Beer Poll thread 1 (first of a unlimited list)

[Bear]

I haven't had a beer since my first birthday. Let's just say my dad was a really proud german. And my mother practically broke the bottle over his head, as a consequence.

And I don't understand much about beer, except that I like the smell of it. Alcoholic tendencies in my family kind of keep me away from any alcohol. But I'm still curious what you would rate the top beer as. There are so many to choose from.

I'd say this is a pretty good place to ask. Please remember I can't do more than 10 choices. Maybe I'll start a second thread for others you mention. Ok?


Here goes. Just off the top of my head.

[Chris N]

Heh. Bear is doing a beer poll. There's a pun here...

I don't drink many fancy beers; I can name my favourite ones, but they'd mostly be bigish names, as that's all I know.

Fat Tire, Newcastle, Widmer Hefeweizen, etc.

[Rallura]

Guinness, Rolling Rock.

[Chris N]

I'll second Rolling Rock, just so people don't think American beers all suck.

[Tages]

Fat Tire
Boontville
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Those are three of my favorites. The only beer currently on the above poll I'd buy a glass of is Sam Adams, on tap.

[Cody H]

Molson Canadian without a doubt. Sadly can't get it down here in the States (as far as I know). You can get Molson but it's just not the same. *sigh*

[Bear]

I'll second Rolling Rock, just so people don't think American beers all suck.

People say Bud is pretty bad.

[Rallura]

When I was young and living three states over, and there just wasn't much choice, I drank Bud. Never since I found Guinness though.

[Chris N]

People say Bud is pretty bad.

Water with an odd flavour reminiscient of piss.

Tastes exactly like Miller, Coors, and Michelob. I recommend declaring them ineligible and removing them from the poll.

I'll drink Corona, but it's not good beer.

Good North American beers are what people have mentioned here. I'll throw in Firestone, though I'm not sure it's available everywhere; I think it's a local thing.

Fat Tire
Rolling Rock

I've only had Boontville once, and that was with Tages, but I enjoyed it.

Is Jamaica North American? If so, I'll suggest Red Stripe.

I'm not a Sierra Nevada fan, but it deserves a place on the poll, I suspect.

[Bear]

Water with an odd flavour reminiscient of piss.

That's exactly what everybody says!:D So why do they still make it?

Even Schlitz went out years ago.


Is Jamaica North American? If so, I'll suggest Red Stripe.

Yeah, I'd say that's fair game.

Hooray beer!

[Bear]

When I was young and living three states over, and there just wasn't much choice, I drank Bud. Never since I found Guinness though.

What's with the ping-pong ball thing in the cans?

[Bear]

Molson Canadian without a doubt. Sadly can't get it down here in the States (as far as I know). You can get Molson but it's just not the same. *sigh*

Usually you can get Molson's in New York, I thought.

[Chris N]

That's exactly what everybody says!:D So why do they still make it?


I've wondered that and come to some possible conclusions:

1) good marketing and people are sheep
2) people don't like the taste of beer and this doesn't taste like beer
3) people want to be able to drink without getting drunk and this won't have a noticeable effect on anybody
4) it's half the price of any beer I would buy
5) It's the beer some people have been drinking the longest and they go with what they know

[Kevin M.]

I like beer period. But I chooses Bud. It is the beer I have been drinking the longest.

[Chris N]

I see Molson's all the time in the states. I think I like it fine, but can't say it's made a huge impression on me;

EDIT: I read the post better.

[Rallura]

What's with the ping-pong ball thing in the cans?

I don't know, I don't drink beer from cans.

[Jeff Brady]

Usually you can get Molson's in New York, I thought.

Re-read the post. There's a difference.

If you ever find yourself stuck in Upstate New York, and someone offers you a beer called Genesee, run away.

[Bear]

I like beer period. But I chooses Bud. It is the beer I have been drinking the longest.

When was your first? Like I said: my first and last (supposedly--I don't remember of course) was Becks--on my first birthday.

[Bear]

Re-read the post. There's a difference.

If you ever find yourself stuck in Upstate New York, and someone offers you a beer called Genesee, run away.

Oh, I get'cha. Different mix? Different water maybe?

[Athena Bast]

Alexander Keith's India Pale

It's brewed here in Halifax and it's like beer heaven.

[Puma]

McEwan Sctoch Ale
Newcastle Brown Ale
MacAndrews Ale
Guinness
Scottish Oatmeal Stout

[Puma]

What's with the ping-pong ball thing in the cans?

it provides enough carbonation to produce the 'head'.

[Tages]

it provides enough carbonation to produce the 'head'.

And allows for some really lame jokes to that effect.

"Hey, quit giving me head! HAW HAW HAW"

[Bear]

Alexander Keith's India Pale

It's brewed here in Halifax and it's like beer heaven.

I didn't know you were from Nova Scotia. :) That makes me very happy somehow. Reminds me of my favorite music instructor.

[Bear]

it provides enough carbonation to produce the 'head'.

Ever take one out and use it for a game?

[Cody H]

Oh, I get'cha. Different mix? Different water maybe?It's definetly more than just the water, pretty sure it's a different mix. I'm not particularly picky when it comes to beer though, but Molson Canadian is my preference. Probably has alot to do with it being basically the only beer I could get when I was younger, hence I drank a great deal of it. Not a fan of Bud at all, but I'll drink it if there's nothing else, or if it's free.

[Puma]

Ever take one out and use it for a game?

nope





.

[Shades0077]

It's a regional beer confined to the eastern PA, NJ, DE area, but Yuengling (pronounced ying-ling) is about all I drink.

ETA: In fact, I'm slightly buzzed on it right now.

[MichaelMogg]

90% of North American beer is horrible, especially when you are talking about mass produced (as opposed to micro-breweries).

If you want to get into beer, go for good German beer (note: anyone who thinks Becks counts as a 'good German beer' ought not have tastebuds . . . if he/she ever had them). Weizen or Dunkelweizen are to die for. A lot of German breweries still stay true to the brewing purity laws of 1509 (?).

As you can tell, I'm a beer snob. Sorry if I offend anyone.

Chinese beer is really similar to American, so I have no choice. The only difference is, Chinese don't drink it cold, they drink it room temp. So in the summer, it's warm warm warm and the winter, it's chilled. Go figure.

[Bradley]

If you ever find yourself stuck in Upstate New York, and someone offers you a beer called Genesee, run away.


That takes me back. When my best friend and I were in college, 30 packs of Genny were $9.99 at our local grocery store. Every Friday afternoon, we'd search for someone over 21 to go and buy us a 30 pack, thinking we were so clever-- "We'll be set for the weekend!" Of course, by ten o'clock on Friday night, we were looking for someone over 21 to go buy us another 30 pack.

The sad thing is, neither of us liked Genny-- but, you know, we were poor college students.

One night we were hanging out with another friend of ours and we offered him a beer. He opened it, then kind of made a face, then took a sip, then made an even more disgusted face. "I opened it and smelled something," he said, "and I thought one of you guys farted. But no-- it was the beer." That's Genny for you-- flatulence in a can.

It became harder to drink Genny after that-- and by harder, I mean we would split a six pack of Labatt's Blue or Rolling Rock first, numb our taste buds, and then switch to Genny.

[Winslow]

It's a regional beer confined to the eastern PA, NJ, DE area, but Yuengling (pronounced ying-ling) is about all I drink.

That's my beer of choice too. Best tasting brew for the $.

Yeungling Black & Tan is my preference

[Gary_B]

Beer... is there anything it can't do?

North America has all kind of great beers if you stick to micro brews. I like trying local beers when I travel. I tend to prefer IPA and Pilsner style beers but all styles are great and the smaller breweries tend to make beer with more flavour.

[zombie]

Moosehead is the only beer I buy.

[Chris N]

Beer... the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems

[Puma]

to rip off Monty Python:

Why's American beer like making love in a canoe?
It's f*cking close to water.

that said, I usually drink microbrews if not imported.

[Shades0077]

That's my beer of choice too. Best tasting brew for the $.

Yeungling Black & Tan is my preference

I drink the lager myself. How's the Black and Tan in comparison to that?

[Callie]

Had to go with None of the Above because I prefer micros to macros. If I had to pick one out of your list though, I'd go with the Sam Adams.

My favorite American beer is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale followed by Dogfish Head's IPAs.

I like Yuengling Lager, which is pretty decent for the price. The Black & Tan is alright, too. Impossible to get a hold of in TX though. I like our regional equiv., Shiner.

I always wondered what keeps regional macro beers out of beer specialty shops, i.e Yuengling in the West and Shiner in the East.

[Gary_B]

I had my first Black and Tan a few weeks ago. Guiness on top and ale on the bottom. Nice combo, and the flavor changes as you get closer to the bottom.

http://sense-datum.org/tim/images/blackandtan.jpg

[Gary_B]

Some of the local pubs serve green beer today (St. Patrick's Day). Is this common?

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/189500/189793EJlI_w.jpg

[Drew Van T.]

I had my first Black and Tan a few weeks ago. Guiness on top and ale on the bottom.

Seems like the sort of thing that might have been invented by a guy who got so drunk he started pouring different beers into the same glass. :D

Just me, but I think the mixing of flavors is best left to people who work in breweries, prior to the bottling process.

[Bradley]

Some of the local pubs serve green beer today (St. Patrick's Day). Is this common?

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/189500/189793EJlI_w.jpg

Yes. In my experience, bars often add green food coloring to lousy beers like Coors Light to, you know, make it seem more Irish or something. I don't know that I've ever seen someone turn a really good beer into "green beer"-- it strikes me as the kind of thing that some college students find really entertaining, but that experienced drinkers find just too precious.

I say avoid the green beer. But maybe someone else has had a really good experience with it...?

[Gingold]

Yuengling Lager and the Lord Chesterfield Ale are both good. I like Sam Adams in most of its many varieties (except the Cranberry Lambic, which is foul beyond measure). Blue Moon is a nice American attempt at a Belgian beer.

[MichaelMogg]

Seems like the sort of thing that might have been invented by a guy who got so drunk he started pouring different beers into the same glass. :D

Just me, but I think the mixing of flavors is best left to people who work in breweries, prior to the bottling process.

That's actually not easy to do. You have to use a spoon to pour it over to get that layered effect. So that drunk guy would have to be pretty on the ball to accomplish that. ;)

Mixed beer isn't so bad. The Germans drink 'radlers', which are pretty much shandies. Nice and refreshing in the summer.

I actually tried 'milk beer' once. Milk, beer, on ice with sugar. Not as bad as you'd expect. :o

[Chris N]

I went to a german restaurant once that had Hef & Coke on the menu. First time I'd ever seen beer and coke mixed. It was actually quite decent

[Drew Van T.]

You have to use a spoon to pour it over to get that layered effect.

Same as with making Irish coffee. That's not so easy, true.


Mixed beer isn't so bad. The Germans drink 'radlers', which are pretty much shandies. Nice and refreshing in the summer.

I actually tried 'milk beer' once. Milk, beer, on ice with sugar. Not as bad as you'd expect. :o


The French (or some of them, anyway) pour fruit-flavored syrup into some of their lager, like strawberry or mint-flavored syrup. That's an insult to beer, IMO. But it's done less and less.


I went to a german restaurant once that had Hef & Coke on the menu. First time I'd ever seen beer and coke mixed. It was actually quite decent

The half-coke, half-beer thing is done even here (often it's called a "gasoline"). Many kids like it - it eases them into the bitterness - adults, not so much. It's disgusting, though: look at what's left in the glass after it's been emptied, you should see a kind of residue that's pretty bizarre-looking. There's a chemical process at work there that can't be good.

[Gary_B]

Seems like the sort of thing that might have been invented by a guy who got so drunk he started pouring different beers into the same glass. :D

Just me, but I think the mixing of flavors is best left to people who work in breweries, prior to the bottling process.

I don't know who invented it but it is a common and tradition drink in Ireland and Scotland (or so my Scottish and Irish friends tell me, at least). The Irish Times pub here in Victoria sells Black and Tan (Guinness floating on Ale) but they also offer Guinness over lager, cider and even champagne. I scoffed at these drinks for years and finally tried the ale and lager versions recently. It tastes better than I would have thought and I'll order it again I'm sure.

[Winslow]

I drink the lager myself. How's the Black and Tan in comparison to that?

It's darker, heavier, and more bitter. Probably closer to a Porter, if you've had that.

The Lager is pretty good too, I drink that all the time also.

Yeungling is definitely the best beer for the money in our parts.

[Winslow]

I don't know who invented it but it is a common and tradition drink in Ireland and Scotland (or so my Scottish and Irish friends tell me, at least). The Irish Times pub here in Victoria sells Black and Tan (Guinness floating on Ale) but they also offer Guinness over lager, cider and even champagne. I scoffed at these drinks for years and finally tried the ale and lager versions recently. It tastes better than I would have thought and I'll order it again I'm sure.

The Black and tan in our area is either the mixed studt / ale you described, or an actual drink bottled by a local brewery called Yeungling.

http://www.yuengling.com/images/beers_black_tan.jpg

http://www.yuengling.com/beers_black_tan.htm

[Rallura]

Where's Alex and his vote for Coors?

[Erebus]

Pretty much all beers taste better from a tap instead of a bottle, including stuff I normally wouldn't touch, like MIller and Bud.

[Oke-Doke]

I'm not much of a drinker, but the best I've had was a beer made by Michelob that was clear and tasted like Sprite. It was real sweet, I had to remind my self not to drink it too fast because it contained alcohol. It beat the heck out of the Keystone Light I had when I hit 21, wouldn't touch that again unless I was an alcoholic.

[mgs]

It's a regional beer confined to the eastern PA, NJ, DE area, but Yuengling (pronounced ying-ling) is about all I drink.

ETA: In fact, I'm slightly buzzed on it right now.

Y is really good. Black and Tan is heavy and reminds me of Guiness but is very good.

I used to drink Heineken, Bud. Then in college, mostly Miller Lite. Then Yuengling (which I can still get in NYC) and Corona.

Some of the beers I drink right now are Dos Equis/Corona (In the summer), Spaten Dark (German beer) at a German restrant, and Stella Artois (which is good anytime).

[Gary_B]

Negra Modelo is my favourite Mexican beer. It is a dark beer with rich flavour.

http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/projects/grupo/images/GRUPO-16.jpg

[Sabrina_Fried]

Black and Tan: Around here right now, the fad for Black and Tan is to use either Strongbow or Blackthorne with the Guinness. It looks interesting, but I've never had it personally.

Green Beer: At the pub yesterday I saw just how much green dye they have to put in to completely mask the beer's original colour. NEVER drinking that stuff. If I did, its likely I would be pissing green for a week!

Favourite Beers: I don't know that I really have a favourite. Whenever I travel I like to sample the local microbrews. I prefer a beer that is not too bitter, has some flavour to it and goes down smooth.

That said, everytime I am in the Vancouver area, I make it a point to go to the Granville Island Brewery (http://www.gib.ca) and order a few pints of their Gastown Ale or their Honey Lager. You just can't get this stuff in Ontario, and even in alot of the beer stores in BC you can only get it in cans, which is a shame.

Sabrina

[Clint Barton]

My favorite is brewed in Latrobe, PA. Rolling Rock.

[mgs]

both ROlling Rock and Negro Modelo (as well as the Blanca version) are also very good choices! :)

[Pinball]

My favorite American beer is Summit India Pale Ale.

[jessecuster3]

Count me on the bandwagon for Fat Tire as well, however, only until the beginning of this past year, you couldn't buy it east of the Mississippi. I do not know if they have made it to NJ yet, you will have to investigate.

I am also a micro-brew guy and will drink our local one, Goose Island, whenever I buy bottles for home or a friends house.


In the occasion that I am being cheap, or that I cannot decide, I do drink Miller Lite, so I'll put a vote in that one. Its really easy to drink quickly and yet has a lower alcohol content so you can drink more of them.

[Jeff-E]

Guinness and Killians are my favorites but they are kind of expensive, so if I can't afford them I go with Miller high life. Good beer, at a pretty good price. Bud is popular here (since the company is based out of St.Louis) but I prefer Miller, I usually just buy bud for any company I might have.

[jessecuster3]

Guinness and Killians are my favorites but they are kind of expensive, so if I can't afford them I go with Miller high life. Good beer, at a pretty good price. Bud is popular here (since the company is based out of St.Louis) but I prefer Miller, I usually just buy bud for any company I might have.

Dude if you are in STL, you gotta go to Schlafly's I love their beer.

[Jeff-E]

Dude if you are in STL, you gotta go to Schlafly's I love their beer.

Oddly enough, I've lived here for a couple of years now and have never been to Schlafly's brewery. I haven't even tried the beer yet... I need to though... hmmmm... work today or call in sick and go get a 12 pack... decisions decisions.

[zeroEDGE]

Sam Adams for me.

[Dreadstar]

I was going to go with "other" to showcase my elitism, but Sam Adams is sufficient.

[Dreadstar]

So why do they still make it?

Because it sells so well?

[Winslow]

That's exactly what everybody says!:D So why do they still make it?

I keep saying that about the majority of the DC and Marvel output.

[Slam_Bradley]

I keep saying that about the majority of the DC and Marvel output.


You can never go wrong aiming at the lowest common denominator. True of beer, coffee and comics.