What is Your Favorite Brand(s) of Beer ???

The best beer I ever had in my life was whatever they had in the "honor fridge" at the Rolling Hills Golf Course in New Bedford, PA. (This was more than 40 years ago and was under prior ownership). I was 16 then; no beer since has ever tasted better!

Presently, five of the six-pack of Coors Light I bought to accompany nachos & cheese for the Dallas-New England game are still in the fridge.

real beer - Anchor Steam
NASCAR beer - silver bullet

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog

In no particular order.

Milwaukee's Best
Natural Light
Hamm's
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Schlitz
Blatz
Grainbelt
Old Milwaukee

Dude? you forgot Red,White & Blue, Billy Beer and No Brand

I love Guinness. Problem is there is no way to have it at home that approaches the texture of a well poured one at a busy pub.

To my knowledge you can't get it in "pony" sized kegs?

Gregg, even a pub Guinness can vary greatly. You are right about it better be a busy pub that goes through Guinness fast. The Local Irish pub in Minneapolis on Nicollet Mall will pour an excellent Guinness but the Newsroom right across the street from the Local will more often be stale and flat.

The Guinness cans with the widget in them are not too far off. You have to pour it in a glass to drink it properly. Drinking straight out of the can is not an option (for me). The Guinness bottled variety doesn't do anything for me. I won't buy the bottles.

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

They say that beer is the new wine.

You need to go to a little place called "Aspin" where the beer flows like wine!

....and where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.

We have some great breweries in Michigan who brew a variety of good beer. I like flavorful beer, not watered down urine looking beer that the big brewers brew.
Bells
Founders
New Holland
Dark Horse
Michigan Brewing

Newcastle Brown Ale

Schell's Beer of New Ulm, Minnesota

Fat Tire!!!!! Only have 3 left in my fridge. NEED MORE!!

I can endorse Schell's Beer in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is the second oldest brewery to Yuengling but I bet the oldest brewery still in its original brewhouse. When I first came to Minnesota in 1970 Schell's was just a local brewery that made local swill in my opinion. They have since upgraded significantly to that of a craft brewer. If you read labels closely on some so called craft beers around the country you might find if it says Minnesota that Schell's contract brewed it. Good beer. I like their Pale Ale and Pilsner.

Billy Beer...just kidding, HARP, hands down, then Fosters.
I like Anchor Steam but it gives me gas that could gag a maggot.

When i'm cooking up some BBQ in the summer i just love an ice cold 16oz. PBR.
Anchor Steam too.....but I can buy a 12 pack of PBR's for the price of one 6 of Anchor Steam.

Harpoon IPA is a really good ale I think as well.

Recently, I've been trying to branch out and drink new (to me at least) beer and learn more about beer in general. I've pledged to buy a new beer each time I pick up a six pack.

This week, I picked up six packs of both Anchor Steam and R.J. Rocker's Brown Ale. R.J. Rockers is out of Spartanburg, SC.

The Brown Ale tasted off to me. It wasn't flat exactly just off. I wasn't impressed.

I'm a big fan of Anchor Steam now. Very good!

I am going to butcher the spelling Yeugling-Pottsvill Pa-good dark beer $5.00 a sixer.

Stores are getting more sophisticated with beers and are starting to stock craft brews from around the country. However, I am very suspect when the sit on the shelf warm and have a layer of dust on them. Those I avoid

It depends on where I am--so many good beers are regional. While I'd love to be able to get Fat Tire at home, if it reached that level of distribution, it probably wouldn't be as good. Also depends on what and where I'm eating. If it's the double cheeseburger at Workingman's Friend, it's got to be the Champagne of Beers. There's also a local gastropub that makes its own excellent Belgian beers--wonderful to wash moules and frites down with, but not exactly roadfood. But, if I could somehow get all my favorite beers here, without affecting quality or anything, I'd pick up sixers of:
Fat Tire
Rogue Ales Dead Guy
Dixie Beer (it's back!!)
Shiner Bock
Upland Brewery Dragonfly IPA (excellent Indiana-based brewery, lots of seasonals etc).

Is it 5:00 yet??

Once asked a beer maker for his slant on the BEST beer in the world.
His answer: Samuel Smith from England. Try their Amber. It's expensive...but heaven. For my money the British make the BEST beer. French Kronnenburg is a close second. German beer over-rated. No major American bear is worth drinking. Question :If Coors is water...what is Coors lite???
leethebard

There are many Saranac beers I like, some Sam Adams, Pete's Wicked, Hennepin from Ommegang Brewery, Brooklyn Pale Ale, Brooklyn Lager, Unearthly (Imperial India Pale Ale) from Southern Tier Brewing (and others from same Brewery), Thumbsucker from Magic Hat, several beers from RUssian River, Stone, and Rogues Ales Breweries.
I'm sill a sucker for Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I enjoy some of the beers from Old Dominion, and I often get Yuengling when the tap is filled with mostly Bud and Miller Prducts. (I was drinking Yuengling before Yuengling was known outside of PA - and it was cheap then).

And that's just some of the American beers I like.
When at an Irish pub, I often get Harp/Guiness "Half and Half"

Canada had some awesome crafted beers, whose names (like so many American small breweries) escape me, but I do especially remember Alley Cat Brews and Lighthouse Brewery beers standing out.

So many good breweries in Gemrnay, here are some favs:
Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau
Weihenstephan
Paulaner

the list goes on.

PS If anyone wants to go with me to DC's Brickskellar (1000's of beer from around the world) I'll be glad to meet you.

The standard is Miller Lite.
Feeling Retro is PBR.
Oh wow, look what they have is Dixie Beer.
Bartender, what do you have on tap is something Belgian.

Straub
PBR

I don't drink beer frequently, but when I do, I want it to be a truly good beer, therefore my favorites, as of right now, are:

Guiness Extra Stout
All Sam Adams
Shiner Bock
Dos Equis
All beers from Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe, AZ

I'm certain that as I try more I will find others that I like as much or better than these, but as I say, I don't drink it frequently, so my taste isn't compromised (I think).

Donna

quote:

Originally posted by divefl

The standard is Miller Lite.
Feeling Retro is PBR.
Oh wow, look what they have is Dixie Beer.
Bartender, what do you have on tap is something Belgian.

when in Balto, drink Natty Boh!

It's getting hard to tell who is serious and who is poking fun around here.

quote:

Originally posted by brentk

It's getting hard to tell who is serious and who is poking fun around here.

Can't we do both. I drink either Natural Light or Bud Light and I'm serious.

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

Question :If Coors is water...what is Coors lite???
leethebard

It's . . . never mind. I better not answer that question.

quote:

Originally posted by Donna Douglass



All beers from Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe, AZ


Donna

Ahhh, a woman after me own heart! 8th Street Ale is my fav.

OK, let's get serious with our brews. Today I headed down to Excelsior Vintage liquor store in Excelsior, Minnesota. They specialize in wines but do carry a couple of coolers of craft beers. Last week they got in Bell's Hopslam Ale a seasonal brew that comes out in January. I had been waiting for this and finally picked up my first six pack. We're talking about a 10% alcohol by volume biting, bitter, tongue bruiser of an ale. I had reservations that such an ale would be too much but it is goooood! Take a look at the art work. Bell's is brewed in Comstock, MI near Kalamazoo.

Too many to choose from. Here is my top 10 list (in no particular order):
Carona
Pyramid Apricot Ale
Blue Moon
Sunshine Wheat
Honey Brown
Dos Equis
Bud Light
Red Hook
Guiness
Red Stripe

:-) Cheers

Carling Black Label
Old Dutch
Iron City
Lucky Lager
Carlsberg
Chill by Miller
Meisterbrau
Steel Reserve 212
Schaefer
Olympia
Finally my favorite is the one I thought was mine but found a cigarette butt in it...Russ

Currently, Foster's green label, and McSorley's, when I can get it

I was recently introduced to wheat beer called Hefe Weizen. The label is Pauliner. Lovely brew.

Harp
Fosters
Corona
Anchor Steam
Yungling Draft
Heinekin

Coors is not beer, it's water but not as flavorful!

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Jackson

Finally my favorite is the one I thought was mine but found a cigarette butt in it...Russ

EEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Stuttgarter Hofbrau
Dinkelacker
Schwabenbrau
Rolling Rock
San Miguel

From the really old days:

Sterling
Falls City
Oertels 92

I was always a big Waldech fan.

Guinness
Amstel Light (my summer beer)
Miller Lite
Paulaner Hefeweizen
Czechvar

McEwans Scotch Ale
Grolsch
Downtown Brown

1. AASS (particularly Aass Bock, my favorite beer in the world, not imported to the US every year, it's been a while since i've been able to get it but other Aas beers are around, but the Bock- oh that Bock- i believe the logo on it says something like "the perfect beer for a spring morning"! tastes of Hallertau hops- incredible)

2. Wolavers- anything wolavers is gonna work great- the IPA, brown, pale ale all great great great! organic beer from Vermont- sublime.

3. Celis White- delish, so refreshing

4. homebrew- brew your own beer- always fresh, contains brewers yeast / sediment which replenishes your bodies lost vitamins etc..., very economical and a great way to learn about what it is you like precisely about particular beers (i've brewed about 25 batches of homebrew since college days and though it wasn't world class, it was delicious and so satisfying to drink your own creations- plus you can put whatever crazy ingredients you like in it- cardomom, maple syrup, blueberries, herbs, all of which i've tried, and really experience what different types of malt, barley, and hops mean to a beer).

enjoy fb

quote:

Originally posted by Larry - RibRater - Jay

....and where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.

HUH????

Dearfolk,
My current favorite has to be SweetWater Happy Endings from Atlanta. It's sort of like an overextended Imperrial Porter....
But I'm TRYING to lose weight!!!!!
Shrinkingly And Pintlessly, Ort. Carlton in Ever-Expanding Athens, Georgia.
P. S. I still love the beer at Copper Creek Brewing Co. here in Athens.

I am enjoying one of these, for the first time ever, as I write this. Excellent. Best import from UK I've found so far.

http://www.wychwood.co.uk/beers.htm

quote:

Originally posted by enginecapt

quote:

Originally posted by Larry - RibRater - Jay

....and where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.

HUH????

The swallows left town and bought condos in Scottsdale.


Greg, if you are still in Bend:
(Copied from Portlandfood.org)
From the Steve's Cheese mailing.

2008 Firkin Tastival
Presented by Victory and Steve's Cheese
Produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild
Sunday February 24th:

Two Sessions
Noon to 2:30 p.m.
3:30 to 6:00 p.m.

at Victory
3652 SE Division
Portland, Oregon
503-236-8755


The 1st Annual Firkin Tastival will feature 9 naturally conditioned, gravity poured beers across a variety of styles from barrel aged beers to American I.P.A.'s to English style Bitters. All tastival beers are specially brewed for the event by Oregon Brewers Guild Members.

The $25 admission will get you an 8 oz commemorative tasting glass, 8 drink tickets and two food tickets (21 and over only).

If you love great handmade beer like we do, make sure you get your ticket now! We will be serving some great cheese also. Tickets are available at the Oregon Brewers Guild website.

Bill ... I am not currently in Bend, but may be ... Good to know. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by enginecapt

quote:

Originally posted by Larry - RibRater - Jay

....and where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano.

HUH????

You know, it's a place you go when the gas man cometh and your bird's heads start falling off...pretty bird...pretty bird...

I always preferred the cream ales.
Jet City (no longer made)
Genessee Cream Ale
Old Vienna Cream Ale
OKeefe Ale

I think 3 of the 4 are long-gone. I just read that Schlitz is back. Or, as I call it, Schitz.

I always buy the Mexican stuff because I hate overpriced pretentious sniff and swirl and spit "American" beers these days. Beer is supposed to be a no-BS blue collar beverage.

I am not a beer drinker. If I HAD to drink a beer, I would choose a Rolling Rock.

ANDERSON VALLEY: HOPPIN OTTIN

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Barleywine, Celebration Ale
Rogue Brewery - Dead Guy Ale, IPA
Stone Brewery - Arrogant Bastard

quote:

Originally posted by Capybara91



I always buy the Mexican stuff because I hate overpriced pretentious sniff and swirl and spit "American" beers these days. Beer is supposed to be a no-BS blue collar beverage.

Beer drinkers or tasters seldom "spit"- that's pretty much strictly a "wine thing". Swilling/smelling one's beer IS important to some who are interested in enjoying a beer's flavor (rather just guzzling ice cold beer), OTOH, since taste and smell are so related.

As for "BS", for many beer drinkers, paying "craft beer prices" for adjunct laden beer in clear glass, brewed in a third world country and routinely served with a lime is pretty much the definitive example of "BS". (Not that I would have known without specifically looking today, but Corona costs as much as all-malt Samuel Adams- $15 a 12 pack, versus beers of the same style and quality from the US- Bud at $10/12 pk- and from Canada- Labatt- $12/12pk.)

I'd much rather drink the many traditional beer styles that have been revived by American craft beer brewers - most of which predate the adjunct "light lager" and the even lighter "light beer" styles that are the dominant style of beer from US and Mexican large breweries. I (blue collar and all) don't think "flavor = pretentiousness" and it's somewhat strange to find the theory on a website that promotes good, local food over the corporate stuff.

You'll find many strange tastes and beliefs on this "good,local food" web site...it takes all kinds of people to make the world go 'round...we just need to tolerate them....bad taste and all!!

quote:

Originally posted by Capybara91


I always buy the Mexican stuff because I hate overpriced pretentious sniff and swirl and spit "American" beers these days. Beer is supposed to be a no-BS blue collar beverage.

When a wine store has a tasteing night, and they can open up 15-20 bottles and give you little 1 oz samples, you spit for several reasons. (I've been to tastings in Seattle that had 50 bottles open)

First, you're likely driving afterwards, and 20oz wine = 5 drinks. Assuming you're there just for the tasting, you're likely in and out under an hour. 5 drink in 1 hour for many people makes a good buzz. Not cool with driving.

Secondly, if you're there for the tasting, you want to actually still be able to taste by that 20th bottle. You swirl & smell to take in the full aroma. You sip and swirl it again within your mouth to hit all your tastebuds, let the aroma go back up your sinuses for more smell. And you spit, because alcohol deadens tastebuds eventually. With a good buzz going you won't be really tasting and evaluating that 20th bottle. You're just drinking at that point.

Beer tastings follow the same process, but with anywhere from 1/2 to 1/4 the alcohol of wine, a lot less spitting goes on due to a lot less overall alcohol in the sampling. In fact, I rarely see beer spit, and I go to 1-2 wine/beer/port tastings a month, every month.

As for "Beer is supposed to be a no-BS blue collar beverage." - that just makes me giggle. The only authentically 100% American created beer style is "American Light Lager." Diet beer. (Bud lite, Miller light, ect...) Everything else is a revival or variation off of classic European styles which has always fueled the average European worker.

So American no-BS blue collar beverage = Diet beer? Thank God for the craft brewing revival.

Budweiser

The Bear

Is there anything worse than beer snobs? It isn't wine, people. I don't care if you drink something that looks and tastes like a liquified loaf of bread, why hassle me for drinking something ice-cold and delicious like Miller Lite, Coors Light, PBR, Golden Anniversary or "The Beast"?

quote:

Originally posted by Zenarcade

Is there anything worse than beer snobs? ...

Yes, the unadventurous.

As I've said before - BBQ snobs, Hot Dog snobs, Steak snobs, Beer snobs... once you realize how good something CAN be, it's difficult to go back to the mass market marginally well done norm.

Yes I can pick up a rack of ribs from the chain grocery store down the street. They're ribs. They're cheap. They have a sweet sauce on them. But they are a pale shadow of the ribs I'll be getting from the state BBQ fest next weekend, and paying more for.

Likewise I can pick up a 12 pack of 'Blitzed Lite' for the discount price of $6.99, but it's a pale shadow compaired to the flavor, aroma, mouth feel of a 6-pack craf brew for $7.99. Sometimes you actually get what you pay for. Good beer is not cheap to make. The raw ingredient cost is directly reflected in the price. If your 6 pack is $3, rest assured you're geting less malt and hops and more water. If your 6 pack is nearly $8, with that first bottle you will taste the malt hops difference. You cannot avoid not tasting the difference. You get what you pay for.

And having said all that, sometimes 'Blitzed light' is exactly what you want. You want something light, refreshing, mild, unobtrusive. That's fine. Its actually a great post-lawn mowing beer.

Zen,
The same can be said for those who disparage the opinions of others regarding almost anything man makes. The BMW owner who makes snide remarks about my Ford Truck. The DietCoke-Pepsi folks who look at generic colas as if they are Moonshine. It all comes down to personal tastes and a respect for the position of others regarding whatever products are being discussed.

I have a good friend here on Roadfood who is very knowledgable about Beers. We will make jokes about my stock of Bud Lite or Mic Ultra (whichever was cheaper), but he manages to choke it down when he visits. We usually go over to the Liquor Barn in Louisville to draw a Growler of some exotic brew (Arrogant Bastard Ale comes to mind-appropriately I think) so he can pontificate about the various contributing factors that make a good beer...and I counter by downing a Bud-lite or a Shiner's Boch in one flip of the bottle. I have found that trying to debate with a Food-BBQ-Beer-Wine-etc Snob is a waste of time. My best Advice is to Make a stupid remark and get on with life. You aren't going to change them, and sticking a pin in their inflated egos can be real fun !!

Liking quality products does not automatically make someone a "SNOB"...Putting down others because they don't share the same views Does !

quote:

Originally posted by WarToad

quote:

Originally posted by Zenarcade

Is there anything worse than beer snobs? ...

Yes, the unadventurous.

As I've said before - BBQ snobs, Hot Dog snobs, Steak snobs, Beer snobs... once you realize how good something CAN be, it's difficult to go back to the mass market marginally well done norm.

Yes I can pick up a rack of ribs from the chain grocery store down the street. They're ribs. They're cheap. They have a sweet sauce on them. But they are a pale shadow of the ribs I'll be getting from the state BBQ fest next weekend, and paying more for.

Likewise I can pick up a 12 pack of 'Blitzed Lite' for the discount price of $6.99, but it's a pale shadow compaired to the flavor, aroma, mouth feel of a 6-pack craf brew for $7.99. Sometimes you actually get what you pay for. Good beer is not cheap to make. The raw ingredient cost is directly reflected in the price. If your 6 pack is $3, rest assured you're geting less malt and hops and more water. If your 6 pack is nearly $8, with that first bottle you will taste the malt hops difference. You cannot avoid not tasting the difference. You get what you pay for.

And having said all that, sometimes 'Blitzed light' is exactly what you want. You want something light, refreshing, mild, unobtrusive. That's fine. Its actually a great post-lawn mowing beer.

Hey, I live in Maine. We've got more microbrews than anywhere else per capita. I've tried the majority of them and they aren't bad. But what irritates me is people who act like they are somehow a superior being because they enjoy one beer over another. "Taste" is a subjective thing. Some people would take a 5 dollar roadside cheeseburger over a lobster dinner every time.