I'm not a big beer drinker, but when I do, it's hard for me to find something I like because to me, 90% of the craft beers are in a hops war and they have to see how hoppy they can make it.
That being said, I found Metropolitan Brewing Company's Kölsch style Krankshaft and I love that stuff.
Other than that I stick to Cider.
I love IPA, like Dogfish Head 90 Minute. Soon, I will be in Denver. What local brews should I try there?
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I'm not a big beer drinker, but when I do, it's hard for me to find something I like because to me, 90% of the craft beers are in a hops war and they have to see how hoppy they can make it.
I feel the same way. I generally avoid IPA's like the plague and gravitate towards Lagers and Stouts.
I've found a way to have both micro-brew snobbery AND cheap, drink-it-like-water default beer. Dwight Schrute even likes it, but you probably have to live in PA to enjoy it.
I never met a Beer I did not like. "Free" and "Cold" being my preferred brands.
The marketing game is tricky for the craft beer industry. The big guys make a product with very little flavour and hence little chance of offending anyone's taste buds. Any "flavour" in a mainstream brand is more a component of the mental game played by marketing.
The smaller breweries can't play the same game. A craft beer must have enough flavour personality to NOT appeal to everyone. This attracts the beer "Connoisseurs" (commonsewers?) who will claim to understand the brewer's efforts. Of course, if the brewer puts too bigof a personality into the brew, he will either have too small of a client base or not have repeat sales. This is not an easy business.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I'm not a big beer drinker, but when I do, it's hard for me to find something I like because to me, 90% of the craft beers are in a hops war and they have to see how hoppy they can make it. That being said, I found Metropolitan Brewing Company's Kölsch style Krankshaft and I love that stuff. Other than that I stick to Cider.
I also like a good cider. Stella makes one that isn't half bad. I've always liked woodchuck and hornsbys too
mndsm wrote: I have found one, and I mean ONE IPA I can stand, and I'm not 100% sure it counts.
So far, the only IPA I've found that I can say I 'like' is Innis & Gunn Toasted Oak IPA. Low in ABV compared to many IPAs (5.6%) and more subdued in hoppiness and bitterness. Apparently, this is their take on what original IPAs were like after they had been sitting in oak barrels on their way to India. Well worth trying if you can find it.
nderwater wrote: We're lucky to have a strong local microbrew scene here in Atlanta. Sweetwater, Red Brick, Monday Night, Terrapin, Red Hare, 5 Seasons, etc. My current fave is Monday Night Brewing's 'Drafty Kilt' scotch ale - even the local grocery stores carry it.
And the Atlanta microbreweries have a pretty good selection of things that aren't IPAs or attempting to brew beers with more hops than barley.
I live about 50 miles from Dogfish Head HQ, and they have a place in my town. IPAs practically ruined the craft beer industry for me. I'm fairly adventurous - what the hell, it's only a beer, not a lifetime commitment - but I got so tired of the IPA extreme-extremeness contest that I practically gave up. There is a small pub here that normally has excellent craft brews on tap. At the height of IPA hipsterness, 27 out of 32 beers they had were undrinkable IPAs.
Fortunately I have other options. Iron Hill Brewery HQ is 2 miles from my house, but their dozen or so offerings don't stay interesting forever. I discovered another place across town - they call themselves a nanobrewery - who does 2-1/2 and 5 gallon brews. They'll tap one every Tuesday night, and when it's kicked, it's gone. They've had some pretty tasty stuff.
I learned that I hate the taste of Hops (so no IPAs) but enjoy wheat beers like Heffe-Weisen. So now I can safely order a beer just about anywhere if I have to. I'm surprised how few people know what it is that the like or dislike about beers.
I enjoy almost all "extra flavor" type beers. American style pilsners are among my least favorites. Beers named porter are among my faves 
I haven't seen anyone mention them but there is a trend among micos right now for "sour" beer. Them I do not like even a little bit, but to each their own.
ryanty22 wrote:grafmiata wrote: I lost interest in being at work tonight. So I left early, and decided to go have a couple beers and watch some baseball. Within 30-minutes of my arrival on my barstool, I'very watched 4 different people perform a similar stupid-human routine. They all walked in, scanned the various taps, and started asking questions about the available "non-mainstream" selections. Take a sample sip of one, and "no, that's too dark". Next sample is "too hoppy"... Or "too wheaty"... After each of these individuals completed their taste-tests, their final decisions were... Two ordered Bud-Light drafts, one a Miller Light draft, and the fourth decided on a Natural Light bottle.I just laugh at those people and drink my 30 weight GuinnessGranted, I am pretty boring when it comes to my taste in beer, but I don't act like a "connoisseur", and then order my usual cheap beer 10 minutes later. Maybe this bothers me more than it should... 》》》RANT OFF《《《
Guinness is a LIGHT beer. Seriously. Why do you think it floats on top of Harp in a half-and-half.
It's got a pretty bland flavor profile as well. Murphy's is a far superior Irish stout.
In reply to Duke:
Yeah... Dogfish Head LOOOOVE their IPAs... unfortunately, it seems the new brewery a mile or so from me - Neshaminy Creek Brewing - went to the same brewing school...
z31maniac wrote: Guinness is a LIGHT beer. Seriously. Why do you think it floats on top of Harp in a half-and-half. It's got a pretty bland flavor profile as well. Murphy's is a far superior Irish stout.
I have to agree with this. I used to drink Guinness quite often but as I've tried other stouts over the last 5-6 years, Guinness has lost some of its appeal. It's still a good 'default' beer since it's become so available.
chuckles wrote: I love IPA, like Dogfish Head 90 Minute. Soon, I will be in Denver. What local brews should I try there?
Great Divide has some good stuff. I love SKA Brewing's Modus Hoperandi but the brewery is pretty far from Denver.
NOHOME wrote: The smaller breweries can't play the same game. A craft beer must have enough flavour personality to NOT appeal to everyone. This attracts the beer "Connoisseurs" (commonsewers?) who will claim to understand the brewer's efforts. Of course, if the brewer puts too bigof a personality into the brew, he will either have too small of a client base or not have repeat sales. This is not an easy business.
See, I do not think that the average macro brew appeals to everyone. It is meant to be unoffensive and easily palatable to anyone... but that's not the same as appealing.
I like to make the analogy between beer styles and music. Macro-lager is dance pop. Well produced. Easily palatable. Can be fun with friends. Not much depth of body to it. IPA is metal. There's a lot of skill that goes into some of it, but mostly it's just big, loud, and aggressive... and there's currently a race to be the biggest/fastest/loudest. This is not the perfect style, but if you're a metal/hop head, I can appreciate why. Really, there is no perfect style that will appeal to everyone all the time. People have varied tastes. It's nice to give people good options. Sometimes I want something brainless and popular. Sometimes I want something agro. Usually, I want something somewhere inbetween.
I dislike that people associate "character" with the BIGGEST flavor. That's like saying that the loudest person in the room is the most interesting and entertaining. I associate character with more complexity. That requires at least a measure of subtlety and balance.
Trans_Maro wrote: As much as I love good beer, PBR is my go-to cheap beer. And to you microbrewers here on the west coast: Not everything needs to be an IPA fer cryin out loud. A nice toasty, malty red ale will make me a very happy camper.
You should track down the new Beer Camp Alt Route. I think you'd like it very much.
Guinness is a session beer. It is meant to be easily palatable so that you can go to a pub and have 4+ pints of it with your friends after work to start your evening.
The small brew pub we had here in town that made their own beer sadly went out of business last year. The place is just sitting there with all the equipment still in there.
There is a place over in the next town over that has what they call a Hot Blonde. It has a hint of jalapeno pepper. It is great with a burger.
In reply to Beer Baron:
That's a pretty good analogy. As much as i like IPAs they are over done and breweries think they are spool creative by simply adding more hops and being extreme.
I wish saisons would get some more love.
rebelgtp wrote: The small brew pub we had here in town that made their own beer sadly went out of business last year. The place is just sitting there with all the equipment still in there. There is a place over in the next town over that has what they call a Hot Blonde. It has a hint of jalapeno pepper. It is great with a burger.
I went to this bar/brewery in town and tried one of theirs beers, it was some sort of chili beer. One of the worst beers I have ever had. It was not subtle.
I love IPAs. Then again, I love lots of bold, simple things, in food, drink, people, cars, whatever. I can appreciate a pilsner or really any other beer. The only one I didn't like so far was Supplication Ale. Pickled cherry toenail is not a flavor I like in my beer. Since it was $20, I felt obligated to finish it though.
Beer Baron wrote: As to the original post, this is why a good bartender should ask people what they typically like and offer them something high quality within that style. There are many good craft blond/kolsh and pilsner style beers. Amber and red ales too.
THIS
When traveling, my wife and I like to order 10 flights of beers. We tell the bartender the kind of beer we like and don't like and ask them to suprise us.
This works out well as we dont drink often and this way we can sample a bigger selection. I have a list on my phone of the winners that I try to find at the local stores.
Duke, or anyone else for that matter, when you're in (Slower) Lower Delaware, stop in to 16-Mile in Georgetown. They have a very nice mix of brews. You won't be disappointed.
As for chuckles going to Denver: Head up to Fort Collins for the New Belgium tour. I liked the beers. ...LOVED the tour.
Beer Baron wrote: I dislike that people associate "character" with the BIGGEST flavor. That's like saying that the loudest person in the room is the most interesting and entertaining. I associate character with more complexity. That requires at least a measure of subtlety and balance.
I would agree with that. For years I was never a big fan of Sam Adams Boston Lager. Maybe it was preconception due to all the advertising. But then I had a couple in a variety pack (I generally do like most of SA's other beers) and was rather surprised at how well it measures up to the more obscure craft beers I usually buy.
Conversely, I had a Yuengling Lager the other evening and it was like drinking water.
I'm fortunate there's a bar near work with 27 taps and they're always getting in different and new stuff to try when we do our weekly lunch visit. I've discovered a couple of my favorite beers there.
JFX001 wrote: I'm not even close to being a beer snob, the latest beer that I have actually liked was Bell's Oberon. Other than that, it's pretty much Ice House or Killian's Red.
Bell's Oberon is solid. If i can't decide what i want to drink, that's what i drink.
I am pretty envious of those who have been lucky enough to try Dogfish Head's 120 IPA. I've tried their 60, 61, 75, and 90, but 120 isn't distributed anywhere in Ohio of which I am aware.
Anyone ever try Dogfish's Palo Santo Marron?
I'm also a huge fan of Founders. Their Breakfast Stout, Dirty Bastard, and Curmudgeon are excellent beers.
That's not to say that I am opposed to swilling Yuengling's Summer Ale, which is not bad at all.
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