Favourite Beer?

[klotzy]

This has probably been done before. But I have a good buzz going, and I think this is a good idea.

I've been drinking Rolling Rock for the past hour or so, and frankly I'm impressed. I've never been much of a beer drinker, but this stuff is pretty good. Maybe it's just because it's in a glass bottle, (and I've never really had beer in a bottle before), but it's crisp and the taste is actually something I can stand. Before this, I'd only really had terrible commercial American beer, and most of the time it was beer with the famed GHT. This Rolling Rock stuff is definitely not the best beer out there I'm sure, but it's the best I've had to date. I've also never been to Europe. Next summer when I go to Germany I plan to take full advantage of their ample selection.

So, what do the rest of us drink? Any favorites, and why? Any recommendations? What's the best?

Also, expanding the topic, what else besides beer do you drink? Barring liquor, of course. Things like hard ciders, hard lemonades, disgusting (in my opinion) beer/pop things, etc. Again, whats the best, and any recommendations?

[Divinatus]

Well, I've never had a beer per se, I've only tasted a few. ( I think its apparent why.)

[TheDeadlyShoe]

If you want a good beer in the states stick to the small timers (which are legion, fortunately) or imports.

My favorite import is probably Grolsch.

[Methuselath]

I always find the tangy, sweet taste of Root Beer awesome. Combined with a vanilla ice cream top makes it awesomer, especially on hot days.

...

That counts as a beer right? right?

/me runs away before someone pelts him with garbage

[The5thElephant]

Czech beer in general is awesome. Gambrinus or Pilsner Urquel being my favorites.

I usually don't like flavored beers, but various Magic Hat flavors are rather tasty.

[Scribble]

*Ahem* a pertinent antecedent.

However, as spring is here and beer is lovely this thread can stay, though it would be nice to see it's raison d'etre expanded to include other areas of beerish drinking. Such as cider or the scourge of alcopops.

-Scribb

[DoltIncognito]

Root beer. :o

[Psymon]

One of my favourites is Spitfire from Shepherd Neame, reportedly Britain's oldest brewery. Good stuff.

the scourge of alcopops.

Ugh, I drank one of these once. Never again.

[Bonnet]

I rather like a local microbrew which has gained some fame by the name of Fat Tire.

Review here: http://www.briansbelly.com/beerbelly/fattire.shtml

[n0z3k1ll3r]

The only beer I've had that I can honestly stand is one of the Bavarian beers I had in Munich.

[Question]

Theres pretty much no such thing as microbreweries or small time beer in singapore...at least im fairly sure there isnt. All you can find in stores and pubs seems to be the usual stuff.

Ive only drank tiger once. Kinda bitter, but something about it made me want to keep drinking, otherwise i found the taste fairly dissapointing. I ended up drinking like 95% of the mug at once, on an empty stomach, because my friend needed to leave at that point. Had a bit of problem walking after that :P

[Waterbizkit]

Personally I avoid drinking any kind of alcohol that takes more than about 25ml (approx. 1 "shot") to deliver a single "unit" to my system. Vodka, tequila, and various types of whisky top my list of favourites. When I have to drink a beer of some sort though, I go for a nice Guinness. I’m just not a fan of beer though, not when I can have my delicious spirits.

~Bizkit

[Sword_Monkey]

Mmmm Root Beer.

After that there is Boddingtons, it is mainstream in the UK, but I haven't tried many of the smaller names, which I am sure are superior, but St Patrick's day nears, I'm sure I will get the chance.

[Benjamin]

Stella Artois was always my choise, or as it's more commonly known, Wife Beater.

[Crixx]

A favourite tactic of mine is to enquire with the lass behind the bar as to the most unusually named beverage on offer.

You can find some right golden pints that way.

[Retroboy]

As some of you know, I brew my own beer directly from the grain, and I'd have to say I'm pleased with the results. It's far superior to the crap that you get when you buy one of those homebrew kits, in terms of both quality and taste.

My current commercial favourite is the India Pale Ale available from Propeller, a brewing company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada. Highly, highly recommended if you're someone that appreciates a strong-flavoured ale.

http://ratebeer.com/beer/propeller-pale-ale/6825/ - this site gives its score from the finicky bunch of us homebrewers. Find your favourite there and see if it matches up.

edubacation re India Pale Ale

Pale Ale is a standard English product which uses little "dark-roasted" malt in its recipe, resulting is a very light-coloured beer. The India Pale Ale is of special note because it was actually brewed in Britain for consumption of their overseas contingent that was placed in the colony of India in the last century.

Purist ale has only three ingredients - water, hops, and germinated and kiln-dried barley which is known as malt - and possibly some sugar and a clearing agent to precipitate out the cloudiness, depending on its desired alcohol percentage and appearance. When boiled with the ale, the hops add bitterness, flavour and aroma, but also act as a natural preservative due to their sanitizing properties.

Because the ale was stored in casks for very long times at sea and its destination was through tropical waters that caused the casks to warm up, the shippers took advantage of hops' preservation capabilities by "over-hopping" the ale. The result is a much stronger-tasting and stronger-smelling ale that won't spoil easily, but it's still balanced between hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness if done right.

By the way, neither I nor the site linked to above recommend Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale. http://ratebeer.com/beer/alexander-k...pale-ale/1518/ - most people that know a lot about beer are really offended that this beer contains the word "india" in the name, as it's not nearly strong or flavourful enough.

-- Retro

[Gorb]

I'd go for Staropramen, personally. Dunno why, I just like it. Fosters, Carlsberg et al don't really taste that good in my opinion, so I tend to go for the foriegn types.

Alcopops, bleh. Not even going to go there.

[BlackLabel]

Beer...ahh. I love chech beer such as "Staropramen", "Budweiser-the original" , Pilzen-Pils. There are some smaller brewerys in germany that i like. Normaly i just drink the regional "best beer". ( or that one people refering to as "our best beer". Normaly its a sure bet that its a nice one )

[LowBrow]

Heineken, Alexander Keiths(sorry retro, it may not be indiana pale ale, but its good) and of course, corona for after the love making.

[Retroboy]

I was expecting Lowbrow to post Lowenbrau

-- Retro

[Kirjava]

San Miguel is rather fine, and rapidly gaining popularity over here in the UK. Grolsch is usually my choice though. That said, I would never ever turn down a Budvar.

[LowBrow]

I just asked a german collegue of mine about Lowenbrau, hes never heard of it :P

[mattman1991]

Heineken- From Can (Ice Cold though)
Budweiser- From Draft (Ice Cold)
XXXX(Austrailian Beer)- From Bottle (Ice Cold)

[radical ed]

tennants.....the beer of scottish tramps

[Rafta]

Desperados,
heineken,
Budweiser,
16er Blech (Austrian Ottakringer Beer)

in that order

[TheDividedGod]

I don't really enjoy alcohol (tend to stick to the reefer, actually) but when i do go out to the bar with friends, I'll have a guiness.

[Noble]

I really like a beer called Franziskaner Weisse. It's a really tasty wheat bear from Munich. Another tasty Munich beer that I enjoy, when I can find it in the states, is Paulaner. I drink this out of a Paulaner mug I bought from the actual brewery in Munich on special occasions.

[Octopus Rex]

Nastro Azzuro Peroni (or which ever way round it goes). It's nice out of the bottle but I've only ever seen one place serve it on tap and oh...my.....god..it was amazing. If you drink lager at all, ever, and you see this on tap: buy a pint straight away! It'll be pricey, but worth it.

And I normally am not that fussed about alcohol at all!

[Chris]

Props to Retroboy for being a real man and drinking real ale, the rest of you are lager drinking heathens.

One of my current favourites at the moment is Wychwood Hobgoblin. I have also been drinking a lot of Adnams' Broadside recently. I was initially attracted to it on the basis that the bottle had a picture of a ship on it and ships make me think of pirates and pirates are cool. Imagine how pleased I was when I realised it also tasted awesome. More flavour, body and aroma than any of your lagers could ever hope to have.

[The5thElephant]

Ahhh, Staropramen. Another good one.

[Don Gonzo]

My very favorite beer is....

Hoegaarden witbier Mmmm can't get enough.
but over here in Oz it costs slightly more than an arm and two legs. Which only leaves me part of an arm to drink with. Very inefficient.

So normally i console myself with a quiet Coopers Pale Ale. Followed usually by many more noisier Pales. And coincidentally is made locally, so i almost never run out.

[Homdax]

Gambrinus, but checking it up at that ratebeer site I could not say which by name. Seems to be the "Premium" though: http://www.gambrinus.cz/
Jacobsen, by Carlsberg, also has some interesting stuff.
I do not recommend you visit the Carlsberg web site though...

[Rincewind]

Yeah, Hoegaarden is brilliant. Ice cold, on a summer's day, sitting outside with friends. Perfect.

Since coming to Ireland I've developed a taste for Budweiser and Guiness. Back in Finland I liked the heavier pilsners like Urquell.

[Commander ASOP]

Well given the choice of drinks make mine a single malt scotch glenlivet or glenfiddich.

When it comes to beer I am more of a fan of weise beers then pilsners. Prefer the heavie wisen not the dunkle as that is almost like drinking a loaf of bread. "beer is food" Do not really have a favorite the local brew of whatever town works when I am in germany.

As for pilsners since wheat beer is so rare and expensive in the states I do like corona with a bit of lime especially on a hot day after working in the yard. (you may now mock me)

For out in bars near home a bottle of Miller genuine draft works all right. In Savannah GA I like moon river beer it is slightly sweet like a berliner weisse but without the coloring.

Harp and Killeians red also are good but are better with a meal I think.

I might have a problem as I know I could go on a bit more.

[Noble]

Killians red is excellent. Newcastle is similar, and is also one of my personal favorites.

[The5thElephant]

Homeboy - Gambrinus Světlý myself. How is the Premium?

[darkelf]

The only type of beer I've tasted so far that I can actually stand drinking more than a tiny sip of, is Guinness. Here in Norway it's bloody hard to get a hold of it, but it's well worth it.

[Alliance]

I really like Leff, but its very expensive in israel at around 4 dollars or 18 shequels, but stella is great too and is only a few shequels more for a 6 pack.

The things I look for in a beer is the malty taste, some thickness and a after taste that stays for a while, but isn't bad.

[Invictus]

Newcastle Brown Ale.

I just love the taste of it. To me, NBA and Guinness are the twin kings in terms of taste.

[Noble]

Everyone tells me that I should get into Guinness, and that Guinness is the best. I hate Guinness, =\

[Ranek]

Props to Retroboy for being a real man and drinking real ale, the rest of you are lager drinking heathens.

One of my current favourites at the moment is Wychwood Hobgoblin.

I couldn't agree more I love Hobgoblin and Wychwood brews in general. Myself and a couple of friends are planning to take a trip to their brewery in the summer

When I'm back in my home town (Nottingham, UK) I tend to go to the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (claimed to be the oldest pub in England) where they tend to have plenty of guest ales available along with the house stock.

If I'm not drinking ales I tend to drink spirits or German beer

[Valkeller]

I would say it depends on when and where..

But two of my favorites for casual drinking is, Koff and Falcon.

And in certian occasions Guinness?

[Gunnerside]

My favourite beer is from the local brewery in my hometown, it's kind of local and I've had a hard time finding it anywhere north of Oslo

In foreign beer I would have to say Newcastle brown is a nice beer, Guinness ain't so bad either.

I would really like to try some real German beer sometime (Perhaps even make a trip to germany for the october beer festival )

[Invictus]

nobl3, I hated Guinness from the first moment the first of it touched my lips. Tasted a bit like coffee to me. However with each mouthful it got increasingly better, and by the end of the glass I loved it.

Why can't you get into it? Does the taste not agree with you?

[Tinweasel]

@ n0bl3 - Maybe a Black & Tan would take the edge off? Half Bass Ale and half Guinness...

Guinness is good by itself, but it's got a very "woody" taste and a lot of people don't care for the thickness.

Bass Ale is good by itself, too, but it's a hint on the bitter side at times - best served on tap.

As for everything else, I'm a fan of Boddington's Cream Ale, Newcastle Brown Ale, Hacker-Pschorr Weiss, Caffrey's, Harp, Foster's, Labatt's Blue, Dos Equis, Balashi (Aruban-made beer), and the occasional Heineken or Corona.

[Rincewind]

Graah, I want a wheat ale. Damn you Don Gonzo. Instead of sleeping and slouching after a hard day's work, I'll roam the off-licences looking for Hoegaarden. :/

[Rampaged]

Ahhh Beeer, love it.

Favorites are: Newcastle Brown Ale, Sam Adams Cream Stout and Guiness. In that order.

[darkelf]

My favourite beer is from the local brewery in my hometown, it's kind of local and I've had a hard time finding it anywhere north of Oslo

What's the name of this brewery? I live in Oslo and am interested in tasting it. Oh, I forgot one more type of beer I can stand, Makk beer. From the northernmost brewery on the planet.

I might have to try Newcastle Brown Ale as well, is it possible to get outside of England?

[Rampaged]

Yes you can get Newcastle outside England, at least you should be able to. I live in the smallest state in America and we have it just about every pub and store that sells beer.

[darkelf]

ooh, will have to check out the local store then (or my former English teacher from Liverpool).