Beer snob thread!

[FiveThous]

Alright, I’ll take some heat.

I’m 27, and I hate beer. Hate it. Hate everything about it. But... I’m forcing myself to drink it to develop my palate and willingness to not be a square. I’m going head first. Personal mission.

I drank this shandy thing my fiancé likes, and it was t atrocious. I’ve ruled out sour ales. I tried this one from Sierra Nevada, and it was ass but I didn’t feel like it was overwhelmingly bitter. Looking for recs that I can get relatively easily, and without going to a brewery. Someone point me in the direction.

Edit: Also, I had something called Orange Blossom- it was terrible. It’s a hugely popular beer in AZ, and while the bitterness is tampered, the Orange “flavor” coats your throat and it’s really unpleasant. I have a chocolate stout and another popular local IPA that I’ll force a few sips on.

Doubles or tripples might not be a bad start.

Pale ales or Session IPAs have some hops but aren't punch you in the mouth bitter like an IPA.

Blonde ales are also usually lighter.

Summer is coming up, a lot of breweries will do summer ales which are lighter and fruitier.

If you have a craft bottle shop or total wine type store near you, the best way to do this would be build a few six packs.

I hope this helps.

 

[DJTJ]

Doubles or tripples might not be a bad start.

Pale ales or Session IPAs have some hops but aren't punch you in the mouth bitter like an IPA.

Blonde ales are also usually lighter.

Summer is coming up, a lot of breweries will do summer ales which are lighter and fruitier.

If you have a craft bottle shop or total wine type store near you, the best way to do this would be build a few six packs.

I hope this helps.

Any suggestions on doubles triples? I’ve had two wheat ales, and I feel like the bitterness tastes like... well, grassy. Is a blonde similar?

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

@DJTJ where are you located? Honestly, your best bet is going to a brewery during the day, sitting at the bar, and talking through things with the bartender. Try samples of everything until something piques your interest. Or, if it doesn't, then you gave it your best shot. If we know where you are, we can probably give some recommendations.

 

[DJTJ]

@DJTJ where are you located? Honestly, your best bet is going to a brewery during the day, sitting at the bar, and talking through things with the bartender. Try samples of everything until something piques your interest. Or, if it doesn't, then you gave it your best shot. If we know where you are, we can probably give some recommendations.

I’m based in Phoenix! We have a ton of local breweries, but with COVID, I’m actively avoiding doing it this way. Under the guise that I can get basically anything that isn’t Uber-regional, because we have the big box beer stores because of how big craft culture is here.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

I’m based in Phoenix! We have a ton of local breweries, but with COVID, I’m actively avoiding doing it this way. Under the guise that I can get basically anything that isn’t Uber-regional, because we have the big box beer stores because of how big craft culture is here.

Well, fuck... Arizona Wilderness is absolutely fantastic, but you said you don't like sours. If you find some stouts tolerable, they also have good ones there. All their beers are good, but those would be the two styles I'd say they're known for the most. Honestly, anything on their menu is probably good, even their guest beers they bring in. I'm not sure if that place ever has a "non-busy" time, but maybe after COVID, or after you're vaccinated, try to get there right when they open? That outside space is gorgeous, plus their food was decent.

The Shop is a pretty decent brewery for more of a laid-back atmosphere, where you can hang out with the brewers/bartenders.

If you don't mind, what sours have you tried? I've had a lot of people really enjoy sours if they try the right ones, but the wrong ones can definitely be off-putting for anyone.

You seriously have one of the better sour breweries in the country right there with Arizona Wilderness, so it's hard to recommend anything else. But for nationally-available sours, try Victory Sour Monkey for something more on the heavier side, and then Brooklyn Bel-Air for something more on the lighter side.

I would have recommended Sixpoint Jammer. It's a gose, which is a nice gateway to sour... but the beer has been shit for a few years in my opinion, which is a shame because that was my "this is the definitive beer for the category" gose for a little while. Maybe Dogfish Head Seaquench ale? It's not technically a sour, but it's a nice summer sipper if you like sour things, but not necessarily sour beer. I'm going off the top of my head, but I think it's a blend of two beer styles--gose and berliner weisse. Berliner Weisse's are another good gateway to sour, as they're typically a little more sour, and a little more flavored that gose's. With you finding some flavors off-putting, I really think a nice gose would be a good beer for you to try. Keep an eye out for any of the good local places to put a gose on the menu--especially with summer rolling around (not like Phoenix needs summer for the weather to get hot).

If you find that you like, or can tolerate, any IPA's, let us know which ones and we can try to find ones that are in that wheelhouse. Same goes for stouts or any other styles.

Knowing what you don't like helps as well. Based off what you've said so far, you're not a fan of fake/artificial flavors. A lot of people make the mistake of recommending bad beer to people who aren't beer lovers just because it has some fake flavors thrown on top of it... and hooray, they still don't like beer.

ETA: I think @FiveThous was recommending you try Douple IPA's and Triple IPA's, unless he was recommending belgians. That basically just means higher ABV/stronger flavored IPA's. Typically any IPA above about 7.0 ABV is likely to have a Double IPA (or Imperial IPA or DIPA) label slapped on it. Often times these beers use way more hops, like 2-3x the amount, than a traditional IPA. I'm pretty sure Triple IPA isn't an officially recognized style, but it's just a label that gets slapped on DIPA's that break 10% ABV. If you find that grass note off-putting, these stronger IPAs can often be nice because, besides using a lot more hops, they also use a lot more other things, like malt, to balance the flavor.

 

[DJTJ]

Well, fuck... Arizona Wilderness is absolutely fantastic, but you said you don't like sours. If you find some stouts tolerable, they also have good ones there. All their beers are good, but those would be the two styles I'd say they're known for the most. Honestly, anything on their menu is probably good, even their guest beers they bring in. I'm not sure if that place ever has a "non-busy" time, but maybe after COVID, or after you're vaccinated, try to get there right when they open? That outside space is gorgeous, plus their food was decent.

The Shop is a pretty decent brewery for more of a laid-back atmosphere, where you can hang out with the brewers/bartenders.

If you don't mind, what sours have you tried? I've had a lot of people really enjoy sours if they try the right ones, but the wrong ones can definitely be off-putting for anyone.

You seriously have one of the better sour breweries in the country right there with Arizona Wilderness, so it's hard to recommend anything else. But for nationally-available sours, try Victory Sour Monkey for something more on the heavier side, and then Brooklyn Bel-Air for something more on the lighter side.

I would have recommended Sixpoint Jammer. It's a gose, which is a nice gateway to sour... but the beer has been shit for a few years in my opinion, which is a shame because that was my "this is the definitive beer for the category" gose for a little while. Maybe Dogfish Head Seaquench ale?

If you find that you like, or can tolerate, any IPA's, let us know which ones and we can try to find ones that are in that wheelhouse. Same goes for stouts or any other styles.

Knowing what you don't like helps as well. Based off what you've said so far, you're not a fan of fake/artificial flavors. A lot of people make the mistake of recommending bad beer to people who aren't beer lovers just because it has some fake flavors thrown on top of it... and hooray, they still don't like beer.

ETA: I think @FiveThous was recommending you try Douple IPA's and Triple IPA's, unless he was recommending belgians. That basically just means higher ABV/stronger flavored IPA's. Typically any IPA above about 7.0 ABV is likely to have a Double IPA (or Imperial IPA or DIPA) label slapped on it. Often times these beers use way more hops, like 2-3x the amount, than a traditional IPA. I'm pretty sure Triple IPA isn't an officially recognized style, but it's just a label that gets slapped on DIPA's that break 10% ABV. If you find that grass note off-putting, these stronger IPAs can often be nice because, besides using a lot more hops, they also use a lot more other things, like malt, to balance the flavor.

AZ Wilderness has straight up delicious food. Will try to secure beers.

I tried some Sierra Nevada big box sour. I forget what it was called, but it was guava/strawberry. The bitter was entirely gone, but it wasn’t... sour? It was almost glowingly sweet, similar to whatever an Orange Blossom is.

I have a Moon Juice Galactic IPA from San Tan, which I like because their potato salad is bomb. Will attempt to drink it over the next day or so, and report back. A lot of the IPAs I have had have been after I was completely gone, mostly forced on me during drinking games. I’ve had a personal abstinence from alcohol for like 18 months after a brief divergent from another 18 month gap because I have horrible binge drinking qualities, so I’m trying to find a beer that I can have one and be cool with.

edit: to clarify, whatever a shandy is was great. But boy is that a girly ass drink (granted, girly ass drinks are great).

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

AZ Wilderness has straight up delicious food. Will try to secure beers.

I tried some Sierra Nevada big box sour. I forget what it was called, but it was guava/strawberry. The bitter was entirely gone, but it wasn’t... sour? It was almost glowingly sweet, similar to whatever an Orange Blossom is.

I have a Moon Juice Galactic IPA from San Tan, which I like because their potato salad is bomb. Will attempt to drink it over the next day or so, and report back. A lot of the IPAs I have had have been after I was completely gone, mostly forced on me during drinking games. I’ve had a personal abstinence from alcohol for like 18 months after a brief divergent from another 18 month gap because I have horrible binge drinking qualities, so I’m trying to find an beer that I can have one and be cool with.

This one?



Sierra Nevada is known for their IPA's. They do a good job with traditional west coast style IPA's, but I wouldn't go for many of their other beers especially when you're first starting out. I haven't had this particular beer, but I wouldn't buy it if I saw it

Their IPAs are worth trying, just for baseline. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Torpedo, and Hazy Little Thing are all cheap, approachable, solid representatives for their categories. (Pale Ale, DIPA, Hazy Pale Ale)

That Moon Juice will be an interesting one. Those are some different hop varieties.

 

[DJTJ]

This one?

View attachment 5290

Sierra Nevada is known for their IPA's. They do a good job with traditional west coast style IPA's, but I wouldn't go for many of their other beers especially when you're first starting out. I haven't had this particular beer, but I wouldn't buy it if I saw it

That Moon Juice will be an interesting one. Those are some different hop varieties.

Yes! It was... something? Like, it tasted like I was eating bubbly candy? Like almost like a reallly awful seltzer.

 

[Lee]

Alright, I’ll take some heat.

I’m 27, and I hate beer. Hate it. Hate everything about it. But... I’m forcing myself to drink it to develop my palate and willingness to not be a square. I’m going head first. Personal mission.

I drank this shandy thing my fiancé likes, and it was t atrocious. I’ve ruled out sour ales. I tried this one from Sierra Nevada, and it was ass but I didn’t feel like it was overwhelmingly bitter. Looking for recs that I can get relatively easily, and without going to a brewery. Someone point me in the direction.

Edit: Also, I had something called Orange Blossom- it was terrible. It’s a hugely popular beer in AZ, and while the bitterness is tampered, the Orange “flavor” coats your throat and it’s really unpleasant. I have a chocolate stout and another popular local IPA that I’ll force a few sips on.

I will go on a personal beer tour with you. I love our local beers and go to a them. We can get a flight at all of them and have fun. Great way to spend a saturday afternoon in the desert in my opinion. Where in the valley do you live again?

 

[FiveThous]

Any suggestions on doubles triples? I’ve had two wheat ales, and I feel like the bitterness tastes like... well, grassy. Is a blonde similar?

Check out beeradvocate, you'll find lists galore there of all the different styles and top beers in each category.

Top Rated Beers: Dubbel

Arguably the best beers within the Dubbel style.

www.beeradvocate.com

Kolsch would be another lighter beer, too.

 

[browniebob]

Alright, I’ll take some heat.

I’m 27, and I hate beer. Hate it. Hate everything about it. But... I’m forcing myself to drink it to develop my palate and willingness to not be a square. I’m going head first. Personal mission.

I drank this shandy thing my fiancé likes, and it was t atrocious. I’ve ruled out sour ales. I tried this one from Sierra Nevada, and it was ass but I didn’t feel like it was overwhelmingly bitter. Looking for recs that I can get relatively easily, and without going to a brewery. Someone point me in the direction.

Edit: Also, I had something called Orange Blossom- it was terrible. It’s a hugely popular beer in AZ, and while the bitterness is tampered, the Orange “flavor” coats your throat and it’s really unpleasant. I have a chocolate stout and another popular local IPA that I’ll force a few sips on.

Can you put your finger on what you didn't like about beers you've had in the past? I would be inclined to point you in the direction of something relatively simple and light to start- like a dortmunder lager, amber or kolsch. Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold is a good Cleveland lager if you can find it in Arizona and Fat Tire is a solid starter Amber. Amber's typically have little bit more sweetness and slightly roasted flavor compared to a lager.

IPA's are good, but I personally wouldn't suggest them initialy to somebody trying to develop their beer palate. There is a ton of variation, but they're typically going to be more bitter than other style which I think could turn off somebody in your position. I think these would be more of a second step after you've found some other styles you like, but everybody is different!

In addition to ABV (alcohol percentage) some beers will display their IBU (international bitterness units) levels on the can/bottle and that can give you a feel for how different styles compare from a bitterness standpoint. This info is easily found online as well.

 

[DJTJ]

Can you put your finger on what you didn't like about beers you've had in the past? I would be inclined to point you in the direction of something relatively simple and light to start- like a dortmunder lager, amber or kolsch. Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold is a good Cleveland lager if you can find it in Arizona and Fat Tire is a solid starter Amber. Amber's typically have little bit more sweetness and slightly roasted flavor compared to a lager.

IPA's are good, but I personally wouldn't suggest them initialy to somebody trying to develop their beer palate. There is a ton of variation, but they're typically going to be more bitter than other style which I think could turn off somebody in your position. I think these would be more of a second step after you've found some other styles you like, but everybody is different!

In addition to ABV (alcohol percentage) some beers will display their IBU (international bitterness units) levels on the can/bottle and that can give you a feel for how different styles compare from a bitterness standpoint. This info is easily found online as well.

Okay, so I’ve had sours and wheat ales so far.

The wheat ale tasted like grass, and as a result, made the flavor taste fake. It was an Orange Blossom, which is an ultra popular beer in AZ.

The sour, I’m willing to give another shot. I think I just picked a flavor combo I didn’t like.

I’ve had a Mr. Pineapple from San Tan, and it was sort of good. It’s seasonal. It’s a pineapple wheat.

I also don’t know if it’s a thing, but I feel like the thinner the beer feels, the less I like it? Like it feels like a crappy seltzer at that point.

 

[Lee]

Okay, so I’ve had sours and wheat ales so far.

The wheat ale tasted like grass, and as a result, made the flavor taste fake. It was an Orange Blossom, which is an ultra popular beer in AZ.

The sour, I’m willing to give another shot. I think I just picked a flavor combo I didn’t like.

I’ve had a Mr. Pineapple from San Tan, and it was sort of good. It’s seasonal.

Whenever you are ready and we are both vaccinated, I would love to take you to some breweries around here. What part of the valley do you live in again? SE Phoenix if i remember correctly, which i probably dont, lol

 

[FiveThous]

Okay, so I’ve had sours and wheat ales so far.

The wheat ale tasted like grass, and as a result, made the flavor taste fake. It was an Orange Blossom, which is an ultra popular beer in AZ.

The sour, I’m willing to give another shot. I think I just picked a flavor combo I didn’t like.

I’ve had a Mr. Pineapple from San Tan, and it was sort of good. It’s seasonal. It’s a pineapple wheat.

I also don’t know if it’s a thing, but I feel like the thinner the beer feels, the less I like it? Like it feels like a crappy seltzer at that point.

Ok, this part about thin beers actually helps.

You may want to try porters or stouts which are typically heavier in the feel. I don't usually recommend those to people but if you're thinking you don't like crisp or light beers, these may be more up your alley.

 

[DJTJ]

Whenever you are ready and we are both vaccinated, I would love to take you to some breweries around here. What part of the valley do you live in again? SE Phoenix if i remember correctly, which i probably dont, lol

I guess I’m more south central! But basically south mountain!