costs less than 10 for a 12 pack. Just make sure it's ice cold. Unfortunately for my wallet, I can't stand any of the mass produced beers anymore for the complete lack of taste. I get chills when I see those "I can't taste my beer" commercials because it's so true...unfortunately I can't taste the beer that the commercial is for either (Miller?).

[Mr. Wednesday]

If you're in an area where it's distributed, Shiner Bock is a nice moderate-price beer.

[3ric]

To get drunk quickly, try a beer with 25% alcohol by volume (Samuel Adams Utopias MMIII), the world's strongest beer according to this site:
http://www.beeradvocate.com/top_beers.php?id=abv

[Godzilla Blitz]

You might try brewing your own. Seriously. Even your first batch will rule over anything you can buy in a store. It's easy, fun, and once you get your system down, efficient.

This is coming from someone that never--not even once--successfully completed a chemistry experiment in high school.

[WSUCougar]

Even your first batch will rule over anything you can buy in a store.
Obviously, you didn't get to taste my friend's first effort at homebrew, lovingly dubbed Cat Spit Stout.

Yummy.

[terpkristin]

LOL.
And Godzilla, I was wondering if you could recommend any books or websites about home brewing? As a beer lover, I'm itching to try brewing my own, but don't really even know much of where to begin looking...

As far as cheap beers that are OK to get drunk off of, I still stand by Yeungling (a Pennsylvania lager), but one that I think is nationally available and isn't too terrible (and is coming back as a retro chic beer to drink, oddly enough) is Pabst Blue Ribbon, good ol' PBR. I still drink a lot of Sam Adams, but I'm not usually drinking to get drunk...

/tk

[HomerJSimpson]

I tried and tried all of the expensive beers that everyone says are the only "good" beer. I didn't find any of them "good" or even very drinkable. When it comes down to it, good beer is a matter of taste, and I honestly like the taste of classic American beer, as cold as you can possibily get it. MGD, the beer I loved as a high-schooler is still the beer I think taste best. Your favorite may be different (such as Guiness if you like to drink liquid, fermented bread). Just enjoy what you like and don't worry about what others say you "must" like.

[HomerJSimpson]

Oh, and if your going to brew your own, try making some mead. That is some good stuff.

[vtbub]

I tried and tried all of the expensive beers that everyone says are the only "good" beer. I didn't find any of them "good" or even very drinkable. When it comes down to it, good beer is a matter of taste, and I honestly like the taste of classic American beer, as cold as you can possibily get it. MGD, the beer I loved as a high-schooler is still the beer I think taste best. Your favorite may be different (such as Guiness if you like to drink liquid, fermented bread). Just enjoy what you like and don't worry about what others say you "must" like.

Not Duff? :D

[HomerJSimpson]

Not Duff? :D


That's is all paid product placement. :)

[Sublime 2]

Sam Adam's Summer Ale!

[Vince]

LOL.
And Godzilla, I was wondering if you could recommend any books or websites about home brewing? As a beer lover, I'm itching to try brewing my own, but don't really even know much of where to begin looking...

As far as cheap beers that are OK to get drunk off of, I still stand by Yeungling (a Pennsylvania lager), but one that I think is nationally available and isn't too terrible (and is coming back as a retro chic beer to drink, oddly enough) is Pabst Blue Ribbon, good ol' PBR. I still drink a lot of Sam Adams, but I'm not usually drinking to get drunk...

/tk
Sports and Beer...man, it's a bummer you live on the other side of the country, TK :)

[Castlerock]

Life is too short to drink cheap beer.

[korme]

On Saturday I drank 6 different beers, different from the usual night:

Amber Bock
Budweiser
Labatt Blue
Honey Brown
Rolling Rock
Sam Adams

All longnecks, this was a change of pace from drinking Nati or Bud Light every time. Heh.

[Karlifornia]

Beers I've had (well, remember having), with a rating on a scale of 1 to 5:


Budweiser-3
Bud Light-2
Coors-2.5
Coors Light-2.5
Miller-2.5
Miller Lite-2
Miller High Life-3 (the price is so, so right)
Michelob-2.5
Michelob Amber Bock-3
Mickey's-2
Steel Reserve 211-1 (gets you sloshed)
Country Club Malt Liquor-1 (see 211)
Corona-3
Corona Light-3 (I can't even taste the difference)
Dos Equis (brown bottle)-3.5
Dos Equis (green bottle)-3
Sol-2.5
Pacifico-3
Modelo (white/blue label)-4
Tecate-2.5
Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde-4
Red Stripe-5 (Come on, I'm half-Jamaican here..)
Beck's-2.5 (I'm not the biggest fan of German beers, so your mileage may vary)
Heineken-3
Pilsner Urquell-2.5
Newcastle Brown Ale-4.5
Guinness-4 (Okay, call me a wuss, but I have to be in the mood for it)
Dead Man's Ale-3.5 (I think it was good...On my 21st birthday I drank 2 long island iced tea's, a budweiser, a raspberry kamikaze [don't worry, a girl ordered it for me], another beer that I forget, and then I chugged 2 1/2 pints of the Dead Man's Ale...set all phasers to blackout)
Natural Light-1.5
Natural Ice-2 (higher alcohol content)
Olde English 800-1
Red Dog-2
Busch-1.5
Busch Light-1
Sam Adams-3.5
Red Hook-3
Foster's-3
Labatt's Blue-1.5


I'll post more later

[Mr. Wednesday]

LOL.
And Godzilla, I was wondering if you could recommend any books or websites about home brewing? As a beer lover, I'm itching to try brewing my own, but don't really even know much of where to begin looking... I don't have any advice (not having tried it myself), but you could try stopping by your local homebrew supply shop and asking there.

[Vince]

Beers I've had (well, remember having), with a rating on a scale of 1 to 5:


Budweiser-3
Bud Light-2
Coors-2.5
Coors Light-2.5
Miller-2.5
Miller Lite-2
Miller High Life-3 (the price is so, so right)
Michelob-2.5
Michelob Amber Bock-3
Mickey's-2
Steel Reserve 211-1 (gets you sloshed)
Country Club Malt Liquor-1 (see 211)
Corona-3
Corona Light-3 (I can't even taste the difference)
Dos Equis (brown bottle)-3.5
Dos Equis (green bottle)-3
Sol-2.5
Pacifico-3
Modelo (white/blue label)-4
Tecate-2.5
Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde-4
Red Stripe-5 (Come on, I'm half-Jamaican here..)
Beck's-2.5 (I'm not the biggest fan of German beers, so your mileage may vary)
Heineken-3
Pilsner Urquell-2.5
Newcastle Brown Ale-4.5
Guinness-4 (Okay, call me a wuss, but I have to be in the mood for it)
Dead Man's Ale-3.5 (I think it was good...On my 21st birthday I drank 2 long island iced tea's, a budweiser, a raspberry kamikaze [don't worry, a girl ordered it for me], another beer that I forget, and then I chugged 2 1/2 pints of the Dead Man's Ale...set all phasers to blackout)
Natural Light-1.5
Natural Ice-2 (higher alcohol content)
Olde English 800-2
Red Dog-2
Busch-1.5
Busch Light-1
Sam Adams-3.5
Red Hook-3
Foster's-3
Labatt's Blue-1.5


I'll post more later
My god man, you gave Old E higher than a 1?

[WSUCougar]

A handful of my favorites, off the top of my head:

Red Hook IPA or ESB
Anchor Steam
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Just about any Sam Adams product
Just about Pete's Wicked product
Just about any Rogue Brewery product

[Karlifornia]

Must have been an oversight....Olde E is probably the worst thing I've ever tasted

[Mr. Wednesday]

I'm fond of Sierra Nevada.

One import I tried when I was in Houston that doesn't seem to be all that common is Whitbread -- I liked it, I haven't seen it at any of the places in South Bend.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Dola -
Greyroofoo, if you can tell us (at least generally) where you are in the country, anybody lives there or has spent time there may be able to make some local suggestions.

[korme]

Wow you gave Blue a 1.5. That is a fine beer.

[terpkristin]

I don't have any advice (not having tried it myself), but you could try stopping by your local homebrew supply shop and asking there.
That's the first trick. No idea if there are local ones (though Google would probably help that) and if they're any good. And my favorite local beer/wine/liquor emporium has no ideas (which is sad).

/tk

[QuikSand]

I agree with TK's recommendation of Yuengling as a good, moderately-priced beer, if you're lucky enough to live in their distribution area.

Some years ago, a group of friends did a blind taste test of about ten or twelve different cheap-to-medium priced beers, and on two separate occasions, with two separate groups of people, there was a clear winner. Old Milwaukee. Take off the labels and get rid of the image coming from the advertising, and that was the people's choice. I still think it's a pretty decent-tasting beer (note: this is not Milwaukee's Best, but Old Milwaukee I'm talking about) and among the better values out there.

[st.cronin]

I think Left Hand (Longmont, CO) makes the finest beers I've ever had. (Although I've not tried their Pale Ale yet; Santa Fe makes a very nice Pale Ale, as did JT Whitney's in Madison, WI.)

[Greyroofoo]

Dola -
Greyroofoo, if you can tell us (at least generally) where you are in the country, anybody lives there or has spent time there may be able to make some local suggestions.

I live in Alabama

So far I've been drinking what I can get from other people (mostly miller and coors light). Miller is ok, I didn't really like Coors Light. Guiness I can't stand until I have a few in me. I think Amber Brock tasted decent as was Sam Adams.

This weekend I might try some Jack and Coke.

"Wade Boggs, goes down smooth!"

[Vince]

(note: this is not Milwaukee's Best, but Old Milwaukee I'm talking about)
Thanks for the clarification. Thoughts of Milwaukee's Beast (as we affectionately called it) still make me cringe.

[cuervo72]

Hooray Beer!

I'll back up TK and QS on Yuengling actually. Around here it's one of the more inexpensive beers, but it is pretty good.

I'll drink about anything besided Rolling Rock though when it comes right down to it. Though I think I currently have some (old) Paulaner Hefeweizen and Sol Cerveza (figured I'd try it as an alternative to Corona) on hand. Favorite beers would probably be the Paulaner, Oxford Raspberry Wheat, Spaten. And I've not had it often, but I *really* liked Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale when I've had it. But really, except for one they're all good. :)

[Buccaneer]

Relatively inexpensive beer that gets you drunk quickly and has a good taste. Budweiser is the winner here.
You are so wise beyond your years.

[ice4277]

Must have been an oversight....Olde E is probably the worst thing I've ever tasted
I hate Steel Reserve

[Mr. Wednesday]

Alabama is within the distribution area of Shiner Bock, you may be able to find a place that has it. I can drink Amber Bock, but I like Shiner better.

[korme]

You are so wise beyond your years. There are aliens that live on another planet.

[Godzilla Blitz]

terpkristin: The book I used to get a grip on brewing: The Complete Joy of Home Brewing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060531053/qid=1124160077/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4798893-6398406?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). I also had one other book, which I don't remember the name of and have since given away.

Regarding Brewing Supply Stores, I punched in "brewing" and "columbia, MD" into Google's "Local" search feature, and it came up with this:

http://googlr.com/local?sc=1&hl=en&q=brewing&near=columbia%2C+md&btnG=Google+Search&rl=1

A good supply store should be willing to answer all your silly questions. You might have to try a couple of places before you find the one you like. Most of them, in my experience, are labors of love run by one person and are quite helpful.

I don't brew any more. Kids and work and the the wife eat up too much brewing and drinking time, but this led me on to the next best thing: have friends who brew. I have a good friend who brews about a batch a month, so whenever he makes a batch I get a six-pack or so of excellent beer. Be sure to give them the bottles back, and always finish your beer with the compliment, "This tastes so much better than (similar store-bought beer)." For example, "This tastes so much better than Killian's." Brewers just love that one.

I really enjoyed brewing though. I'll never forget trying the first beer that I made myself and realizing that I liked it better than anything I could get in a US liquor store. From there it's all uphill. There are recipes for any kind of beer out there, and within a few batches you'll be brewing some great beers in search of your own "perfect" beer.

One of other the neat things about home brewing is that you can make some weird yet delicious beers, using stuff like chocolate and maple syrup and fruit. I've even heard of chicken beer. I'm in no hurry to try that one.

[kiwiLB57]

Speights, Speights, Speights:

The Triple Star

Pride of the South

Gold Medal Ale

mmmmm... beer.

[Peregrine]

I'm really glad to see a lot of brewers bringing out the Kolsch style beers lately, my favorite example of this is Pyramid's Curveball seasonal - just great on a summer day. I've tried Shiner Kolsch but didn't like it as much, think I'll just stick to their Bock. ;)

[terpkristin]

Thanks, GB, for that info (though some of the brewing stuff from Google is for coffee brewing hehehe!). :)

Anyway, I do appreciate. I also found this blog entry about brewing beer in a coffee maker, which I might have to try to get a small batch and get my foot in the door... :D http://hihowaya.blogs.com/weblog/2005/05/homegrown_beer.html

/tk

[Greyroofoo]

I found out tonight that Jack Daniels taste better with vanilla coke rather than regular coke (takes some of the bite out) however I also found one bottle up JD isn't up to satisfy me and two friends

[Lathum]

anyone ever had the chance to try any of the beers frow Cisco Brewery. They are based on Nantucket and have some really good products.

[clintl]

terpkristin: The book I used to get a grip on brewing: The Complete Joy of Home Brewing (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060531053/qid=1124160077/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4798893-6398406?v=glance&s=books&n=507846). I also had one other book, which I don't remember the name of and have since given away.

Great book. I have an old edition. If the recent editions still have the recipe for Bruce and Kay's Black Honey Spruce Lager, I highly recommend brewing a batch.
It was the best home brew I ever made.

[Greyroofoo]

Just an add-on to this topic, what's some good liquor combinations? I like Jack and Cokes and Screwdrivers. What would everyone recommend? Same criteria applies of course

[Raiders Army]

mmm....beer.

I'm drinking Corona Extra right now.

[ice4277]

mmm....beer.

I'm drinking Corona Extra right now.
I'd like to be drinking beer right now but I've got some work to get done first, if I start drinking I'll probably fall asleep before I get it done.

[JeeberD]

I like:

Cape Cods (Vodka and Cranberry)
White Russians (Vodka, Kahlua, and Cream)
Vodka Sour (Vodka and Sweet & Sour)
Cap'n and Coke

[ice4277]

I like:
White Russians (Vodka, Kahlua, and Cream)
Vodka Sour (Vodka and Sweet & Sour)

Agreed with these, I'm also a big fan of Black Russians, same thing as a White but no cream. I

[Schmidty]

I wish I could help, but I gave up drinking last month because of a new medication I am on. Once I get through this month, I plan on drinking occasionally again.

Before that, my beer of choice was New Belgium's Trippel. Their Dubbel is amazing as well. Man, I miss beer. :(

[ThunderingHERD]

Currently downing some Blue Moon.

[Izulde]

My favourite mixed drink ever is a John Brown that I had in Monrovia, CA at an Applebee's. Three of these and I was having a good night. The ingredient list:

John Brown
Jack
Triple Sec
Gin
Vodka
Rum
Coke
Milk
Sweet-Sour
Crème de Something (Cocoa or Banana)
Grenadine

[Bubba Wheels]

Pabst Blue Ribbon. B'st bear evar!

Lol, "She wore Bluuuue...Velvet...."

While I no longer indulge, I do seem to remember a tasty brand from college days bought with change scrounged up from my dorm room called 'Red, White and Blue." Yep, them were the days.

[AlexB]

Relatively inexpensive beer that gets you drunk quickly and has a good taste. Budweiser is the winner here.

I can't believe nobody's called Shorty on this - good taste? :eek: :eek: :eek:

Don't know about price, but it will never be cheap enough to be an option for me.

Over here, there is no looking past Caffrey's, Kilkenny's or (a more personal choice) John Smith's Extra Smooth.

On the other side of the pond, I remember a Boston beer being really good (Samuel Smith's ?) and in Canada, Molson Canadien and something with a blue label with mountains on it are decent. Steer well and truly clear of Rickett's Red - nobody should have to go through the bathroom experience after a night on that stuff :D

Disclaimer: the above comments are made on the following belief system - beer should not be fizzy. Contrary to popular belief about the English & beer, cold is good, but fizzy is piss-poor.

[AlexB]

Dola,

Having said beer should not be fizzy, there is one that I would drink out of choice whenever available - unfortunately I have only ever seen it in South Australia - Cooper's Sparkling

[saldana]

someone mentioned utopias before, what they didnt tell you is that it costs over 100 a bottle, so dont even think about it if you havent tried something similar before...it is an aged barley wine.

if you want to learn about beer, find out other peoples opinions, and find out where to get some of this stuff, i recommend this site

http://www.ratebeer.com

the people that run that site are alot friendlier than the people that run beer advocate (which was mentioned earlier). i have been a member there for almost a year, during which time i have traveled all over the country drinking beers with people i have met through the site, and rated over 600 different beers and accumulated a collection of over 200 more in my cellar.

as far as recommending something, it would be impossible to tell you one specific beer. instead i will just tell you to start trying different things til you find a style you like, then start trying to find more beers in that style. a great way to do that is go to a brewpub and order a sampler. they usually are less than 10 bucks and will let you try anywhere from 5 to 8 different beer styles. if you want to see what my ratings for different things have been, here is a link to my profile.

http://www.ratebeer.com/View-User-16372-1-4.htm


the ratings are out of a possible score of 5.

[Daimyo]

I usually drink Goose Island or Sam Adam's for domestic beers.. right now I'm enjoying the heck out of Goose Island's Oktoberfest. If you like lighter fare you should try Goose Island 312. I'll also second (or fourth) the suggestion for Yuengling. We don't have it in Chicago, but I tried it once on a business trip and its definately the best in its class (cheap, light stuff).

Overall I like most of the Belgiums I've had, although i can't remember any names right now. They usually come in 4 packs for $10-12 and a lot of them are 8%+ so they at least meet two of your criteria, but they're definately not what you'd drink to get drunk.

[ThunderingHERD]

My staples are Milwaukee's Best Ice if I'm going for a 12 pack or more, or Old English if I'm going for a couple 40s.

[Buzzbee]

I tend to like sweeter beers, so stuff like Rolling Rock, Moosehead, Grolsch, and Heineken are just to bitter for me. Also, stouts are good, but a bit to heavy for my palette. Probably a result of too much Murphy's Extra Old Stout in college.

So, for me I usually drink Killian's Red. It is moderately priced, but much more flavorful than the typical Bud, Miller, Coors, etc. This time of year is my favorite, because I particulary like the seasonal Oktoberfest beers.

My absolute favorite is Hacker-Phchorr (hah-ker shore) Original Oktoberfest. I'm on my 4th right now as a matter of fact. It is a little more pricey at $9 a six pack, but worth it in my opinion. Second best, and easier on the wallet is Samuel Adams Oktoberfest. The down side is that they are only available for about three months out of the year.

As far as getting drunk quickly, Georgia recently passed legislation allowing a little higher alcohol content. I think it used to be 3.5%, but I'm not sure. Anyway, after they passed the new law, I picked up some Ommegang, brewed in Cooperstown, NT. It is 8.5% and three put me on my ass.

Well, that's my $0.02.

[cuervo72]

Hacker-Pschorr is good stuff...my brother-in-law traveled to Germany a few times (Marines) and has developed a taste for German Beer (tough, I know). We bought him a Hacker-Pschorr tap for him after he got his kegerator a couple years back.

[Axxon]

Your best bet if you are going for taste is going to be to find a local microbrew. Honestly, using the words "taste" and (insert the following: "Budweiser," "Mickey's Ice," "Coors," etc) together in the same sentence with "good" is ridiculous, except in a completely relative sense. But seriously -- if you want a good tasting beer, in my opinion, avoid the hell out of domestic beer.




Don't tell Stone Brewing Company that. I'd put a Stone IPA or ( my second favorite Imperial Stout ) or Arrogant Bastard up against ANY foreign beer and it'll hold it's own. Period.

Hmm, just tried their newest Stone 9th Anniversary Ale. It's a bear to find but well worth it, yum.

Now, for get fucked up [b]quick[/] may I recommend Dogfish Head's 120 minute IPA. Don't let the measly 21% APB fool yah, it'll get you drunk. :eek:

Bud clocks in at a relatively meager 5% APB btw and most wines don't hit 20 hehe.

Have fun in your quest!