Good First Beers

[Clonefan94]

My thoughts are this. I would avoid an IPA or even an American Pale Ale. If he likes coffee and or Dark Chocoalte, nothing wrong with going toward a stout or a porter. In fact, if he likes Coffee a lot, I'd think a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter would be right up his alley. If you aren't sure about that, or he doesn't "love" coffee. Then I would suggest going for something that is more malt forward, but on the lighter side. A good Helles can be a great introduction to craft beer. It's in the range of Bud, Miller or Coors, but has a lot more complexity and over all flavor without being in your face or too over powering.

 

[ISUagger]

I like how I started. A two year old stale Coors light out of a fridge used mostly cattle meds when I was 15. Low expectations so it can only get better from there. (It was terrible)

 

[danielyp29]

I had my first drink couple weeks after I turned 21 at Jethro's with some friends and got a Samuel Adams Boston Lager and had a Guinness a week after that. I told people that Samuel Adams would be my first beer seeing their commercials growing up with no real intent of actually drinking anything but definitely enjoyed it, but still never got too into drinking too much.

I took some time to ask around people what they all recommended and a lot of them told me Guinness would also be safe since I enjoy drinking my coffee black. Couple others mentioned Shock Top and Leinenkugel and those would be safe starter beers as well.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Anyways back to the conversation, I agree with others if you really want to get him a beer for his first drink, find out if he likes coffee, if he does he will probably like darker beers. If not, stay away from the darker beers. I also agree with the Wheat comments, those are easy to drink and also delicious, but some people really hate them. Dinkey Wheat (from Ames) is actually a pretty good wheat beer.

Or you could really **** with him and give him a black IPA or a black lager :twitcy:

 

[NickTheGreat]

For someone with no beer experience, I'd recommend staying away from hoppier beers. Most people don't like beer due to it being "bitter" and a lot of that (most of it) comes from the hops.

Probably too late in the year, but some of the Oktoberfest beers would be good. Or a Hefeweizen/wheat wouldn't be a terrible idea. :yes:

 

[huntt26]

I would suggest a flight or two, then if he likes one - order a tall one of that.

Or, order something like an IceHouse, make him drink 2 of them, even if he hates them. Then, the next night out, give him a good beer and anything will taste better.

 

[cycloneworld]

Give him a domestic lite beer (Miller, Coors, Bud).

I don't know of anyone who jumped into craft, dark, IPAs, etc. without developing a taste for "regular" beer first.

 

[colbycheese]

Give him a domestic lite beer (Miller, Coors, Bud).

I don't know of anyone who jumped into craft, dark, IPAs, etc. without developing a taste for "regular" beer first.

Domestic? lol. How does that South African and Brazilian beer taste?





On a serious note though, the beer style that most people truly like first is wheat beer. I don't know many people that enjoyed their first macro brew lager. I know dozens of people (including me) that enjoyed their first wheat beer, macro-brewed or not.


If you want a real "domestic" lager, have someone bootleg some Yeungling from the east coast. Yeungling is the largest American-owned brewery in the country. They only do a few beers, but what they do, they do well!

 

[CYCLNST8]

Yes- I'm being serious.

 

[cycloneworld]

Domestic? lol. How does that South African and Brazilian beer taste?

On a serious note though, the beer style that most people truly like first is wheat beer. I don't know many people that enjoyed their first macro brew lager. I know dozens of people (including me) that enjoyed their first wheat beer, macro-brewed or not.


If you want a real "domestic" lager, have someone bootleg some Yeungling from the east coast. Yeungling is the largest American-owned brewery in the country. They only do a few beers, but what they do, they do well!

In all fairness, the beer is still brewed here...the company is just owned by a foreign entity.

Give him a lite beer first, then a wheat beer, then a dark beer, then an IPA...and see what he likes (if he's not drunk as hell by the end).

 

[Cytown12]

PBR its America

 

[Cytown12]

I like the thought process here, but my first beer was a Busch Light and let's just say I drank beer again.

Mine was a NAtty Light and it was awful but I still love beer

 

[colbycheese]

PBR is Russian

FIFY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...bst-brewing-sold-to-oasis-beverages/15894189/

 

[Dandy]

 

[Cytown12]

FIFY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...bst-brewing-sold-to-oasis-beverages/15894189/

damnit noooooooooo.......stupid Russians

 

[Cytown12]

Domestic? lol. How does that South African and Brazilian beer taste?





On a serious note though, the beer style that most people truly like first is wheat beer. I don't know many people that enjoyed their first macro brew lager. I know dozens of people (including me) that enjoyed their first wheat beer, macro-brewed or not.


If you want a real "domestic" lager, have someone bootleg some Yeungling from the east coast. Yeungling is the largest American-owned brewery in the country. They only do a few beers, but what they do, they do well!

There's actually liquor store in DM area where you can get yuengling

 

[azhuth09]

There's actually liquor store in DM area where you can get yuengling

Where?

 

[isuska]

 

[NickTheGreat]

Where?

He's just messing with you. They don't distribute anywhere west of Ohio :twitcy:

 

[SC Cy]

I cut my teeth on Red Dog beer. I don't know if it's even brewed anymore. I don't think his/her first beer even matters, they will choke it down either way. Get him started on a domestic. As a child our parents didn't jump into feeding us steak, it started with hot dogs and Spaghetti O's. Let him branch out once he figures out his beer taste palate.