"Beginner" Beer

[StudentChefEclipse]

Okay, I have to admit it. I don't much like beer, but I am willing to admit it might be the beers I have tried. *Some English ales, a Danish thing I can't recall, the usual American suspects...*

I know that this is a good area for me to expand my culinary education, and that beer is fast becoming as important with food pairing as wine is. So I really want to "get it".

So, what would you recommend as a good "start" for someone who wants to learn to enjoy beer, but is not happy with bitter sensations or the taste of yeast (per se)??

And thanks for the suggestions!

[Chef Shogun]

I think the way to approach this is the way I've heard people suggest as a similar path to wine 'beginners'. That is, try something from the major 'food groups'. So really the subquestion, and perhaps sub-thread is: what are the 'representative' beers of each major category? I imagine that the list would be composed mainly of beer that you would have no undue difficulty finding, or at least should be, for the purpose of your education! In this way, you'll not only find beer that you (hopefully) like, but also gain some insight into what kinds of beer you like. Really, it's not enough to say "Go out and try foo...it's good! " without knowing what it is you are drinking, so you can seek out more like it if you wish!

Now, as for an actual answer I don't presume to be knowledgable enough to be able to list The Beer Of Record for the categories, so I'll leave that to the regulars, and think about some suggestions for a bit and report back!

[waves2ya]

Quick reply here - but a different take than the Chef...

I agree with the sentiment that 'beer is like bread'. And that the best beer is the freshest beer (usually a local brew) and, then, poured from a tap.

Beer goes bad fast.

So - if you really want to spoil yourself for beer from a bottle, like, forever - find the best (word of mouth; where do you live?) freshest brew that's on tap. And taste.

Now - whether it's cask ale or not, that's a different thing!

(and not to say you can't play this game w/ bottled beer; but why begin with what is an acknowledge degradation in the product?)

Edited September 16, 2004 by waves2ya (log)

[Busboy]

Try some smoother beers to start. India Pale Ales, other Ales, Lagers maybe. Avoid Pilsners, Bitters, Porters and the like, which tend to be hoppier, heavier and more bitter.

Are you in Colorado or the west? If so, have a Fat Tire for me.

[aiki_brewer]

There are some good books on beer connoisseurery out there, most notibly by Michael Jackson (the Bearded One, not the Gloved One). But ultimately, to really learn the styles of beer and variations within each style, you're going to need to taste. Just line learning wine, you'll want to do horizontal tastings (comparing different styles side-by-side) and vertical tastings (the same style or beers of closely-related styles by different brewers).

One way to do a horizontal tasting is to visit a local craft brewer or brewpub and get a sampler of all of their beers. Brewpubs will often also have menu suggestions for pairing their food with their beer.

The American Homebrewers Association (ABA) publishes a ABA style guide, which you may find helpful in learning the styles and their characteristics.

As a final note: most beers don't have much of a "yeast" taste, except for hefeweizen (wheat beer with residual yeast), or Belgian or other beers that are bottle- or cask- conditioned. In fact, such beers tend to have a mellower flavor, as the live yeast "scrubs out" (as my homebrew store guy says) impurities in the beer. Plus, the CO2 in such beers is better disolved in the beer than those that are force-carbonated at bottling or tapping, leading to a smoother, less "fizzy" mouth-feel.

Bitterness is, of course, a necessary part of beer's flavor, since otherwise all you'd have would be residual sugar, carmelization, alcohol, and grain roasting providing the flavors, which would be a little (or very) cloying. However, there are plenty of beer styles that are on the more balanced or even sweeter side. (American ales tend to be more aggressively hopped than English ones, and if it was Danish it was probably pilsner which are generally on the slightly hoppier side.) Busboy's suggestion of Fat Tire (American-brewed Belgian-style ale) is a good one; I'll also throw in Mackeson's XXX Stout (sweet- or milk-stout, very different from Guiness, made with lactose), or Moretti La Rosa double-bock (not regular Moretti lager).

Good luck!

[Okbrewer]

The best suggestion I can make if you don't particularly like the bitter aspects of beer is to...Go to Belgium! Belgian or Belgian-style beers offer a wide range of flavors and aromas not usually associated with mainstream beers. People who say they don't like beer are apt to be awestruck while enjoying a Belgian Framboise or Kriek or Peche, even more so when introduced to a true lambic or geueze. The fruitiness and tartness of these beers is refreshing and likely to make converts of people who think they don't like beer. Likewise, Belgian Trappist or Abbey ales, especially dubbels and tripels, will have you questioning your reluctance to try beer.

Whether you opt for Belgian or Belgian-style beers or English or Scottish or whatever, the key is educating yourself about the flavors, aromas, components and ingredients that you like or dislike. That way you can seek out the flavors and aromas you enjoy and then perhaps learn to appreciate the others along the way.

As you suggest, beer and food go great together, and it is fun pairing and exploring beers with foods. Look for Garrett Oliver's "The Brewmaster's Table" for his suggestions on pairing beer and food.

Have fun!

[TongoRad]

Picking up on where aiki brewer left off- you will probably be better off starting with beer styles where there is a lower Bittering/Gravity ratio and more malty characteristics, based on what you have said in your original post. Pilsners, English and American Ales would not be on that list, though there are plenty off beers that are.

Brown Ales, all of the Bocks (particularly a nice Maibock), Scottish Ales, a lot of Belgians would all be a great place to start.

In addition to the other suggestions you have so far you should look for Negro Modelo, Belhaven, Spaten Optimator.

Or, since the time of year is right for it, get yourself some Paulaner Oktoberfest.

Happy beer hunting!

I would also like to echo the suggestion that local draft beer is preferable to bottled beer because (for the most part) bottled beer is more finely filtered and/or pasteurized, and that does have an impact on the end product.

[waves2ya]

Brewpubs will often also have menu suggestions for pairing their food with their beer.

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As you suggest, beer and food go great together, and it is fun pairing and exploring beers with foods.

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This may be beer heresy to the wise (& wiser than me, given threads I've seen) denizens of this Beer board, but...

Like bread, beer is a complete meal.

Now, I'm not saying that beer and various foods don't go great together - or that some beers are best with some foods... But, one of the tricks of great beer is that it can stand alone. It needs - nothing. It is a meal in and of itself. It's one of the remarkable things about really good beer. I find wine always needs a nosh of some sort - certainly liquor, too. But great beer can fill the belly, nourish the senses and round the palate in a way that leaves other libations wanting.

Wanting something to eat...

[cdh]

I have to agree with Bob about the Belgians being the ideal place to start for somebody who doesn't like the readily available mass market beers out there.

But Belgium is the land of variety, and not all of its beers will be to your taste. I'd start with the abbey style beers, more particularly the dubbels. They have a very strong malt profile without a lot of hoppy bitterness. There are the Trappist breweries, which are run by a specific order of monks who actually brew the beer, and there are other abbey style beers where I'm not sure who does the brewing. You'll get a wide range of flavors, from toasty to raisiny to honey-like.

Then there are the tarter Belgian styles: witbiers are the least tart of the bunch, but quite tasty with orange and coriander flavors taking the place of the hop flavors. Hoegaarden is the Belgian standard, and Celis White ( in its old incarnation) is just as good... they were both developed by the same brewer, Pierre Celis. They're a very good beer for people who don't like beer. Some of the american versions are pale imitations, so try to get your hands on a Celis or a Hoegaarden, and then taste the rest with full knowledge of the top of the line. I'll say that Ommegang's Witte is quite good if you can get your hands on it.

There are the much more tart lambic family of beers, which are often fruity. They are much more like wines than beers, but they are tasty. Lindemans is widely distributed, and has a number of fruit flavors where the fruit definitly predominates over the beer. There other lambic makers represented in the US as well, like Cantillion and Boon... they are much much more tart, and some of the lambic funk shines through. There are also the unflavored lambics, which are just wheat beers fermented with the natural yeast in the air in a certain valley in Belgium. These are challenging brews, though by no means hoppy or bitter.

Also, you might want to try the products of Liefmans brewery, which makes a beer similar to lambic but not lambic. Their Goudenband is of the "old brown" style, rich, sour, very complex. Their Framboise and Kriek are fruit enhanced versions of this beer.

If you can get your hands on anything brewed by Rodenbach, then you're in for a treat. Rodenbach brews Flemish red ales, which are also a sour beer. Their different offerings are set apart by the amount of ageing they've received, and they age in wooden vats, so lots of flavors make their way in to the beer while it is maturing. Rodenbach also augments one of their beer blends with a cherry flavor... it used to be called Rodenbach Alexander, but has been discontinued and rebranded and reintroduced in a different formulation that I've not tried. Other beers in this family that you might run across in the US are Duchesse de Bourgogne and Petrus... also worth trying for their not-like-beer-ness.

On the other hand, I'd suggest staying away from trippels and strong blondes if bitter beer flavors don't agree with your palate. These are strong, sweet, but hoppy. Probably not your cup of tea (or beer as the case may be.)

[Susan in FL]

There are already a lot of good suggestions posted from experts here! If I were a beginner in learning to enjoy beer, I might find all this information at once somewhat overwhelming.

I passionately love beer -- real beer, not swill -- and I am probably half way between a beginner and experts like cdh, okbrewer, and others who frequent this forum. I think the best idea for you so far is to go to a local brewpub and get the sampler that they are offering. And, take notes, so you can refer back and remember which ones you like best.

You might be able to get more specific suggestions if you can remember and tell us which readily available bottled beers you have tried and had a real distaste for, and which you thought were pretty good. For example, whether you have tried Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Bass Ale, and what if any microbrews...

Have fun, and I hope you turn into a hophead.

[StudentChefEclipse]

I am truly excited and thankful about all the replies here. There are a couple of microbrew pubs/restaurants in town, so I will make a list and start there. If I can manage while I am out and about shopping, I will also try listing the beers I've tried before and found not to my taste.

Thanks, eGulleteers, and keep the suggestions coming!

[JAZ]

I think the best idea for you so far is to go to a local brewpub and get the sampler that they are offering.  And, take notes, so you can refer back and remember which ones you like best.

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I'll echo this suggestion, and add that you should be sure to read their descriptions of the beers -- that helps in learning the terms used to describe certain styles of beers and will probably help you in choosing new beers reliably. And talk to the employees at brewpubs -- they love to talk about beer and will (in my experience) be happy to make suggestions when they know what you're looking for.

[sylunt1]

Might I suggest a beer tasting event? Get a couple people together and have them bring a 6 pack or a few bigger bottles of different things. This way you can try a bunch of things without feeling too bad if you don't like it (oh man I just spent $7.00 on something I don't like). I do this often for my beer newbie friends :)

Another good thing to do is go to a local brew pub and order the beer sampler - they will bring out a tray with usually 5-7 different smaller samples of what they make. It is a good way to find a style you may enjoy.

Hope this helps.

[jgarner53]

As a reformed non-beer drinker (aikibrewer is my personal brewmaster though I am the one who taught HIM to like beer ), I might be able to offer you some less technical advice.

I didn't start to like beer until late in my college career, when the so-called "dry" beer wave hit. Essentially beer without any flavor (and especially no bitter aftertaste), it allowed me a wedge into developing a palate for the basic taste of beer. From there I moved to beers like Rolling Rock, Corona, and MGD.

And now I'll drink just about anything except a rauchtbier (German smoked beer).

Things I liked once I moved past the RR and its ilk? Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Pyramid Apricot Hefeweizen, as well as their regular Hefeweizen, Newcastle Brown Ale, Shiner Bock, Morretti La Rossa, Belgian krieks and lambics, and maltier (less hoppy) ambers. The suggestion to go to a brewpub is a great one. Sit at the bar and talk to the bartenders. They can guide you to something you may like, or help you work your way through a flight.

[plattetude]

I respectfully disagree about some of the previous advice listing Belgian ales as a good starting point. While I do agree that many of them can be very approachable, they're so distinctly different from what the rest of the world calls beer as to be another animal altogether. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Belgian beer (and have a closetful of dozens of bottles aging as I type), but I consider them to be more a destination to be found by beer lovers than a jumping-off point. For instance, if someone finds they adore sour ales, or lambics, or an Abbey ale, how does that really prepare their palate for an IPA, or a pilsner, or a stout, or any other "mass-market" style?

I do agree that freshest is bestest. Find a bar with a good selection of taps (not necessarily a wide selection of taps -- frequently more taps means stale kegs and poorly maintained lines), and hope it has a bartender who can give you some good advice.

Actually, a great place to start would be a brewpub, since frequently they'll offer flights of their own brews. They'll typically array them in order of flavor-intensity, and you can work your way through a handful of styles in one sitting, getting a good idea about what styles appeal to your palate and where you might want to explore further.

My two cents.

Christopher

[Susan in FL]

Christopher, I agree with you. I didn't post that opinion since I thought maybe I was swayed because of my personal preference for beers other than Belgian beers. There are a few Belgians I've enjoyed, but it is my least favorite style. Thanks for posting. It's good to hear it from somebody who likes and appreciates them more than I.

[sylunt1]

I have found, that holding a beer tasting event is a good idea. I have done this as well as taught some beer classes and had very good results. Go to a homebrew store and talk to the people there. Get a package of hops and ask to see/smell/taste the different grains. A lot of people that like beer - don't know what they like about it. After a class they can better say what they like and what they don't like. During a class or a tasting event, you can have each person bring a different style of beer - this way you get to try a lot of things and not have to worry about buying a 6 pack and not liking it.

Suggestions for less "bitter" beers: Belgian dubbel, tripel, wit, German wheat/weisse beer. Feel free to contact me for a more in depth conversation if you wish.

If you want to get into beer/food pairings, I suggest starting here.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Chris

[Chrisser]

I think a great starter beer is nice cold Corona with a wedge of lime. It'll get your taste buds ready for the heavier stuff.

[aiki_brewer]

I think a great starter beer is  nice cold Corona with a wedge of lime.  It'll get your taste buds ready for the heavier stuff.

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I'm afraid the only appropriate response to that is this cross-post from the "Worst Beer Ever tasted" forum (thanks, JetLag!)

"When I lived in Mexico City all my Mexican coworkers called Corona pepe de raton, rat's piss!"

Of course, I'll admit that I enjoyed one of those myself last night, after a fiece 1.5 hour martial arts workout; I probably would've gacked on Ommegang or Chimay...

[Rich Pawlak]

I think a great starter beer is  nice cold Corona with a wedge of lime.  It'll get your taste buds ready for the heavier stuff.

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I LOVE these joke posts!

[john b]

I think a great starter beer is  nice cold Corona with a wedge of lime.  It'll get your taste buds ready for the heavier stuff.

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We're sorry, the Last Comic Standing auditions have ended.

[Susan in FL]

Methinks a little bit of beer snobbery has been shown in the last couple of posts.

[malarkey]

so.. SCE, according to your bio you are graduating from culinary school this month! Congratulations! ..You know, we are all still curious about your foray into the world of beer. Let us know how your tastings go and what your impressions are.

[john b]

Methinks a little bit of beer snobbery has been shown in the last couple of posts.   

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You're right. We who know more than the masses about good beer should not mock the, "Bud is good beer" posts, but take the time to suggest what we think would be good beers to make the jump from mass produced industrial beer to the good stuff. So, with that in mind, I offer the following:

New Belgium Fat Tire

Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale

Victory Lager

These are all well made beers that generally unoffensive to someone who has had nothing but Bud and/or CoorsLight all their life.

[StudentChefEclipse]

Thanks again for all the lovely ideas, and the byplay on Corona. Tried it, wedge of lime and all, some years ago. As you see, I am still looking for a beer I find palatable.

Graduation is this Saturday, October 30. I am trying to get the family to go with me to a microbrewery here in town, for my first real tasting. *Students have so little time, argh!*

Will let you all know what's up! In the meantime, I have tried some lambics, and the cherry is fine. I think the brewer is Kreinik(?) *Really, I have to get better about notes!*

Thanks again, all!