Question: Beer guys. Clue me in to craft beers.

Jeez, its simpler than all that, guys. you're used to mass-produced beer. Start with the best mass-produced beer of them all -- Samuel Adams. It's far cheaper than craft brews, readily available, and it gives you the opportunity to try other flavors as well.
 
Psychotronic said:
Jeez, its simpler than all that, guys. you're used to mass-produced beer. Start with the best mass-produced beer of them all -- Samuel Adams. It's far cheaper than craft brews, readily available, and it gives you the opportunity to try other flavors as well.
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I dunno, I find Sam Adams can be too hoppy at times. But they've got three beers I absolutely love, their Summer Ale, Octoberfest, and Black Lager.
 
I tend to dislike overly hoppy stuff which includes most IPAs Ive tried.
I also dont care for heff and overly fruity beer.
But I like dark beer along the lines of Guiness, but only for one or 2, too filling for a bunch of it.

My fav commercial beer is a lightweight swill like Corona or Rolling Rock.
Even gasp, Bud Lite if my plan is to drink all night. Not the best taste but certainly not offensive, goes down easy in mass quantities.
Shiner Bock is great but too expensive for what it is in these here parts.
 
Wow! I must have been acclimated to hoppy beers over the years. Sam Adams being too hoppy? Wow. I started back in the day with ambers, particularly Alaskan Amber. Now I really do not enjoy that beer. But try some ambers, maybe a pale ale (rather than an IPA), some bocks, some other euro styles, and like I said, try a sampler board at a good pub or tav. You will find something(s) you like. And never overlook Guiness. Yes, it is the mass produced euro stout, but it is still really good tasting to me, not too high in alcohol, not too high in calories, and nice to sip.
 
Yea, pale ales and bocks are what I like. Sam Adams is too hoppy for me.
I do enjoy an occasional dark beer once in a while, my fave is from a local micro brewery where I play an open mic sometimes.
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They also always have some 10-12% concoction small batch brewed that I always sample.
http://www.straighttoale.com/
 
Pine Apple Slim said:
Yea, pale ales and bocks are what I like. Sam Adams is too hoppy for me.
I do enjoy an occasional dark beer once in a while, my fave is from a local micro brewery where I play an open mic sometimes.
lily_flagg_ttb_submit.png

They also always have some 10-12% concoction small batch brewed that I always sample.
http://www.straighttoale.com/
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That local beer looks good! @BlackCat , pales ales, as opposed to Imperial Pale Ales or IPAs can be good to try, but if you are not up for too much hop flavor, ask the beer tender before ordering. Some ales, especially northwest style such as Mirror Pond, or some other west coast beers such as Sierra Nevada Pale, can be pretty hoppy. I love those beers but they are not for everyone. Many craft beer pubs will allow you to take a sip before buying.
 
I just had a fantastic porter last night.
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No fake-ass smoke taste, no excessive sweetness, just a beautiful, bold porter flavor with a little hop and a little coffee. It was absolutely perfect!
 
micwalt said:
I just had a fantastic porter last night.
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No fake-ass smoke taste, no excessive sweetness, just a beautiful, bold porter flavor with a little hop and a little coffee. It was absolutely perfect!
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Seems like a porter I can get behind. I had a porter from Rockaway Brewing (which is odd, because it's made in Long Island City) a couple of weeks ago that was all hops and not pleasant to drink at all. I'm more of a Yuengling Porter guy.
 
Stouts are my favourite, with IPAs being my least. Hefeweizen and Belgian beers are a good place to start, as other mentioned, until you can narrow down what kind of flavors and mouthfeels you enjoy. I will mention that if you like Guinness, that you might like Left Hand's Milk Stout.


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I am spoiled here. In Colorado it is so easy to get fresh, locally brewed beer. Most of what I drink here probably is not available in most of the country. And yes - I am turning into a beer snob. But I do not discuss 'flavor notes' or hop varietals.

This is my current beer of choice...

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What I am looking forward to is a few of the local breweries brew a bourbon barrel stout and it is usually available around this time of year. They age the stout in a wooden barrel that was formerly used to age bourbon. The result is glorious...
 
I almost got a bottle of that milk stout but I decided to try a couple of lagers first.

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This one doesn't look particularly boutique but it was on the shelf with all the other brands I've never heard of and it was a lager.

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I just had a few of those Lagunitas the other night. So good, but that's about as hoppy a beer as I really like. Yeah, if you're not into the real hoppy stuff, try some Pilsners and Lagers. If you're into more flavors, brown and white ales can be great, if not too sweet. I love a good stout too. Last night I had a couple of these. Dessert in a bottle:
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It seems to me that many of the US based microbreweries are overly obsessed with hops. I love good beers, but I HATE beers that are heavily hopped - have yet to meet an IPA that like, and I've tried many.

Me, I'm a malt head. I like them strong and malty - my preferences are Scotch Ales (also called Wee Heavy), Strong English Ales, Irish Ales, and Belgian doubles and trippels.

My suggestions for some wonderfully delicious, complex, and not over hopped beers are:

Oskar Blues Old Chub - my current favorite from a US Micro. Scotch ale, high alcohol, utterly delicious.
Founders makes a good Scotch Ale as well - theirs is called Dirty Bastard Wee Heavy.

Going to imports, try Belhaven Scottish Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, Hobgoblin, and Skullsplitter.

Seeing as you're in NYC, you have access to what is probably the best beer bar I've ever frequented - the Peculier Pub. It's on Bleecker between Thompson and LaGuardia. http://www.peculierpub.com/ - over 350 beers available, and a knowledgeable staff to help you choose right.
 
micwalt said:
You don't like hops.
Stay away from pales and IPAs. You also probably don't enjoy porters or stouts. You as well stay away from most ales.
Go for lagers, wiesens, and other German/Belgian style stuff.
Report back.
:wink:
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This, I don't like IPA's either. The whole IPA thing seems to be a who can make the best Renee Zelwiger face contest. I like Hefe Wiesens, and Belgin whites.

We have a local brewer that is one of my favorites, check out Bell's brewing. Oberon is killer.
 
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