What's Everyone's Favorite Beer?

[cricket33]

I'm new here, just found this site last night looking up beer's and wine's. So my fav. Beer is Budlight or Bud.

[John]

Cricket,

Welcome! have you tried any imported beers or quality craft brews from American microbreweries? There is so much variety to choose from. It's hard to pick a favorite because of the many styles, but I like Pilsner Urquell (be carefull, not all samples are fresh; find a place with quick turnover) Great Lakes Dortmunder style (Cleveland) Anchor Liberty Ale (San Francisco) and Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout (England). And my homebrewed beer.

[Varmint]

My favorite beer is the one that happens to be sitting in front of me at that particular moment.

[reddevil]

Belgian beers....particularly Hoegaarden.

[cdh]

I'm partial to sour belgian brews too... Rodenbach is an old favorite, though sadly tough to get in the US now... Goudenband is yummy... Duchess de Bourgugne is also pretty tasty... all wacky and very tough to find.

As to less challenging and more mass-market beers, I'd take an MGD or a Miller High Life over your Bud or Budlight any day... or a Yuengling (preferably Lord Chesterfield) if I'm in Pennsylvania.

[Bux]

My favorite beer is the one that happens to be sitting in front of me at that particular moment.

And if the can is empty, you'll switch to whatever anyone is willing to bring you?

[Bux]

With greater seriousness, my appreciation of beer has grown considerably although I don't drink as much of it as I do wine. What I appreciate about beer, is what I appreciate about wine and that's the variety. My tastebuds get bored by a steady diet. I enjoy matching my beer to my food, my circumstances and my mood. Whenever I am traveling, I enjoy the local beer. In Belgium, I really appreciated the local brews and sometimes the lesser ones that are not outstanding enough to be imported here. Perhaps it's just that they taste more of a place than beers that can be ordered all over the world. Of course that doesn't make them great.

[malachi]

Drie Founteinen Oude Gueuze

[ctgm]

Ringwood Fortyniner.

Fantastic beer from my local brewery

http://www.ringwoodbrewery.co.uk/fortyniner.htm

[baruch]

What I appreciate about beer, is what I appreciate about wine and that's the variety. Whenever I am traveling, I enjoy the local beer. Perhaps it's just that they taste more of a place than beers that can be ordered all over the world. Of course that doesn't make them great.

agree, i.e., "when in Rome, ... "; however, in USA, sierra nevada seems to fit the bill as most consistent, most favorful; therefore, most favorite.

[malachi]

in USA, sierra nevada seems to fit the bill as most consistent, most favorful; therefore, most favorite.

I'd suggest you try Alesmith (Anvil and XPA), Allagash (Tripel Reserve and White), Ommegang Hennepin, North Coast (Old Rasputin and Red Seal Ale), Lagunitas Maximus, Hair of the Dog Fred, Brooklyn Brewing (Black Chocolate Stout, Blanche de Brooklyn), Victory Brewing (Storm King Stout, Prima Pils), Rogue (Shakespeare Stout, Dead Guy Ale).

These would just be to start to be honest, but any and all should give you a good idea of what is available from US brewers that is a) flavourful, b) consistent and c) dramatically superior to anything Sierra Nevada produces. That is not to slight Sierra Nevada. For a "semi-macro" brewery they do a good job. But they simply cannot compete with the micro Craft breweries when it comes to quality.

[Belmont3]

in USA, sierra nevada seems to fit the bill as most consistent, most favorful; therefore, most favorite.

I'd suggest you try Alesmith (Anvil and XPA), Allagash (Tripel Reserve and White), Ommegang Hennepin, North Coast (Old Rasputin and Red Seal Ale), Lagunitas Maximus, Hair of the Dog Fred, Brooklyn Brewing (Black Chocolate Stout, Blanche de Brooklyn), Victory Brewing (Storm King Stout, Prima Pils), Rogue (Shakespeare Stout, Dead Guy Ale).

I have tried many of these and living near the West Coast where the majority of the specialty micro brews come from, tried quite a few others. Right now I am enjoying Bridgeport IPA out of Portland

[jhlurie]

Yikes, cricket33, sorry not Bud. I apologize in advance for any demeaning statements you may find about Bud and/or Bud drinkers across this board when you inevitably start looking around. Sorry.

Recently I was reminded of how much I like Rolling Rock. I mean I like it a lot. So that's my "simple" non-Microbrew American beer of choice.

Pilsner Urquell is indeed good stuff, as is the Czech beer called "Budweiser"--which is actually not related to the American beer of the same name except through a series of lawsuits over the name and a loose historical connection.

Newcastle Brown Ale is my default "ale"--at least in bars with limited selections. Killian's Red is another beer I'll have when wide selection is not available, and of course there's always good old Bass.

The number of microbrews I've tried and like would fill a few pages, so I won't really go into them here all that much. Style-wise there are so many things to pick from.

IPA seems to be a growing style (look at the HUGE number of entries for IPA beers listed here). Who knew? I've loved some of the IPA beers I've had.

[slkinsey]

Belgian beers....particularly Hoegaarden.

Yes! I love Hoegaarden. I was actually quite sad to learn that the Celis Brewery in Austin, Texas had gone out of business. Pierre Celis was almost singlehandedly responsible for reviving the witbier style and I thought Celis White was even better than Hoegaarden (Pierre Celis was the original owner of the brewery that makes Hoegaarden). Unfortunately, Celis entered into a partnership with Miller which eventually acquired 100% of the business and decided to close the brewery and sell off everything. Anyway, I hear that some other company may have acquired the equipment/trademark and will revive the brand. I have not heard whether this will happen or, if it has, what the results have been like.

I love all kinds of wheat beer, although I have never been able to get a hefeweizen either in America or in a bottle that came close to what I drink from the tap when in Bavaria.

[baruch]

in USA, sierra nevada seems to fit the bill as most consistent, most favorful; therefore, most favorite.

I'd suggest you try Alesmith (Anvil and XPA), Allagash (Tripel Reserve and White), Ommegang Hennepin, North Coast (Old Rasputin and Red Seal Ale), Lagunitas Maximus, Hair of the Dog Fred, Brooklyn Brewing (Black Chocolate Stout, Blanche de Brooklyn), Victory Brewing (Storm King Stout, Prima Pils), Rogue (Shakespeare Stout, Dead Guy Ale).

These would just be to start to be honest, but any and all should give you a good idea of what is available from US brewers that is a) flavourful, b) consistent and c) dramatically superior to anything Sierra Nevada produces. That is not to slight Sierra Nevada. For a "semi-macro" brewery they do a good job. But they simply cannot compete with the micro Craft breweries when it comes to quality.

thx VERY much, BUT are these readily available in NYC??

[mcdowell]

Alaskan Amber when in the Northwest.

Shiner Bock makes me think of home.

Much more partial to bourbon.

[fresh_a]

It's a hot Parisian evening, and I'm sipping a cool Kronenbourg...

[malachi]

thx VERY much, BUT are these readily available in NYC??

Across the river in Brooklyn is Mugs, one of the greatest beer bars in the US. Mug's Ale House, 125 Bedford. About a block away is Brooklyn Brewery. Also in Brooklyn is Bierkraft, a good beer store (191 5th Ave in Park Slope). And out on LI in Huntington is an amazing beer store called Shoreline Beverages (645 New York Ave, Huntington).

At 518 Hudson is Blind Tiger, which though no Mug's, is probably the best bet for a beer bar in Manhattan.

[NeroW]

Bell's Oberon.

[elyse]

Welcome cricket! My favorite beer depends on my mood. Yes, john, sometimes I even crave a bud. Sue me. I don't see the difference between bud and rolling rock, honestly.

There's nothing like a guinness. There's nothing like a bass. There's nothing like a hefeweizen (probably my most craved).

In NYC, Pioneer supermarket on Columbus and 75th (?) has the largest beer selection as far as I know. Cheap too.

[Rich Pawlak]

Yards ESA from Philadelphia, on the handpump at McMenamin's Tavern in the Mt Airy section of Philly.

Victory Hop Devil, from PA, perhaps the best IPA made in America

Bell's Oberon from Michigan

Tremont Ale from Boston

Sly Fox Pils and Gang Aftly Scotch Ale from Phoenixville, PA

Troegs Hopback Amber from Harrisburg, PA, on the handpump at The Standard Tap in Philly

[Jason Perlow]

I like all kinds of stouts (especially the imperials), like Guinness, and Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout.

All kinds of pale ales. Love Rolling Rock. Bitter pale ales like Boddingtons.

Classic Pilsners and Lagers, like Czechvar.

[Belmont3]

Victory Hop Devil, from PA, perhaps the best IPA made in America

Isn't there a 120 minute IPA and a 90 minute IPA produced out of Connecticut or Delaware that is suppose to be the shit??

[Jason Perlow]

Btw here are all the top rated beers from Beer Advocate. Theres a lot of these I've never heard of. Lots of the stouts top the list.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/top_beers.php

[doublespresso]

I must agree with those of you that like Guinness - my absolute favorite.

Although I live only about 5 minutes away from the Anheuser-Busch plant in Colorado, I do not like their beer. For those of you that do, I apologize, but do have to admit that their fresh beer tasting on the tour isn't too shabby at all. As for local brews, New Belgium and Odell's in Fort Collins are really excellent!