Getting a friend into beer, need suggestions

[mikepkes]

I have a friend at work that currently collects and drinks fine red wines, his favorite being french wines (not sure on style).

He has a cellar with 2k bottles and such yadda yadda, etc.

After trying some of my IPA that I brought to work in Stone Brewing Company growlers he decided to go out and buy a Double Bastard(yeah, we can bring beer to work for late day drinks or end of week parties sometimes).

He told me today that he tried it and had to dump it out (a shame) but for someone still getting into bitter, that's a strong and in-your-face brew. I like a lot of stone brews (on and off) but I still can't really enjoy a double bastard unless its aged a few years (the '05 this year was delicious).

Considering he drinks wine, I don't think it was the abv that caught him off guard, more the bitterness.



My charge:
Help me figure out what to give him. Already I'm thinking Rochefort 10 (since I have an extra one in my fridge and that has enough complexity and not too bitter).

Thanks in advance,
-Mike

 

[77bawls]

Newcastle brown, nice and smooth. Or are you talking micro brews?
Hoppy brewing company's red ale is pretty good too.

 

[rpappi]

dog fish head's 90 minute IPA is a good ipa thats not too overwhelming

 

[Icebrewer]

I suggest you rather get him to taste Flanders Red, e.g. Duchesse de Bourgogne. great aroma, fruit and caramel, sweet and sour...sometimes like wine. The gap from good red wine to an IPA is too wide in my opinion.

 

[Dkmount721]

Well hmmm.

IPAs? Do you bombard them with yummy hops?

Flanders red? Do you bombard them with yummy sour?

I think the quad idea is great. Might be the right neutral tast/high abv kick start they need. Maybe let him jump up to Oaked Arrogant Bastard now.

A bottle of Lindemanns wouldn't hurt his perceptions and baby steps into the world of sourish stuff.

:rockin:

 

[Icebrewer]

Well hmmm.

IPAs? Do you bombard them with yummy hops?

Flanders red? Do you bombard them with yummy sour?

I think the quad idea is great. Might be the right neutral tast/high abv kick start they need. Maybe let him jump up to Oaked Arrogant Bastard now.

A bottle of Lindemanns wouldn't hurt his perceptions and baby steps into the world of sourish stuff.

:rockin:

Dont know if you have tasted it but I dont think there is too much sourness in this brand. A seasoned red wine connoisseur would probably not think so anyway.

 

[Revvy]

I agree with Dkmount and Lindemann's. That might be a good crossover, esepecially if he like sparkly wines.

This list might also help you. It's from Iron Chef Michael Symon's Restaraunt "Roast" in Detroit.

Michael Symon's Beer List for the wine enthusiast.

Some interesting suggestions, and some I've never heard of.

 

[Dkmount721]

Dont know if you have tasted it but I dont think there is too much sourness in this brand. A seasoned red wine connoisseur would probably not think so anyway

I honestly don't know jack about wine. So that would be my dilemna. Can't stand the stuff. Heh.

 

[Dkmount721]

Some interesting suggestions, and some I've never heard of.

Huh not much lager love there?

No Unibroue love either kinda sad.

I want that Smoked Pork Chop with a glass of La Fin du Monde.

 

[Revvy]

Huh not much lager love there?

No Unibroue love either kinda sad.

I want that Smoked Pork Chop with a glass of La Fin du Monde.

I think from the list Symon's trying a local twist to the beer list (I'd be interested to see his other restaraunts) since the list is so Michigan heavy.

Hence choosing Jolly pumpkin over Unibroue maybe?

It is pretty cool though.

 

[stageseven]

If the bitter isn't really working for him, I would say go with a few nice Belgians. Some De Koninck, Chimay, Pauwel Kwak, or something along those lines. A more malt-focused beer might help him bridge the gap mentally.

 

[devilishprune]

Giving a sour beer or an IPA to someone who doesn't like beer is not going to make them like beer. Start out with something easy and sweet, like a Lindeman's lambic, a Belgian white, or strong golden.

When I first had arrogant bastard I hated it, but now I like it. I think that if I tried a double bastard then I would have stopped drinking beer all together.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

Get him on some Belgians. Going IPA or IIPA for new beer drinkers is the wrong direction to take. Hell, I don't even like them and I've drank a LOT of craft brew/HB.

Get him a bottle of La Fin Du Monde, Hoegaarden, Leffe, or Delirium Tremens.

 

[77bawls]

Well hmmm.

Flanders red? Do you bombard them with yummy sour?

Yes please.

 

[motobrewer]

goose island sofie.

or ommegang

 

[mikepkes]

Clarification, the IPA was brought in for a larger group and he ended up trying some. My ipa is on the mellow-side of ipas.

I'm all on board for belgians, I think that'll be a great idea. Goose Island + Ommegang I hadn't thought of but great ideas. I think I have a small bottle of Three Philosophers in my beer fridge. I forgot to mention he did try La Fin Du Monde and enjoyed it. So I guess that's why I was thinking the Belgian route.

As far as malt-centric, yeah, I was thinking both malt centric and possibly yeast complexity. Unfortunately I don't know enough about wine to make any sort of crossover, so thank you all so far for the ideas, I'm excited to see what he thinks of some of these.

(Also, yes, I was thinking craft beer)

 

[rpappi]

how about an aged barley wine?