Beer for a beer hater.

[lurker18]

Can I get some suggestions for beer to give to a beer hater. A co-worker has challenged me to get her into beer drinking. She says she hates beer, but this is only coming from drinking Labbatt's Lite, Molson Canadian, Blue (Canadian equivelent of BMC). She doesn't like the bitterness in these, so stupid hops are out for the bitterness, but I was thinking something in the citrus taste with no bitterness (Goose Island IPA) or a Chocolate something (Youngs Double Chocolate).

Help Please.

 

[marubozo]

I might look towards a wheat beer. You could go with or without a citrus twist with that. I know some people around here who claim to hate beer, but will drink Bell's Oberon like it's water.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Any real light, low bitterness, neutral aroma. Something dry that uses S-05.

Lite Cream Ale
American Wheat
American Wheat with Fruit
Lite Pale Ale

Anything along those lines.

I have given up trying to convert people. They either like it of they don't. Making beer for people who don't particularly like beer has a 90% chance of failure IMO.

My wife hates beer but will drink it if there is no booze to be drank. Rum & Cokes or Morgan & Coke.

 

[rico567]

My 90 year old mother "hated beer" for the first 85 years of her life. My guess is that she had only been offered a drink of your typical BMC lager-style brew, decided she didn't like it, and then just never tried anything else. Anyhow, about 5 years ago one of my brothers talked her into having a swig of Guinness and she loved it. Now I can take down stouts, porters, nut browns.....pretty much anything dark and without much hops or fizz, and she'll drink it right up.

 

[davesrose]

The best drink to start off a girl who does not like beer is a fruity lambic. The women who say they're willing to try something new, but they don't like beer....well they tend to like sweet drinks in my experience. Last such woman I suggested a lambic to said "Wow, this is fantastic, I didn't know beer was like this". My last gf turned out to be like this....lambics were her safety, she'd order cider beers, and the most adventurous I got her was a milk stout. The main beer that I brewed that she liked was a raspberry wheat (that was heavy on the fruit). She basically said that she didn't like a beer aftertaste....which I couldn't really nail down as a particular malt or hop profile : as some IPAs or imperial stouts she told me didn't have as bad of an aftertaste. Now if only I can find a girl like my mom, who is a hop head, I'd be set

But if your friend really hasn't had much beer, I would start with a lambic, then see if she likes a wheat beer, a pale ale, then an English bitter, then a porter. If you have a brewpub around that offers samplers, that would be an even faster way of figuring what her palette might be. If she winds up being gaga over lambics, then just stop with the fruit beers

 

[Edcculus]

Its all about finding that beer that will convince her that beer can be good. When we started dating, my girlfriend "hated" beer. She was kind of put off that I homebrewed. I guess she was not fond of the idea of having a bunch of a beverage she "hated" around. It turns out she just hated BMC beer. Her enlightenment beer was my Hefeweizen based off of EdWort's Bavarian Hefeweizen recipe. Now she will drink the darkest RIS and the hoppiest IIPA.

I have a feeling its the same way with your co-worker (and everyone else that "hates" beer). If I was to choose 3 beers to serve to someone like this, I would pick Paulaner's Hefeweizen, Bell's Best Brown, and Terrapin Rye Pale Ale.

 

[foxual]

I started a lot of people with Blue Moon and Magic Hat #9 (and Ithaca Apricot Wheat), and moved on from there.

 

[humann_brewing]

My wife does not like beer but she will try a sip of mine but she actually likes the wit that I brewed based off of BMs recipe.

Last weekend she actually requested one and was the only bottle I had left as the keg was gone a long time ago. I will have to brew up another batch soon.

 

[Synovia]

The best drink to start off a girl who does not like beer is a fruity lambic. :

I second that. I haven't met a girl yet who doesn't love Lindeman's Framboise.

 

[BreckBastion]

My girlfriend tries every single beer I make and doesn't like any of them. She does like ciders so I started making those. About to bottle the first apfelwein and Perry so hopefully she likes those.

 

[Rick500]

+1 Lindemans Framboise

 

[carnevoodoo]

I second that. I haven't met a girl yet who doesn't love Lindeman's Framboise.

I guess that's probably true for a lot of non-beer drinkers. However, I know a lot of girls who won't touch that stuff. It is just too sweet once you really get into the sour type beers. There are plenty of good beers that don't need that much sugar.

 

[cellardoor]

Chalk up another vote for any Lindeman's back sweetened lambic. It maybe not a great representation of they style because of the sweetness but he's not looking for a 'good' beer, just a beer that a girl would like. I haven't seen a girl not be presently surprised at tasting any of those.

 

[thedigitale]

Have you asked her what she enjoys in a meal? We have tons of flavors in beer that compliment foods in similarity and contrast, so start there.

If she doesn't like bitter, but loves steak with caramelized onions, try a nut brown. If dessert is her favorite and she loves chocolate, try a chocolate stout.

I hate hearing "get her a fruity beer" all the time. Not all women like fruity beer, and many of them will like many styles if given the right example.

My wife doesn't really like the sour lambics, so if I started there it wouldn't work. Would you say, "He's a guy, start with a stout"?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Get your woman into lambics, then be ready to fork out a good deal of cash for her habit!

 

[KillerKellers]

Its been said a few times, but I would find out what she dislikes about the beers she has tried.. I know several people who only drink BMC to get a buzz, and never because they enjoy it. I find its easier to start them with a mild beer. Low on hops, big on smooth (wheat beers are usually pretty popular).

 

[davesrose]

If she doesn't like bitter, but loves steak with caramelized onions, try a nut brown. If dessert is her favorite and she loves chocolate, try a chocolate stout.

I hate hearing "get her a fruity beer" all the time. Not all women like fruity beer, and many of them will like many styles if given the right example.

I do that with women who say "Oh well, there are a few beers I've tried that I like....but I'm not sure what I like". I recently was on a date with a woman like that. She told me what kind of beer she had had, and I easily paired her with an English bitter that she really liked. With women who don't "hate" beer, they are more open to trying any beer flavor. The main thing I've noticed about women who say "I hate beer", well they've been conditioned into thinking that it's a man's drink and that it's going to be too bitter. So if you start them off with a sweet beer, then they have a pleasant surprise and may or may not try to broaden their palette. I have yet to find a woman who says "I hate beer" to not fit in the sweet palette category. My previous girlfriend would try to humor me by tasting different beers that I thought would work. The only comments I got back were if there was a strong aftertaste or not. On first drinking a milk stout, she said she really liked it. But then if it started getting warm, she said there was that after taste. After a few months, she had given up tasting beers with me and just ordered lambics or cider beers. So I just became resigned to the fact that she had a sweet drink only palette

 

[Schlenkerla]

Its been said a few times, but I would find out what she dislikes about the beers she has tried.. I know several people who only drink BMC to get a buzz, and never because they enjoy it. I find its easier to start them with a mild beer. Low on hops, big on smooth (wheat beers are usually pretty popular).

+1 - American Style Wheat. Nothing too estery.

 

[Big10Seaner]

To my surprise my brother and his girlfriend enjoyed my 6.2% hoppy pale ale the best out of a wheat, kolsch and esb. Don't be afraid to go with a pale as long as it's a smooth/fruity bitterness.

 

[Joker]

I have had great success with Blueberry Wheat brews. The wimmens love it.

 

[nvr2low]

I second that. I haven't met a girl yet who doesn't love Lindeman's Framboise.

my favorite beer bar localy will mix up a pint of cider and framboise for my wife. about 3/4 cider to 1/4 framboise, she will drink those all night. I have to say i have tried it and its pretty good. you would be hard pressed to find a beer hater that didnt love that and then be willing to move on to other stuff.

 

[brrman]

My wife loves my porter. She likes the darker malty styles.

 

[marubozo]

Once you go porter, you never go back... or something like that

 

[Hodor_Baggins]

my favorite beer bar localy will mix up a pint of cider and framboise for my wife. about 3/4 cider to 1/4 framboise, she will drink those all night. I have to say i have tried it and its pretty good. you would be hard pressed to find a beer hater that didnt love that and then be willing to move on to other stuff.

Along these lines, BJ's Brewery has a drink where they mix their RIS w/ Lindeman's Framboise. Tastes like chocolate covered raspberries, SWMBO really enjoyed it.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Honey brown. hate myself for saying that.