“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” – Benjamin Franklin
I will sheepishly admit that in my svelte, Adonis-like physique, there is a lot of beer. I estimate I’ve tried 500 or so, and I have been able to find something to like about nearly all of them. (Even the lowly and occasional Miller Lite has its place, though you’ll not get another drop of Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat between my lips.)
If you’re at all serious about beer, you need to be reading Beer Advocate. It’s a comprehensive site on the loveliest fluid, with history, reference material, and reviews. My beer IQ has increased markedly since I began frequenting the site. Moreover, it’s got a sense of humor about it that is pronounced enough to be enjoyable without crossing over into intrusive.
That said, I haven’t found reading the reviews at large to be particularly helpful. For every person who really tries to communicate the experience of a beer, there are ten wannabes who seem to be working from the same stock list of five adjectives. It’s as if they’re working really hard to write a beer review instead of working really hard to review a beer. Know what I mean?
Consequently, I recommend finding a few people whose reviews you like, and following them. You’ll get someone in line with what you like already that way, and when your reviewers try something new, their impressions are reliable.
Pour yourself a pint and have a look.
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Sadly, beer makes me physically sick; it messes with the delicate balance of my internal flora. Sigh. Apparently, God doesn’t want ME to be happy….
I would have to say that there are many beers that I never wish to taste again.
That’s why I have been brewing my own beer for the past five years… and a little wine as well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thingsifoundtoday/2781956459/
Good evening!
I don’t drink much beer. Between my discharge from the Air Corps and going back to college on the G.I. Bill, I had a summer job at the Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery in Peoria Heights, Illinois. Coolers of beer were on the premises, and employees were allowed to drink on duty! What a country! This brewery is no longer in operation. But I digress.
A few times a year I’ll actually drink a beer. These days I prefer wheat beers, and usually if any are available at all, it’ll be Blue Moon. I like Blue Moon.
I have not tried the beer brewed by my nephew Zeno whose comment appears above. Mostly I drink wine, always red, and usually Zinfandel.
Mrs. Chili: I’m sorry. That sucks. Lea just doesn’t like the taste. I’d hate to be interested in the taste but not be able to drink it. 🙁
Zeno: Cool hobby. I’m sure I would take to it, but I don’t have the space, and I’m trying hard to stay in an “enjoy what you have” mode in terms of hobbies and leisure interests. The last thing I need is another cash sink. 🙂
Gerry: I like an occasional Belgian-style ale like Blue Moon, but it’s not a go-to for me. I’m probably most into American pale ales right now. I like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Yazoo, a microbrewery in Nashville, does a decent one. Anchor Liberty Ale is the shit. I’m enjoying some American and English porters right now, too. I like red wine, particularly with a good steak, but I have to remember to take aspirin about an hour out to prevent a headache.
Unfortunately, I’m not a beer drinker. Hubby is and likes to try new and different things. But that’s not why I commented – did you know that Olde Town Brewery is reopening this weekend in Lowe Mill? They’re having a grand opening bash Saturday 5-11.
The Nook has an amazing beer list. I have been a couple of times and am slwoly checking things off. The rating system is pretty accurate within your preferred style. Dinkle Acker Dark was very good. I’ve recently become attached to the Hefe Wiezen style.
I was gifted with a brew kit for Christmas but space has limited my starting that up.
@azn8tive, cool about Olde Town Brewery, a shame I was not overly thrilled with the brew I tried of theirs.
azn8tive: I knew they were imminent, but I didn’t know about the event. Alas, it’s a busy weekend for us, and a visit to Lowe Mill is not feasible. I’ll look forward to seeing it in stores again soon, though. Thanks for the word.
Buzzregog: I’ll put that note about The Nook in my pocket. Thanks. I like a Hefy once in a while. The Flying Dog one is good. Actually, Olde Towne did a good one too.
About Olde Towne: They had some spotty quality control for a while, and there was some beer that got to stores that shouldn’t have. If you had one that was far enough outside the bounds of acceptability to make you question whether something was wrong with it, something probably was. One of my beer-savvy buds at work was explaining a bacterial problem that produced some unpleasantness in some of the amber run, and I decided I had indeed drunk some of it. I tried it again later and it was fine (though still not my favorite; their Bock was probably what I liked best.)
I hope it’s at Big Spring Jam again this year. Beats the hell out of Anheuser-Busch (“oh, just fine laddie! And how’s your pecker?”) swill.