Bad Beer

[Fish and Bread]

Might I just say, though it is fairly apparent at first taste in any event, one particularly notices how truly awful Milwaukee's Best Light is, when one has had a decent beer the day before? From now on, I'm sticking exclusively to National Bohemian when I need to buy cheap beer. :) Natty Boh is delicious, and about the same price. :)

[boughtwithaprice]

Milwaukee's best is pretty bad, but not as bad as Bud Light. Bud Light has absolutely no taste and might as well be a Zima. I am going to have to try me some Natty Boh:)

Personally I prefer the darker full flavored beers at cellar temperatures, not that ice brewed ice cold junk that just freezes the tongue off and leaves no flavor

[Fish and Bread]

Personally I prefer the darker full flavored beers at cellar temperatures

I tried a Guinness for the first time at an Irish pub a couple weeks ago. A friend offered to pay for it for me if I could finish it, knowing that I was used to drinking cheaper lighter beers. I downed it without a problem. :) Of course, I had an irish cream to start, and so that may have helped. Still, it's probably not wise to bet an Irishman that he can't down any sort of beer. ;) My non-Irish friend, on the other hand, of diet coke drinking fame, I might bet against. :)

I don't know if I'd have much of a taste for Guinness if I had to start with it, but I'm tempted to see if I can afford a six-pack and give it a try that way. I'm looking into expanding my tastes a little, to the extent I might be able to afford it.

[Loki]

1. There's a reason why Milwaukee's Best is known as "The Beast."

2. Guinness' flavor changes significantly depending on bottle, can, and tap, and how it's dispensed on tap. Expect a significant change in taste in bottle from what you had on tap.

3. I'm always amazed that people can get drunk on Guinness, as it is so heavy that it's like a small meal in a glass. Too many calories for me to get drunk on.

4. I second Bwappy on the dark cellar temp beers. My personal favorite is Smithwick's, which a friend referred to as "comfort beer." English ales rock my world. A good introduction to the world of brown beer is Newcastle, which is fairly available. Just make sure to let it warm up a bit from the fridge when you drink it.

5. In Europe they have a real Czech Budweiser that has Budvar attached to its name that's actually good! It's spicy and light-bodied, and not American ----water.

[Fish and Bread]

The direction of this thread has actually prompted me to do some research on Wikipedia about various dark Irish beers. :) It's amazing all the facts you can learn on the Internet.

What I didn't see was price. Anyone familiar with how much a 6 or a 12 pack of cans of Guinness might cost? I've never looked for it in a liquor store. I know it varies by state and locality, but I'm just talking ballpark range here. :) What about Southwick's and Newcastle?

[Loki]

Get bottles.

It'll probably run around $7-10, iirc. 12 oz bottles. That is for any glass 6 pack of those specimens. IIRC, Newcastle tends to be about a dollar less than the other two, from the stores I've purchased them at. This is from Michigan/California memory.

[Fish and Bread]

Get bottles.

It'll probably run around $7-10, iirc. 12 oz bottles. That is for any glass 6 pack of those specimens. IIRC, Newcastle tends to be about a dollar less than the other two, from the stores I've purchased them at. This is from Michigan/California memory.

Thanks. :) Why bottles versus cans?

[Loki]

Bottles taste better.

[boughtwithaprice]

I tried a Guinness for the first time at an Irish pub a couple weeks ago. A friend offered to pay for it for me if I could finish it, knowing that I was used to drinking cheaper lighter beers. I downed it without a problem. :) Of course, I had an irish cream to start, and so that may have helped. Still, it's probably not wise to bet an Irishman that he can't down any sort of beer. ;) My non-Irish friend, on the other hand, of diet coke drinking fame, I might bet against. :)

I don't know if I'd have much of a taste for Guinness if I had to start with it, but I'm tempted to see if I can afford a six-pack and give it a try that way. I'm looking into expanding my tastes a little, to the extent I might be able to afford it.

I can get Guiness in Maryland for around 7 - 10 dollars a six pack, but up north in Wilkes-Barre PA my BIL tells me that NewCastle Brown Ale is 60 bucks a case, and that means 15 - 20 dollars a six pack, yuck.:sick: I didn't even ask him what Guiness went for. In MD, NewCastle is about 15 bucks a twelve pack of bottles. Milwaukees best, aka the BEAST, is 8 bucks a case of cans here:doh:

There is a reason I moved down south:D

[Rebekka]

Personally I prefer the darker full flavored beers at cellar temperatures, not that ice brewed ice cold junk that just freezes the tongue off and leaves no flavor
Me too! I love good beer, but icecold pilsener type beers are yuck IMHO. :sorry: Heineken and the like. The type of beer you think of - or most people think of - when you hear the word "beer".

[longhair75]

I just need to chime in here for my favorite. I mostly drink Dos Equis Amber. Sunflower (Mrs. longhair) is very partial to Corona. It's not just beer, it's Cerveza!

[MikeK]

Me too! I love good beer, but icecold pilsener type beers are yuck IMHO.

I like me some pilseners. Mmmm... skunky goodness:)

My favorite nationally (in the US anyway) available beers of any type in no order:

Siera Nevada Pale Ale
Tyskie
New Glaurus IPA - (may not be nationally distributed, not sure)
Samuel Smith's "The Famous Taddy Porter"
Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest

[Rebekka]

There used to be a beer thread in WWMC, the first thread in WWMC that I ever posted in, I believe. Months ago, perhaps half a year ago.

Anyway, I love traditional gueuzes (although I don't like icecold beer normally, gueuzes should be served cold), especially in summer - they're very refreshing as they are extremely sour.

I had a lovely framboise draught beer yesterday in the pub to celebrate that after finished my masters thesis (on Dutch modern literature) - yum. Framboise is a lambic flavoured with raspberries.

And I love belgian trappists, especially Rochefort.

[boughtwithaprice]

All this talk of beer and out of nowhere this polka band showed up, what next?


Pennsylvania Polka


Strike up the music the band has begun
The Pennsylvania Polka
Pick out your partner and join in the fun
The Pennsylvania Polka
It started in Scranton. It's now number one
It's bound to entertain ya
Everybody has a mania to do the polka from Pennsylvania
While they're dancing
Everybody's cares are quickly gone
Sweet romancing
This goes on and on until the dawn.
They're so carefree
Gay with laughter, happy as can be
They stop to have a beer
Then the crowd begins to cheer
They kiss and then they start to dance again.
Strike up the music the band has begun
The Pennsylvania Polka
Pick out your partner and join in the fun
The Pennsylvania Polka
It started in Scranton. It's now number one
It's bound to entertain ya
Everybody has a mania to do the polka from Pennsylvania.



We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread, already in progress.............

[kimber1]

eeeeeew warm beer?????????? i can't drink beer unless it's cold.

[Fish and Bread]

I can get Guiness in Maryland for around 7 - 10 dollars a six pack, but up north in Wilkes-Barre PA my BIL tells me that NewCastle Brown Ale is 60 bucks a case, and that means 15 - 20 dollars a six pack, yuck.:sick: I didn't even ask him what Guiness went for. In MD, NewCastle is about 15 bucks a twelve pack of bottles. Milwaukees best, aka the BEAST, is 8 bucks a case of cans here:doh:

There is a reason I moved down south:D

Pennsylvania has very restrictive alcohol laws relative to most other states: Taxes, 6-packs only available in bars (Which obviously raises the price considerably and lowers the selection if you don't want larger quantities), etc.. Even Maryland, which is not exactly unrestrictive when it comes to alcohol (Unlike, say, Arizona or Texas, they don't allow sales of alcoholic beverage in grocery stores or convenience stores), manages to provide a cheaper more convenient purchase experience. I live in PA near the MD border and am always having to dip into MD for various things, so I make all of my alcohol purchases in MD. I'm not sure I could otherwise afford to drink in PA. ;)

[Fish and Bread]

Bottles taste better.
Wikipedia claims that's a myth and that the preference for bottles versus cans comes from the perception that cans are more associated with cheap mass produced beer and thus inferior (Even while intrinsically being better storage devices). Of course, Wikipedia also claims that drinking Guinness helps prevent diabetes, so I am not sure I can trust them. ;)

True story, I actually wrote a Wiki article for a radio station from memory. No sourcing, etc.. Years later, it's still there. I made it as accurate as I could per my recollection, but there's no sourcing or anything. I could have easily made it all up, though I didn't. :)

[kimber1]

i went to visit a friend of mine a long time ago in ohio and illinois and in one of those states they had the coolest drive-ins where you got your beer and all other alcohol. like a drive in garage type convenience store.it was sooooooo cool!

[Fish and Bread]

i went to visit a friend of mine a long time ago in ohio and illinois and in one of those states they had the coolest drive-ins where you got your beer and all other alcohol. like a drive in garage type convenience store.it was sooooooo cool!
There used to be something like that on the Outer Banks of North Carolina when I was a kid, they called them "Brew-Thrus". No, I wasn't drinking alcohol as a kid, my father would patronize them from time to time when we were on vacation. :)

[boughtwithaprice]

Pennsylvania has very restrictive alcohol laws relative to most other states: Taxes, 6-packs only available in bars (Which obviously raises the price considerably and lowers the selection if you don't want larger quantities), etc.. Even Maryland, which is not exactly unrestrictive when it comes to alcohol (Unlike, say, Arizona or Texas, they don't allow sales of alcoholic beverage in grocery stores or convenience stores), manages to provide a cheaper more convenient purchase experience. I live in PA near the MD border and am always having to dip into MD for various things, so I make all of my alcohol purchases in MD. I'm not sure I could otherwise afford to drink in PA. ;)
I live in Maryland near the Delaware border, so I slip across to Delaware where there is no sales tax. I would only go there to make major alcohol purchases, like a case of wine or something. Beer is cheap enough in MD that I am not driving all the way to DE for brew.

Where in PA are you?

[Fish and Bread]

I live in Maryland near the Delaware border, so I slip across to Delaware where there is no sales tax. I would only go there to make major alcohol purchases, like a case of wine or something. Beer is cheap enough in MD that I am not driving all the way to DE for brew.

Where in PA are you?

I'm in Hanover (the one that's on the border of York and Adams counties), so Delaware is a bit of a haul. :)

[Loki]

You can try the Guinness in cans, though I think it tastes better in bottles.

Think of coke; glass v. plastic v. aluminum. There is a difference in flavor.

[Fish and Bread]

You can try the Guinness in cans, though I think it tastes better in bottles.

Think of coke; glass v. plastic v. aluminum. There is a difference in flavor.

My thought is mainly that cans are more cost-efficient and that I'm pouring into a glass cup anyhow. I've found I vastly prefer a glass to a can or a bottle when it comes to beer. I'm not sure why that it is, but it just seems to taste better and go down smoother. But I'll definitely consider your suggestion. I haven't actually tried pouring from a bottle into a glass cup -- it's possible that there are some flavoring issues in terms of how it is transported as well as what it is drinken out of. On the third hand, though, I always drink my soda from cans, except the occasional glass Coca-Cola bottle from a Mexican grocery, but I think that's actually a slightly different formula targeted to Mexico and Mexican migrants (I'm not Mexican, I'm Irish, but I heard rumors of this Mexican coke and tracked it down :)) and not just a question of the medium used.

[Loki]

In Mexico, I think they still use sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup. It does actually make a difference in the flavor of the soda.

For beer, it is absolutely the best route to pour the beer into a glass. Cans are probably more economical, and I think guinness is pretty good about putting their nitrogen rockets into whatever they package the beer in. It does make a taste difference, but that might be because I'm a beer snob and am married to a beer snob.

In comparison to the Beast, though, Guinness, whether from can, bottle, draught, or puddle on the table, will be like mana from heaven.

[boughtwithaprice]

I'm in Hanover (the one that's on the border of York and Adams counties), so Delaware is a bit of a haul. :)
If you are ever taking a Vacation in Ocean City, MD, let me know. We should have a beer together. I live about nine miles from Ocean City on the bay across from Assateague Island.

Oh and speaking of Soda, I was in Bar Harbor, Maine this past June and we went to the brewery where they make Bar Harbor real ale, a local microbrew. They make their own soda too, and use only pure cane sugar. It tastes fantastic. The high fructose corn syrup is so bad these days, no wonder the diet tastes better. We need a campaign to bring back cane sugar for soda

[Fish and Bread]

In comparison to the Beast, though, Guinness, whether from can, bottle, draught, or puddle on the table, will be like mana from heaven.

Compared to Milwaukee's Best, anything is manna from heaven. I always could tell it tasted bad, and just bought it because at times it's all I've been able to afford (I lived in the southwest for a while and Natty Boh was unavailable in that region, at least at the places I looked. :)), or because I wanted some variety in low-cost beers, but the quality is just really apparent when you get yourself used to a different beer and go back to it. Even just drinking a Natty Boh a day for a couple days in a row and then drinking a Milwaukee's Best on the third or fourth day, the Milwaukee's Best was just really foul stuff, and it was very apparent having had other beer so recently before and gotten used to something decent. And National Bohemian is in a similar price category, so it's not as if I'm comparing it to a something that's considered a premium beer. :) Though, really, how anything like Natty Boh that originated in Baltimore (albeit only before the brand was bought out and the facilities moved to, ironically, Milwaukee) could not be considered premium is a mystery to me. ;) I love that place. :)

If you are ever taking a Vacation in Ocean City, MD, let me know. We should have a beer together. I live about nine miles from Ocean City on the bay across from Assateague Island.

Sounds good to me. :) I don't have any plans this year, but if I make some in the future, I'll let you know.

They make their own soda too, and use only pure cane sugar. It tastes fantastic. The high fructose corn syrup is so bad these days, no wonder the diet tastes better. We need a campaign to bring back cane sugar for sodaYeah, I agree completely. The other thing about hfcs that a lot of folks don't know is that, in addition to not being of the quality of real sugar cane, it's considered borderline addictive. It doesn't create a dependency per say, but it apparently can diminish or shutdown the production of the chemical in your brain that tells you you're full, causing you to not know when to stop eating or drinking. It's really kind of sad that they're able to foist this stuff on us unwittingly because it's just a little bit cheaper. And it's in so much stuff-- breads, rolls, breadings, sodas, juices, snacks, sauces -- very hard to avoid. You can't even buy a mainstream name brand or generic white bread product that doesn't have it at the Wal-Mart I shop at it -- you have to go to rye bread or potato rolls (Though some stores do stuff non-hfcs white bread products).

[Loki]

But high fructose corn syrup is CHEAPER.

[Rebekka]

Wikipedia claims that's a myth and that the preference for bottles versus cans comes from the perception that cans are more associated with cheap mass produced beer and thus inferior (Even while intrinsically being better storage devices). Of course, Wikipedia also claims that drinking Guinness helps prevent diabetes, so I am not sure I can trust them. ;)

True story, I actually wrote a Wiki article for a radio station from memory. No sourcing, etc.. Years later, it's still there. I made it as accurate as I could per my recollection, but there's no sourcing or anything. I could have easily made it all up, though I didn't. :)
There is a huge difference in taste between bottled and canned beer. That is why really good microbrewed beer doesn't come in cans.

There's also a huge difference between draught and bottled beer - some beers taste almost the same from draught as from a bottle, but many beers taste different, which can mean that either draught is better, or bottled, or that it's not a better/worse difference, but just a difference.

Also, with special beers, drinking them from a glass is always the best thing to do, and the shape of the glass makes a difference. Same as with wine - you don't want to drink wine from a lemonade glass, either. Good beer can be as good as good wine.

I had a lovely red bitter beer last night, a triple - a microbrewed local beer called Rooie Tiep Top. It was delicious. And the brewery makes its own mustard (and vinegar, and all sorts of liqueurs) from beer, too - and we had that mustard with it, with cumin Gouda cheese.

[boughtwithaprice]

But high fructose corn syrup is CHEAPER.
hey, I am wiling to pay $100.00 for a good bottle of wine, why not 2 bucks for a good bottle of old fashioned Coke made with cane sugar, instead of the buck 25 for the corn syrup?

yeah that's it, a two tiered soda system; cheap stuff and good stuff:^_^ pay a little more but its worth it.

[Fish and Bread]

But high fructose corn syrup is CHEAPER.
Not if you have to buy two of everything because the chemical lessens your body's ability to tell you it's full. ;) I have to admit, though, I have some stuff with hfcs here -- it's hard to avoid, and many times it's all I can afford. So, what you're saying is legitimate, cost is a factor. But I've looked at ingredients for more upscale stuff and it's still there sometimes, whereas I found a local grocery store that sells generic brand kaiser rolls without it. So, it can also be needlessly thrown in just to save companies money even on higher-cost goods because they think people don't notice (and for the most part, they don't). I always consider hfcs a negative when making a purchasing decision, often I have to buy the good anyway because I'm relatively poor, but I do check for it and try to cut down on it. I think if more people did this, we'd find all of the sudden it was in a lot less products and easier to avoid.

[masuwerte]

Sunflower (Mrs. longhair) is very partial to Corona. It's not just beer, it's Cerveza!

One of the many kinds of beer I like is San Miguel, from the Phillipines. It's not just Cerveza, it's Serbesa! :)

I mostly drink Labatt's these days, sometimes Bud. Hafta try this Natty Bo if I can find it, though.

[Loki]

The cheaper comment was tongue in cheek. :P

Yes, real sugar tastes better; I enjoyed drinking coke while I was in Geneva; in the states, I drink Diet. But they can save a penny on production of sodas with HFCS, so why wouldn't they?

As for beer; anyone like Young's stuff?

[ProCommunioneFacior]

F & B,

If you ever make it out here again, let me know, I'll take you out to Four Peaks Brewery, they brew some excellent beers, especially Kilt Lifter:yum: .

http://www.fourpeaks.com/

Also my pals like to go to BJ's Brewery, they have some good stuff, Jeremiah Red and Tatonka Stout (killer beer) are my favs.

http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/beer.aspx

Anyways if you're ever out this way again, my treat.

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Personally, I like Ales, Stouts, Hefes, Belgian style Whites, Browns.

Can't stand the stuff that tastes like [wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] diluted with water, that's not beer.

[CaDan]

Most of the cheap beers I drank during my cheap beer days are gone--Huber, White Label, Pfeiffer, Hamms. Leinenkugel's gone upscale.

Blatz is still around, though. Cheap and dependable--the beer to drink if you're drinking more than one!

[Caedmon]

As far as cheaper beer is concerned, Shiner is always a winner in my book, as is Dos Equis, although to a lesser extent. Murphy's Red is also tasty.

[CaDan]

As far as cheaper beer is concerned, Shiner is always a winner in my book, as is Dos Equis, although to a lesser extent. Murphy's Red is also tasty.

This far north, they try to pass off Shiner as something sort of exotic and price it accordingly.

[Caedmon]

This far north, they try to pass off Shiner as something sort of exotic and price it accordingly.
Meh. It's ubiquitous here. The down side is they only brew it in one little town, but that's not too far away, so I can get all the yummy goodness for only $2.50 a longneck. ^_^

[boughtwithaprice]

Meh. It's ubiquitous here. The down side is they only brew it in one little town, but that's not too far away, so I can get all the yummy goodness for only $2.50 a longneck. ^_^
9 bucks a six pack dont sound all that cheap:P

[Caedmon]

I just need to chime in here for my favorite. I mostly drink Dos Equis Amber. Sunflower (Mrs. longhair) is very partial to Corona. It's not just beer, it's Cerveza!
Corona just doesn't do it for me, tastes like beer-flavored water. Dos Equis, on the other hand... it's like, why would you settle for less?

[Caedmon]

Personally, I like Ales, Stouts, Hefes, Belgian style Whites, Browns.

Can't stand the stuff that tastes like [wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth][wash my mouth] diluted with water, that's not beer.
I love hefeweizen and Belgian ales and such. However, I've started acquiring an appreciation for what I call mid-range darkness beers. I won't usually pass up a Shiner or a Murphy's Red. Spaten and Optimator, on the other hand, are a little too dark and strong for me. I mean, I can drink them, but it usually isn't very fun for me.

[Fish and Bread]

F & B,

If you ever make it out here again, let me know, I'll take you out to Four Peaks Brewery, they brew some excellent beers, especially Kilt Lifter:yum: .

http://www.fourpeaks.com/

Also my pals like to go to BJ's Brewery, they have some good stuff, Jeremiah Red and Tatonka Stout (killer beer) are my favs.

http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/beer.aspx

Anyways if you're ever out this way again, my treat.
Thanks. :) I'll definitely take you up on that if I find myself in your area again. I have no immediate plans for a return, but I'd definitely like to get out there again sometime if at all possible, at least for a couple days -- I kind of miss the region, it's very distinct from the east coast. Not that I don't like the east coast, the regions just have different selling points in different areas. :)

[Rebekka]

I had a yummy draught raspberry lambic the other day! Bon Secours framboise (Belgian).

[JulySheMustFly]

I had a yummy draught raspberry lambic the other day! Bon Secours framboise (Belgian).
I thought about you this weekend while at my friends wedding. They were raving about the Belgian beer served to the bridal party while in the trolley.

[Domenico]

I have heard bad tales of american beer...

If you ever come to New Zealand, try Montieths summer ale. Its different from almost any other beer, its quite gingery.

[Rebekka]

I thought about you this weekend while at my friends wedding. They were raving about the Belgian beer served to the bridal party while in the trolley.
Oooh- was it the posh wedding? What sort of Belgian beer? Dark, wheat, lambic/gueuze? Something else?

[Izdaari]

I live in the Seattle area, so I'm partial to Northwest regional microbrews, particularly Pyramid, Red Hook, Deschutes, Widmer, Bridgeport , Hale's, Maritime Pacific and a few others.

But right now I'm drinking some canned German lager, Henninger, because it was $4.99 per 6-pack of 16oz. cans at Trader Joe's. Not bad stuff really. I imagine it's what Germans drink instead of Budweiser.

Another consideration in cans vs. bottles: when we're talking stuff that gets shipped a long ways or sits on the shelf a while, cans protect the beer from light better than even the darkest bottles. But the real reason I bought cans this time: I was schlepping it home in a backpack on the bus, and bottles would've been too heavy.

[Izdaari]

I have heard bad tales of american beer...

If you ever come to New Zealand, try Montieths summer ale. Its different from almost any other beer, its quite gingery.
Well, yes, mass market American beer is quite awful. But OTOH American microbrews can be yummy, and often take 1st place in international beer competitions.

I'll look for that Kiwi beer, for as long as I can remember the name at least. It sounds excellent.

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Wikipedia claims that's a myth and that the preference for bottles versus cans comes from the perception that cans are more associated with cheap mass produced beer and thus inferior (Even while intrinsically being better storage devices). Of course, Wikipedia also claims that drinking Guinness helps prevent diabetes, so I am not sure I can trust them.

There are three kinds of "Guinness" if you aren't counting foreign style stout:
Canned
Bottled
Tap

Each taste different because of their use of gasses. There are different portions of N2 and CO2. In the bottle, the gas remains in the liquid until you pour it into your mouth and the mechanism in the bottle releases it. This leads to a stonger flavor.
Canned is poured into a glass like you would a pub. The result is a much more smooth and 'creamy' flavor. The same goes for the tap.

Personally, I prefer foreign style. When I want Guinness, I get it from either the tap or can. The bottle is OK.

I'm not a huge fan of America microbrews- they just aren't very subtle. The yeast strains are pretty bland and lead to less complex flavors. They usually overload on hops to cover it up too.

[CaDan]

I'm not a huge fan of America microbrews- they just aren't very subtle. The yeast strains are pretty bland and lead to less complex flavors. They usually overload on hops to cover it up too.

I totally agree with you about the overuse of hops. I had one the other day that was so heavily hopped it tasted like it was made with the cannabinoid relatives of hops.

Not that I'd know what that tastes like, but I've . . . errr . . . heard about it.

[Izdaari]

I'm not a huge fan of America microbrews- they just aren't very subtle. The yeast strains are pretty bland and lead to less complex flavors. They usually overload on hops to cover it up too.
You might be over-generalizing there. Some breweries do that... but by no means all. Not that I necessarily object to extreme hoppiness: I'm an IPA fan, and I like Stone Brewing's Ruinator IPA (http://beerblog.genx40.com/archives/2004/october/ruinationipa), which maxes out on hoppiness; it's a little hoppy even for me, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for it. Even more to my taste is their similar but more balanced Arrogant Bastard Ale (http://beerblog.genx40.com/archives/2004/october/arrogantbastard). But I also like less hoppy styles. Deschutes Obsidian Stout is another favorite of mine, which like all Stouts, is much more malty than hoppy.

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

You might be over-generalizing there. Some breweries do that... but by no means all. Not that I necessarily object to extreme hoppiness: I'm an IPA fan, and I like Stone Brewing's Ruinator IPA (http://beerblog.genx40.com/archives/2004/october/ruinationipa), which maxes out on hoppiness; it's a little hoppy even for me, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for it. Even more to my taste is their similar but more balanced Arrogant Bastard Ale (http://beerblog.genx40.com/archives/2004/october/arrogantbastard). But I also like less hoppy styles. Deschutes Obsidian Stout is another favorite of mine, which like all Stouts, is much more malty than hoppy.

I don't mind extreme hoppiness. I like very hoppy beers. I just don't like how many breweries balances their beers in comparison with European breweries- which are more subtle and allow the beauty of their components to stand out.

I'm a real yeast kinda guy and American breweries just don't bring out the yeast flavors usually. New Belgium is one exception, but they still fall short.

[Mling]

I'm not a fan of hops at all, so I'd say all beer is "bad". I tried gruit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruit) recently, though, and definitely liked it. It confirmed for me that it's the hops I don't like.

[Love233]

Might I just say, though it is fairly apparent at first taste in any event, one particularly notices how truly awful Milwaukee's Best Light is, when one has had a decent beer the day before? From now on, I'm sticking exclusively to National Bohemian when I need to buy cheap beer. :) Natty Boh is delicious, and about the same price. :) cheapo is disgusting:sick: LOL

[Loki]

I'll jump on the "What's up with the overuse of hops" bandwagon. There's a bar in town that serves its own micros, and honestly, I can't tell the difference between them besides by color because they all taste like hops. That's not to say all micros abuse hops, of course.

[Diane_Windsor]

Milwaukee's best is pretty bad, but not as bad as Bud Light.

Bud Light is okay, and I will drink it on occassion. I used to think that Bud Light People were a little off their rockers until I got a taste of Coors Light. My hubby and I once picked up a 24 pack of Coors Light at Costco-we might have well gotten a case of water! Very little taste whatsoever.

[boughtwithaprice]

Bud Light is okay, and I will drink it on occassion. I used to think that Bud Light People were a little off their rockers until I got a taste of Coors Light. My hubby and I once picked up a 24 pack of Coors Light at Costco-we might have well gotten a case of water! Very little taste whatsoever.
to me Bud light tastes like water................What about Miller lite?:P

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

I'm not a fan of hops at all, so I'd say all beer is "bad". I tried gruit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruit) recently, though, and definitely liked it. It confirmed for me that it's the hops I don't like.

I'd suggest a fruity lambic as well.

http://www.seanmulholland.com/arc/images/framboise-lambic-ale-belgian-beer.jpg

[Izdaari]

:yum: :yum: :yum:

[Izdaari]

to me Bud light tastes like water................What about Miller lite?:P
IMO the only domestic mass-market light beer that's worth the trouble is Michelob Ultra Amber. Even that is no gourmet treat, but it's pleasant and drinkable.

[Diane_Windsor]

to me Bud light tastes like water................What about Miller lite?:P

Yummy!!!! :yum: The beer snobs will disagree, but I don't care. I LOVE Miller Lite!!! Just finished off a can. I prefer bottles, but Costco didn't have any :( I probably love ML because it's the first beer I ever had (and I had it with a nice steak dinner to boot!)

Think I'll go have a second one right now . . .

[Lel]

Not drinking Natural Light anymore? Ugh, that stuff was hideous.

[Protinus]

bad beer? I think we have to have some discrimination here! I was my fraternity's sc for two years and pabst blue ribbon keeps at room temperature for at least ten days!!

[Fish and Bread]

bad beer? I think we have to have some discrimination here! I was my fraternity's sc for two years and pabst blue ribbon keeps at room temperature for at least ten days!!
You're alive! ;) Welcome back. :)

P.S. You're still in the fantasy football league. Update your lineup already. ;)

[Loki]

bad beer? I think we have to have some discrimination here! I was my fraternity's sc for two years and pabst blue ribbon keeps at room temperature for at least ten days!!
1. You were a frat boy? I'm not sure I can associate anymore...

and 2. PBR at room temp for 10 days? You all were really desperate for EtOH, eh?

[Im_A]

bad beer to me is quite simply...
any light beer ha. sam adams light is the exception for now for me with light beer.

i like dark, hearty, strong beer.

i like my beer strong/dark, my wine strong and dry and my liquor even stronger(kudos to jack daniels and gin!). :D

if/when i drink, it has to have a taste, or at least something to give me the whiskey face, or the headshake. mix that with good taste...that's heavenly :D

[CaDan]

Try some Surly if you can find it.

[Mling]

bad beer to me is quite simply...
any light beer ha. sam adams light is the exception for now for me with light beer.

i like dark, hearty, strong beer.

i like my beer strong/dark, my wine strong and dry and my liquor even stronger(kudos to jack daniels and gin!). :D

if/when i drink, it has to have a taste, or at least something to give me the whiskey face, or the headshake. mix that with good taste...that's heavenly :D

mmmmmm whiskey.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMM WHISKEY.

wait....is there a thread going on?

[Caedmon]

Whiskey kills me. Korean soju, on the other hand, is sweet and delicious. :yum:

[chestertonrules]

Might I just say, though it is fairly apparent at first taste in any event, one particularly notices how truly awful Milwaukee's Best Light is, when one has had a decent beer the day before? From now on, I'm sticking exclusively to National Bohemian when I need to buy cheap beer. :) Natty Boh is delicious, and about the same price. :)
If you are a fan of Corona with a lime, here's a tip.

Add a slice of lime to any skunk beer and it taste great.

This has probably saved my wife and I hundreds of dollars!

[Izdaari]

If you are a fan of Corona with a lime, here's a tip.

Add a slice of lime to any skunk beer and it taste great.

This has probably saved my wife and I hundreds of dollars!
Great would be overstating it. But better than it otherwise would, no question! :thumbsup:

[chestertonrules]

Great would be overstating it. But better than it otherwise would, no question! :thumbsup:
Maybe I got a bit carried away....

[Wednesday]

I love beer and spirits. Scotch and whiskey is the best thing ever.

I absolutely HATE wine and girly drinks. I hate sweet and fruity liquor.

[Maynard Keenan]

Worst: Keystone Light
Worser: Miller Chill
Worstest: St. Pauli Girl

[Izdaari]

Worst: Keystone Light
Worser: Miller Chill
Worstest: St. Pauli Girl
St. Pauli Girl is not that bad... or it wouldn't be if you could get it fresh. It's a long, long trip from the brewery in Bremen, first by sea and then by truck, to my local supermarket on the left coast.

http://eatdrinksmile.blogspot.com/2007/10/beer-of-week-st-pauli-girl.html

I think that article nails it: a slightly too bitter, typical German light lager, a little skunky from the long trip.

There's a reason I tend to prefer local micros over imports.

[Maynard Keenan]

I'm sure if I drank it in Germany I'd have a different opinion, but SPG is pretty much always skunky. It smells of pond scum.

[TheManeki]

I just wanted to barge in and proudly say I am finally over my beer issues! A loooong time ago I OD'd on some malt liquor (the venerable Olde English 800, to be precise) and afterward couldn't drink beer without gagging. Aside from straight liquor, I was restricted to the "girly beer" segment -- things like Woodchuck, Mike's Hard whatevers, and Smirnoff Ice-type stuff. But I decided to try some beer at one of those microbrewery-restaurants that are becoming so common, and actually enjoyed it! I've been cured! ^_^

[Izdaari]

I just wanted to barge in and proudly say I am finally over my beer issues! A loooong time ago I OD'd on some malt liquor (the venerable Olde English 800, to be precise) and afterward couldn't drink beer without gagging. Aside from straight liquor, I was restricted to the "girly beer" segment -- things like Woodchuck, Mike's Hard whatevers, and Smirnoff Ice-type stuff. But I decided to try some beer at one of those microbrewery-restaurants that are becoming so common, and actually enjoyed it! I've been cured! ^_^
:clap:

Wonderful! Now stay with the good stuff, and keep the quantities reasonable, and you should stay cured!

:clap: