Well, dudes, I find I have a confession to make. I am basically a beer-novice. In college, I was free to peruse a wide selection of liquor. Wasn't too crazy about vodka straight-up, but I'd happily give the Caucasian a chance. Absolutely loved rum, and I found Jack Daniels to be most enjoyable. So yeah, I do enjoy alcohol quite a bit, haha.
But then there was beer... While I had a huge variety of liquor, the selection of beer was limited to Bud Light at every party I attended. Wanted beer? Bud Light was your only choice. I gave it a shot and thought I'd just drank piss >:(
At first I figured that just meant beer wasn't my thing, but then I learned about how Budweiser and the other big American beers were supposedly the worst beer you could get in the world. Of course, that told me that I'd been short-changed. However, now there was a new dilemma: How will I know what beer is the better beer to buy? I'd be happy to get into the beer-scene, but I'd love to hear your recommendations. So let's hear it. What's your beer of choice, dudes?
;D(http://dudeism.com/smf/Themes/default/images/post/thumbup.gif)
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1073/sheafstout.jpg)
I pretty much drank it all back when I was being all alcoholic like, I quit for 7 years and only recently started having a pop or two. No drama, I am just neither a drinker nor non-drinker now, just where I want to be.
That said, yeah Bud Lite is worse than septic weasel piss, don't doit. Guinness was a fave along with Bass. There are too many micro brews that are too local to get into them in any real fashion that would help you. It would also help if we could narrow down your "type" of beer, stout, ale, pilsner ect.
Almost any import will treat you well, for domestics Sam Adams isn't bad, they have a few offerings that I dig. In the summer heat I like Red Stripe and Corona, but my year round go to beers are Guinness, Bass and Sam's. This is with local micros aside.
As Digital Buddha stated, there are far too many to list, but check out ratebeer .com for an idea about imports. I'm really fond of Fuller's 1845 and almost anything Belgian myself.
I live in Portland Oregon, nicknamed beervana for all the local microbrews, but they tend to be a bit hoppy for me. But if you like hoppy beers, check out offerings by Deschutes Brewery, Rogue, Full Sail, Ninkasa.
I hardly drink alcohol any more but Guinness gets my vote. Especially when drunk in Ireland. It really does taste better.
I've tasted probably over 100 different beers from the world over, and have traveled some, always drinking local micro-brewery wherever I was. My recommendation is to always go local. They don't have to pasteurize and add preservatives, all of which hurt the flavor. So, that said, There's a plethora of beer types to choose from. There's light, medium, and dark, made from either barley or wheat. The grades of darkness come from how long the grains are roasted, if at all. Google the difference between lager and ale; I won't bore you here...
There's lots more to say, but a middle of the road one to start with an IPA (India Pale Ale). It's slightly complex without grabbing you by the shirt collar.
If you lived near me, I'd say that the best beer around is my own. ;)
I love a dry Irish stout or Rollling Rock but I'm a gin&tonic or rum-n-coke Dude myself. :) Too many good local breweries within walking distance to choose just one.
Totally agree about the rum dude. As for beer I like landshark lager quite a bit.
Dude, I agree with all those who said local is the way to go. You can't be spending your hours on shitty beer-- life goes on, man. Can you give us a frame of reference? Whereabouts in the US are you? Then I and other dudes can give you some notes on the local brew.
Thanks for the great feedback, dudes :D
To answer y'alls question, I am living in central Virginia. I'm not entirely sure what the local-brew scene is like around here. And thanks for your suggestions so far, I've heard great things about Guinness and Landshark, so I'll definitely have to give them a shot, as well as your other great recommendations l-)
Heavy Seas Brewery (out of Baltimore) has a really good IPA (Pirate Eye), which you should be able to get in Virginia. I also like Sweet Water (out of Atlanta), which we get in N.C., and I assume you can get there. Also, any micros out of the west are probably going to be good -- Full Sail (from my native Oregon) is great, and usually available widely.
Enjoy!
Dales Pale ale immediately comes to mind.
http://www.oskarblues.com/the-brews/dales-pale-ale (http://www.oskarblues.com/the-brews/dales-pale-ale)
Also love Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada, and when I'm feeling saucy I enjoy Magic Hat #9
One of the most unique and albeit hard to find beers I've had the pleasure of having was Dogfish Heads Midas Touch, sort of a mead.
Some other very well crafted beers come from local breweries, Pensacola Bay Brewery(FL), Rahr & Sons Brewery(TX), and Sprecher(WI) are just a few of my favorites.
(Sweet Water's 420, and IPA are excellent I agree, I think you can get Abita in Virginia, try a turbo dog or purple haze)
BEER!
8) Old proverb; "its not what you drink that counts, its who you drink with" .......
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u6vjacbxRzM/TIGrxg7GWRI/AAAAAAAAAh0/ZeB4LAKagn8/s1600/octoberfest02.jpg)
Took me a few secs to catch on what was in her hand...
Quote from: Hominid on April 08, 2013, 07:35:12 PM
Took me a few secs to catch on what was in her hand...
Fuckin' eh!
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on April 08, 2013, 07:01:25 PM
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u6vjacbxRzM/TIGrxg7GWRI/AAAAAAAAAh0/ZeB4LAKagn8/s1600/octoberfest02.jpg)
What beer?
Quote from: meekon5 on April 09, 2013, 10:34:54 AM
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on April 08, 2013, 07:01:25 PM
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u6vjacbxRzM/TIGrxg7GWRI/AAAAAAAAAh0/ZeB4LAKagn8/s1600/octoberfest02.jpg)
What beer?
There is beer afoot?
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on April 08, 2013, 07:01:25 PM
8) Old proverb; "its not what you drink that counts, its who you drink with" .......
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u6vjacbxRzM/TIGrxg7GWRI/AAAAAAAAAh0/ZeB4LAKagn8/s1600/octoberfest02.jpg)
My favorite beer is the same as her. If she's not around, then Boddingtons or Shiner Bock.
I live in North Carolina, which is quickly becoming huge in brews (especially Asheville). I've visited breweries here, so I'm a little partial.
If you'd like, I could post some names of local brews.
Quote from: Masked Dude on May 14, 2013, 08:29:19 PM
I live in North Carolina, which is quickly becoming huge in brews (especially Asheville). I've visited breweries here, so I'm a little partial.
If you'd like, I could post some names of local brews.
Local brewer's are very dude like IMHO, making oat sodas in a private residence, way cool!
You should see my brother's notebook. So full of brewing journals and recipes! He just got a conical setup so I guess we'll be doing some more mad scientist brewing soon.
You know you love it when you convert a back room into your home brewery. :))
Quote from: Masked Dude on May 14, 2013, 09:39:12 PM
You should see my brother's notebook. So full of brewing journals and recipes! He just got a conical setup so I guess we'll be doing some more mad scientist brewing soon.
You know you love it when you convert a back room into your home brewery. :))
Fuckin' eh! "Home grown alright with me, home grown is a very good thing!"
My home office is slowly turning into a brewery... slowly, insidiously, it's a lovely thing.
http://www.burnstownbeer.com (http://www.burnstownbeer.com)
Quote from: Hominid on May 14, 2013, 10:26:51 PM
My home office is slowly turning into a brewery... slowly, insidiously, it's a lovely thing.
http://www.burnstownbeer.com (http://www.burnstownbeer.com)
You could almost call those two quotes "tenants of Dudeism." ;D(http://dudeism.com/smf/Themes/default/images/post/thumbup.gif)
(http://www.burnstownbeer.com/wp-content/uploads/Burnstown_Beer_200_high.jpg)
My favorite beer is the one I have in my hand man.
Fuckin' eh!
;D Speaking of "fucking eh!"
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/8032154587_0e44f42f92_o.jpg)
And @ A Dude... That's a righteous photo/avatar, dude.
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on July 22, 2013, 07:06:16 PM
;D Speaking of "fucking eh!"
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8462/8032154587_0e44f42f92_o.jpg)
And @ A Dude... That's a righteous photo/avatar, dude.
Thanks man.
Some of my Favs...
Yuengling
Leinenkugel Classic Amber Lager
Dos Equis Amber Lager
Shocktop Honeycrisp Apple Wheat (seasonal brew)
Guiness
I'm sort of tempted to say "Guinness and anything that's not a Budweiser."
I had a couple of Landsharks tonight, thought they were good.
Quote from: A Dude on July 26, 2013, 12:00:19 AM
I had a couple of Landsharks tonight, thought they were good.
I myself have partaken in Landsharks; a worthy fuckin' beer.
Since I live in North Carolina and Asheville is quickly becoming the beer capital of the Southeast, I should probably find a way to plan a Dudeist beer fest or trip.
And Raleigh has Beerfest often, too. I live near Raleigh.
Do you dudes think your beer taste better from a bottle than a can? It might not but it seems to do so to me.
Quote from: A Dude on July 26, 2013, 06:38:28 PM
Do you dudes think your beer taste better from a bottle than a can? It might not but it seems to do so to me.
Dig bottles more, I can taste the aluminum sometimes.
I'm with DB here. The only can I have is the one in honor of my dad.
Quote from: Masked Dude on July 26, 2013, 07:08:09 PM
I'm with DB here. The only can I have is the one in honor of my dad.
Yeah, its weird, man, when the can touches my lips I get a freaky light twang in my lips and teeth or something. Hard to explain, so yeah, bottles for me, mang. Course, you can always dump the can into a glass, which is cool.
American IPA is my fav. Lotsa Cascade hops. Which makes me want to say to you dudes: support your local craft beer brewers!!!
Gotta be a bottle, can't abide the cans, man.
Ninjabob27, join a beer of the month club, search it on google, you can pay a small membership fee and they will ship out a new beer to you every month.
But if I could recommend a few, I would go with what most of the other dudes have been saying, Sammy Adams, especially the Cherry Stout flavor. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale,Corona,Heineken,Guinness if you like dark beer. Or buy Guinness and Bass and pour yourself a Black and Tan.
You also might need this beer belt for safekeeping, some people are not careful when there's a beverage.
(http://www.tasty-takes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Beer-Holder-Belt.jpg)
"Like"
Guinness also makes Harp, a lager. It's a Vienna style lager and it's pretty good.
Yeah I can dig the IPA's for sure. Also down here in MS there is a brewery called Lazy Magnolia that makes an amazing southern pecan ale. Its delicious.
My favorite depends on what mood I'm in I guess but it's all good ain't it 8)
http://youtu.be/CONa4b9errw (http://youtu.be/CONa4b9errw)
I mostly drink belgian Leffe beers. But my favorite is a beer from New Zealand : the Speight's Old Dark. I would love to drink some again.
Residing in Blighty, I prefer a nice ale or bitter. If I'm in a pub, it'll be a pint of John Smith's Extra Smooth. If I'm having a few brews at home, it'll be a few bottles of King Goblin by Wychwood Breweries. Four bottles will get your extremely mellow, and are freakin' strong - 6.6%
A few years ago, our Prime Minister exchanged beers with President Obama, giving him a bottle of Wychwood's Hobgoblin beer.
(http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/hobgoblin-beer.png)
Some "Cuvee des Trolls" (trolls'vintage).
Occasionnaly I add some low aged speyside in my blond ales.
I don't know how you call them in english : froggies cast them as brown beers, blond beers, white beers, ambers, and ginger (there are certainly more than that but I can't think of them now).
Ommegang rare VOS
Small brewery. Great beer.
(http://beerpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BOM01_750ml_RareVos-01.png)
I'll be brewing a batch of blonde ale tomorrow - going to add some coriander and orange peels... will make a nice seasonal fall beer methinks.
Quote from: Hominid on October 10, 2013, 01:11:39 PM
I'll be brewing a batch of blonde ale tomorrow - going to add some coriander and orange peels... will make a nice seasonal fall beer methinks.
I'm in! ;D(http://dudeism.com/smf/Themes/default/images/post/thumbup.gif)
Dudeist heaven...a new brew pub opened up within walking distance, too many new favorites to choose from! Tried a nice IPA and a heady stout...
Beer-loving dudes (particularly microbrew enthusiasts) might dig the Untappd app. Social media meets beer -- a great way to connect with other beer drinkers and learn about new brews.
I've used this app quite a bit. Love it. Unfortunately, my Android phone broke, so I'm stuck with a Windows phone. When I get another Android phone again, I'm installing Untappd again.
Cool app... But I live out in the boonies!
Quote from: Hominid on October 15, 2013, 02:06:19 PM
Cool app... But I live out in the boonies!
A fine reason to drink more beer! ;D(http://dudeism.com/smf/Themes/default/images/post/thumbup.gif)
And I do. X-D
Quote from: Hominid on October 16, 2013, 04:17:51 AM
And I do. X-D
;D(http://www.jonathandoctor.net/images/facebook_like_button_big-small.jpg)
Guinness, Murphy's, Brown Ale, Aventinus, Ayinger....
Shit I dig beer or barley pop.
Guinness is normally my #1 pick, but where I shop they don't always have it so I wander around to other brands from time to time. I prefer beer that you can stab a fork into and have it stay, but since the Irish pub closed that we went to, I have to settle for dark-ish stuff.
Back when I lived in Florida, I drank rum & coke mostly, often using 151 rum. When I was dating my to-be wife, I mentioned that to her and at a party she mixed me up some nice rum and cokes...using a lot of 151. I think I woke up married or something. :) :) That was way back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth so I don't remember all that well. :)
Anyway, I now normally only have a glass a day. A bit of nice brown-ish to remember the party days.
A few of my favorite breweries:
Samuel Smith, Rogue, Long Trail, Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, New Belgium (especially Fat Tire & 1554), Magic Hat, Leinenkugel, Stone Brewing...
Me, I like a Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse or any other German wheat beer.
However, I'm really more of a red jug wine man, myself. My favorite jug wine is called Fortissimo.
I'm not really a beer guy.
More of a wine drinker at the moment, I will drink Guinness down the pub (feel a pint is better value for the money), and twenty quid on a few bottles of wine gets you more than twenty quid down the pub (Pubs may they RIP).
Though I do remember the sense of achievement working various pubs and restaurants keeping the Real Ales properly, a true art.
Ale as Art, I like it! Fuckin' eh!
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on January 16, 2014, 07:41:40 PM
Ale as Art, I like it! Fuckin' eh!
You should hear my brother talk about brewing. :)
Maybe some sort artist mad scientist. But still art.
(http://greatdivide.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rumble.png)
http://greatdivide.com/beer/seasonal/rumble-ipa/ (http://greatdivide.com/beer/seasonal/rumble-ipa/)
I should mention that although I'm from Denver and use the mascot of this brewery as my avatar, I'm not affiliated with it. No astroturfing here.
Quote from: Masked Dude on January 16, 2014, 07:49:23 PM
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on January 16, 2014, 07:41:40 PM
Ale as Art, I like it! Fuckin' eh!
You should hear my brother talk about brewing. :)
Maybe some sort artist mad scientist. But still art.
A real ale is more a living thing than your average keg product nowadays.
Though I am under no delusion they are all made in the equivalent of a chemical factory now.
Personally the best beer I ever had was a Scottish beer I got in a gift pack. Unfortunately I am not able to get any more. It was alba scots pine ale fantastic beer. I am currently beginning to delve into brewing my own. Using a kit in my house we will see how it turns out but I'm hopeful I have heard if you do it right it's way better than store bought.
Quote from: The_Sleevez on February 07, 2014, 04:04:20 PM
...I have heard if you do it right it's way better than store bought.
It is. Oh, it is. Your first batch may be OK, but your 10th is great. Your 100th is... nirvana.
I made my first batch of homebrew with MrBeer couple months ago. Normally I do not dig light ales like Bud but this was damn tasty. Probably because it was homebrew 8)
Want to try Brown Ale and Stout next.
This thread is sorely lacking in Belgian Beers.
My all time favorite is Papegaei, a small brewery from my hometown, I know the brewer, fantastic unpasteurised unfiltered 8% golden ale made with fresh local hops! Guy should be commended.
Other great ones you are more likely to come across are Duvel (Flemish slang for devil), Tripel Karmeliet, Westmalle Tripel, Chimey, Maredsous.
There's also Rochefort 10, it's like the beer version of Jagermeister, kicks in at over 11%, amazing flavour!