Hm, I don't think that's too expensive. I can only manage two trappists in one evening (usually only drink one) - so I consider special beers to be cheaper than regular (pilsner/lager) beer (that I dislike anyway) because you drink less of it. Also the taste is better.
What's your favourite daily (affordable) beer?
My favorite beer seems to vary monthly, sometimes even weekly, but lately I've actually been kind of partial to Michelob lager. It doesn't have a great reputation with the craft beer crowd, but it's been pretty good since they've switched to an all-malt formula (versus corn and rice and other adjuncts) and started using European noble hops. I feel like I'm drinking something that's recognizably American in character (and reasonably affordable), but also something with good solid ingredients that tastes good. It's kind of like going to a hamburger place that uses nice buns and good meat and lots of fresh toppings instead of McDonalds -- it's still a hamburger and probably only a little bit more in cost, so it's affordable, but it's a *quality* hamburger and that makes a difference.
And sometimes you want a hamburger.
I also like Sam Adams Boston Lager, which is another beer that meets that general description, but has more (and better) hops. Sam Adams claims to have been the first mass-brewed American beer to meet German purity laws. It's a bit more expensive than Michelob, though, and stretches the style a little bit.
Sam Adams has a line of seasonals that are pretty good as well -- Octoberfest in the fall, a dark winter lager with lots of spices in the winter, and so forth. I'm looking forward to trying their summer ale.
National Bohemian beer is a very inexpensive lager that's traditional in the Baltimore area. It's a good way to bring down one's beer bill, and it's the best in it's price class. That's one I'd almost compare to like McDonald's food -- it's cheap, it's familiar, probably doesn't use the best ingredients or brewing methods, but certainly serviceable, and has some good associations.
Now, I've tried the stouts and IPAs and whatnot and drink them on occasion. Nut Brown is a neat style. But I think lately I've been going more toward the lagers. Maybe it's because the weather is getting warmer, maybe it's cost, or possibly it's because I've tried lots of different types of beers during the last year or so and I'm getting ready to sort of settle down with a few favorites that aren't really stylistic extremes -- sort of moving out of the realm of "Let me try that -- that looks different" and more into the realm of "What are the 3 or 4 types of beer I really like to drink?". Narrowing it down a bit so I'm drinking what I like rather than just trying to have a big variety of stuff that may or may not be my favorites -- and to control cost, because I don't have much of an income. Living in an area with Natty Boh available really helps on the cost side.
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