Blue Moon is a pretty good starter beer, imo. The Brewing Company is owned by Moslon-Coors, but it's part of their craft division and certainly better than their mass-produced line. It's got a hint of orange (in bars you'll often get it with a slice of orange on the glass). I haven't had it in a long time, but I've still got a bit of a soft spot in my heart for it because it was the beer that helped me learn to like beer.

Depending on where you are, Leinenkugel's may be readily available. (I'm thinking you're detroit or somewhere in the upper midwest, but I'm not good with poster's names, so if that's wrong I apologize.) If you like lemonade, they have a nice seasonal flavor called Summer Shandy--it's a mix of beer and lemonade, basically. It's a good beer even for people who don't really like beer, so if you're wanting to give beer a try but not sure what you like, I think it's a good place to start. I saw at the grocery store today that Shock Top also has a summer shandy, but I haven't tried it. (Shock Top is a Budweiser brand.) Leinenkugel's also has a hefeweizen that is a pretty good beer that isn't terribly challenging.

I don't mean that as a negative, of course--I just figure most people who haven't had beer are more likely to like Hefeweizens or Pilsners than really dark beers. Most of the people I know who really enjoy different types of beer started in that realm and then over time branched out to the darker styles.

There are lots of choices out there, from lagers, to ales, to ambers, to dark stouts. I would suggest maybe starting out with a 'sampler' six pack, with six different types of beers in it. Find out which kinds you like best and then narrow it down from there. If you find you like light lagers or thick stouts, then return and browse among those types only.

I prefer variety myself, which is why I suggested the sample pack. I like all kinds of beer and I don't necessarily prefer a single type. Sarnac Brewery (out of NY state) produces a decent sample six-pack. Not sure if they sell them where you are at, but that might be a good place to start. Even if you don't like their particular beers, it might help you narrow down which types of beers you like.

As for the mass-marketed stuff, you can never go wrong with Corona and a lime. Sam Adams has some good workaday beers too (they also do samplers). Labatt is a decent Canadian beer, IMO.

But I'm not an expert, just a drinker

On edit: Poster above mentioned Leinenkugel, which also does samplers. They have some good stuff. I particularly like their berry beers, which are pretty fruity-tasting (I like that kind of thing, but others may not).

Probably harder to find a custom six pack at a grocery store, though there is one or two grocery stores around here that have them. But big liquor stores will often have a nice selection of singles that one can choose from.

And they just bundle 4-6 beers together. That seems to be what Sarnac, Sam Adams, and Leinenkugel does. I think the 'pick your own' thing is what the OP is trying to avoid. That's for the beer nerds (and extremely expensive too - that can be up to $2 a bottle).

For the novice, I'd recommend a sampler from one of the aforementioned breweries. And pour each one into a glass, so you can see the color. Make note of which you like and don't and then return to the store the next time with that info.

Here in Columbus they have sampler six-packs at most grocery stores. Of course, it is a college town so that might have something to do with it. I don't know where the OP lives, but they can probably track down some samplers, even if they have to go to the liquor store.

Damn, now I want a beer. And none in the house too (though there is some Wild Turkey

My GF's brother is a brewer and he's actually pretty good. I plan on moving into a bigger place this summer and once I do, I'm going to have him over to set me up for some basement brewing.

Haven't had the pyramid nor have I seen it here, but I'll be on the lookout for it

I'm sure it will help to have somebody who has some experience to come in and help you set up.

I actually did some home brewing once a few years ago, and it was very good, but I only got to make one batch in the time I had the equipment (making it easily the most expensive beer I've ever had :rofl . It was pretty good, though, and a lot of fun. I'd like to give it another try sometime.

Seems to work well. I'm looking forward to it. I'd also like to get into some home wine making as well (which I hear from him is actually a lot easier than beer).

That's a funny joke! I swear!

Don't yet try the more intensely flavored darks ( stouts porters ) just yet. Let them become an acquired taste. Stay away from any of the literally watered-down "low-cal" or light ( or 'Lite' ) beer so that you become accustomed to what real beer tastes like. Now you may well end up liking a lighter ( not "light" ) but at least you'll have become familiar with a reasonable benchmark first.

Now it's funny as my mind has become blank as I try to recall on demand, so what I mention won't do justice to the many choices available, but these can be had in most any big food store.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Yuengling Lager

Sierra Nevada Amber Ale ( not actually a lager but one of the best and readily available of it's type )

All these beers would be considered too "thick" or intensely flavored by those who drink only the mass market stuff like Bud, Miller and such, but the latter, especially the 'Lite' versions are known as good beer for people that don't like beer: Not exactly a ringing endorsement in my book.

Read more suggestions, and post what you think after you've tried some. I'd really like to know a first timer's impression.

Despite all the kidding and bashing it gets, it's actually a nice honest lager. Drink it out of a glass so you can taste, smell and savor it. Same goes for all beers.

Ice cold.

as has been noted. Sam Adams and Leinenkugel should be available most places. Both are solid craft brewers that make a very drinkable and enjoyable tipple. Heineken is a little generic, but a decent introduction to the hoppier style of Dutch/German lagers. Minneapolis' Surly makes some very interesting, and somewhat spendy, beers as does St. Paul's Summit. There are probably brewers in your city (Detroit IIRC) that offer similar IPAs (hoppy, very hoppy, as in somewhat bitter and rather floral) and brown ales (richer, darker and mellower, also more brown than golden in color).

Beer is as infinite in its varities as is wine, and you will never taste them all, but the journey is the point of the exercise.

of beers for just about any drinker. I have had Surly (we live near Mpls) and I find it too strong, puts hair on my chest and that messes with my decolletage.

I agree with you on finding a local brewer - you can usually sample and find what fits your taste buds best!

Try some MGD if you are buying a 12 pack for home use.

... nice variety, all good ones.

I'll see if they have it at the Kroegers when I go shopping

Thanks

I have also seen them at Walmart and Sam's Club...

Blue Moon is one. Harpoon is another, if you can find it in your area. They are out of Boston, and I have seen at least two different sampler packs from them at Kroger. I don't know if you have Magic Hat in your region, but they have seasonal samplers. You might be able to find the summer one now. All of their samplers have #9, which is one of my favorite beers period. Saranac has a sampler six-pack, which I have only seen in the package stores around here. Liquor/package stores might be a great place to go for variety packs. They may even sell singles.

Also, many grocery stores have "build your own" six packs. It's another great way to try lots of different beers. The only problem with them is that they are pricey.

I hate beer, but I love Sam Adams.
Although I prefer Rum.

Living in the UK I got into being a beer geek in a different way but I would certainly suggest SNPA for both taste and importance.

I have been in love with that stuff for 17 years.

It's a great introduction to the hoppy stuff. Not sure what would make for a good American dark beer to suggest as I wouldn't suggest imperial stout or black IPA for an introduction to dark beer.

Strictly an at home drinker

Cans, of course.

Target acquired.

Drink for effect!

I didn't see any bad advice in the lot so I will just add this: My wife hates hates hates beer.
But I love it and love trying new (to me) beers and any time I bring home something new she always gives it a try.

Magic Hat #9 was the first thing I ever handed her where she didn't make "that face". She still didn't like it enough to start drinking beer but she said it was much better than all the other things she's tried.

I get their sampler packs all the time and most of them are seasonal but #9 is their main beer and is available year round - I get it at my local grocery store in Florida and they brew it in Vermont so it goes at least down the eastern seaboard.

Might not get it at 7-11 but grocery stores should have it. (weird local blue laws notwithstanding)

And then you wouldn't have to worry about wanting to drink again?

Here in Maryland, Dogfish Head and Flying Dog breweries both offer excellent beers.

I adore Dogfishhead beers but sadly they no longer export to the UK.

Not really drinking too much US beer myself right now as there's plenty of great British beer being made with American hops.

The Raging Bitch Belgian-style IPA is probably my all-time favorite beer.

I live in the best area of Britain for real ale and in addition to cask ale a lot of pubs and off-licences round here have plenty of US beer from the likes of Anchor, Brooklyn, Goose Island, Odell (who've done collaboration beers with a local brewer called Thornbridge) and so forth.

we used to seek out English and German beers when all we had was Budweiser and other watery lagers. And to think the most popular beers in American are the even more watery lite beers!

the whole micro-brew thing really represents the last 15 years or so.

....and the American craft beer bar there bar was dismissed out of hand by many punters used to all US beer sold over here being very much like making love in a canoe (f**king close to water!). These days, with even Tesco selling Sierra Nevada Pale Ale that's not such a credible position to maintain.

These days the influence of US beer on British Brewing is huge and the up and coming brewers are heavily influenced by US beer and use plenty of US hops. Don't know if you get imports from the likes of Brewdog and Thornbridge but that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of.

There is still the mass consumer market for watery and virtually tasteless lite beers. There are also seemingly thousands of craft breweries as an alternative. There is a small local brewery a couple miles from here that makes pilot beers, experimental beers in small batches. The more experimental they are, the better business they do, and it never gets out of the city. It is a whole new marketplace.

American wine has become very complex and sophisticated, too, also in my lifetime. Wine has changed all over the world, for the better, with entirely new national markets.

We still have beer fads, though. Guinness was going through a major fad revival here a couple years ago, almost becoming a cult beer. I didn't get that fad, either.

You've got the mainstream stuff and then there's the real ale / "craft" beer market, although it's difficult to work out what is and isn't considered "craft" beer (the term doesn't have as much meaning over here, but it's the sector of the beer market growing the most, lead by brewers such as Brewdog, Kernel, Marble, Darkstar, and Thornbridge)

Great beer.

My Dave brew company

If you're looking for the larger national beers I'd suggest Coors.

Otherwise we're drinking more and more of the local brews around the house. I like to run up to Wisconsin every so often and get some New Glarus Spotted Cow. That's some damn fine stuff there. As is the stuff coming out of Potosi these days.

Or Rainier.
Hell, we've been boycotting Coors since 1980 something.
Not difficult to do, considering the taste.
IMHO.
I don't like beer
but
I will drink one occasionally on a very hot day
Molson Canadian

'course that's when I was living in the Pac. NW.

Asahi (Japan)
Tsingtao (Chinese)
Also like LaBatts (Canadian)

But it's a California treat, I suspect. Do you have a
Trader Joes? They will have good beers.

Order a tray of samples. Work your way through them in succession. Cleanse your palate in between samples with water and bread or crackers. Avoid anything really salty that could overpower the senses. Take notes. Bring someone else along so that you can discuss the flavors. Have a DD or take a cab.

More tips here: http://www.beerappreciation.com/HowtoBeerTasting.pdf

Do not start with Pabst-it is OK for a pilsner(American slang meaning "water&quot This is a hipster beer. Not a bad thing in and of itself-but this is not that good a beer. (It is better than Bud, Busch, Miller, etc) It is very similar to Heinekin-which sucks.
You want to start with an easy beer. Fuck Blue Moon-my wife drinks that shit and it is a poseur beer.
You want something EASY! And GOOD.

First choice-Hacker-Pschorr Weisse-yummy and easy. And you can get it where you live(Is it the Twin Cities?) Add a bit of lemon!

Second would be Sam Adams Boston Lager-not terribly adventurous-but quite good and easy on the untrained palette.

If you are ready to explore, do like T i B says--try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale--NO-don't just try it. On your first taste, it may seem bitter. Smell it, pour it in a glass, drink it. Smell it again. If, after two beers, you hate it--forget it. It is my all-time favorite.

Anything made by Leinenkugel is awful-truly-stay away. Especially the Summer Shandy--think of mixing beer with crappy cough syrup--I am from Wisconsin and hate that they can sell their swill for 6 or 7 bucks a six-pack.

And Yuengling is pretty good for the low price--but it is mainly a southern and eastern beer-I can't get it here in northern Wisconsin. It is like a wine cooler. Easy and OK--I would buy it more if I could get it. Not great, though.

...there are Pilsner's out there worthy of respect. Bernard in the Czech Republic make some fantastic Pilsners for instance.

Not too sure about good US Pilsner's though, and most US wheat beers I've tasted have not been up to the standard of their European counterparts IMHO (Best US wheat beer I've had is Maui Manu Wheat).

You just posted fightin' words!! As I mentioned above, I even named my dog Leinie. Well, mainly in case I got too drunk to remember his name, I could just look at the bottle in my hand.

Sigh, I guess you are entitled to your opinion... but I still shake my fist in your general direction

Naturally, if I had no beer, and a Leinie's fell into my paws, I would drink it. I just would not recommend it! Yeah-JMO

hahahahaha. That's what the rest of us started on (albeit when we were 16) so you may as well start there as well.

Sorry I can't give you any better suggestions, seriously all beer tastes exactly the same to me no matter where it's from or how much it costs.

Sam Adams Boston Lager
Killian's Irish Red
Harps
Stella Artois
Grolsch

They're all drinkable.

Detroit Beer Company has pretty good lagers and food, if you're in the Grand Circus Park area. Royal Oak Brewery is run by the same people, so should also be good.

....that Stella & Grolsch are in any way "drinkable". It's those sort of beers that lead me to join CAMRA in protest!

Happily the beer aisles of Supermarkets tend to have much better stuff then that these days.

if it is twist off or you need an actual bottle opener...hey don't laugh, many many people make this rookie mistake.

a lovely Belgian style that is just under 10% alcohol. Affordable. May not be in convenience stores. If you live in a civilized state it may be in your supermarkets.

Stay away from Budweiser, Heiniken, Natural Light, Michelob, Pabst Blue Ribbon, etc... They're essentially beer-flavored water. Same for most Yuengling beers, but their porter & their black and tan (porter & pilsner) are drinkable.

I prefer brown ales, porters, stouts, and other dark beers. Those have more flavor and are less watery. The malt content may sting initially, but you get used to it.

Honey Brown, Guinness, and Guinness Extra Stout aren't spectacular, but for a first-timer, they'd probably be pretty good choices.

Sierra Nevada produces decent brown ales, porters, and stouts. Can't speak for any of their other selections, though.

Kona Brewing Company's products are commonly stocked. I've never much liked their year-round selections, but their Koko Brown (coconut-flavor) is pretty good, and their Pipeline Porter is very good, if you like coffee-flavored beer.

Leinenkugel produces a decent brown ale in the autumn/winter, but I've never tried anything else they make.

Crack the second one in between the shower and the shave.

peace,
Noodleboy

....when you get the chance

I'll spill the beans when I get home.

By the way, I appreciate all the answers. Especially, from the expert beer drinkers out there who have completely disregard the fact that my palate for alcohol has a preference for liquor and don't know diddly-squat about beer. I'm sure that all the heavy stuff will go over well for me… *Snicker!*

Anyway, if they have that Sam Adams variety pack at the store, I'll probably go for that.

But, that's just between you and me.

speaking as a child of the Detroit suburbs myself. Strohs was the locally brewed Detroit beer, though it is just another lightweight American pilsner. They got bought out by Pabst and Miller in the late 1990s. Strohs was very big in the area forever, though. "From one beer lover to another".

Strohs is to Detroit like Vernor's ginger-ale is to Detroit. And Faygo.

better flavor than the other light beers. Also, how it's served is more important. Most people don't know this, but you should never drink it out of a bottle cause it gives you gas. Also, the glass you pour it in has to be crystal clear clean. You don't pour it to the side of the glass but directly in because you want a nice head. The bubbles release the gas. When you drink it the head should leave a nice lace pattern on the side of the glass. Also, the temperature shouldn't be less than 38 degrees or more than 42. If you take care of your brew like I outlined, it should be a perfect glass of beer and a pleasant experience.

they all taste the same.

Drink up!

buy the beer.

end of july in depot town in ypsilanti michigan. buy your tickets early, have someone with a 10 year chip as ths DD. It really is a good way to learn/people watch/try. regards, irisblue, former ypsi resident

Fer Christ Sakes

I just tried this and I dig it. Not generally an India Pale Ale fan (usually too bitter for my taste), but this brew is mellow and nicely spicy, very clean taste. It's a California company, but should be available in Michigan.

Because then it only gets better.

And also, Natural Ice.

I'm just kidding about Natural Ice. I would be afraid to even cook with that .

Staropramen is a good pilsner and easy on the palate. Yuengling makes a good lager that's also not going to bite your tongue.

Ignore the suggestions of IPA, Guinness, etc. -- those will likely taste too strong for a newbie beer drinker. When you get a few six-packs under your (ever expanding) belt, you might want to branch out and try something more exotic.

By all means don't drink crappy horse-piss beer like Miller, Michelob, Pabst, or Carling Black Label. If you absolutely must drink some middle-of-the-road beer that normal Americans like, Bud is less horrible than most of the rest, though still fairly horrible.

This shouldn't be a thread about ones's favorite beers, but one to introduce somebody to beer without turning them off.