Putting together a beer sampler for a non-craft beer drinker

[Apendecto]

Uhh oh. I may have caused more harm than good... This is not a "this beer is better than..." thread. What are your favorites? We can leave the "snobbish" opinions at the door. This is what I'm going with, good or bad, so what would you do?

The Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout is a good idea. I'll have to see if it's in 12oz bottles around here. Anchor Steam is another good one.

Thanks for having my back, xjmox14x.

The "I like it" was almost a joke and that's why I put the smiley face after it. Obviously, everyone's tastes are different and no one is a mind reader here. Honestly, I'd probably take everyone's suggestions and then pick the one I liked most anyway so I figured it wouldn't hurt to put up front.

 

[erikhild59]

Sorry that was harsh and a blanket statement. I meant one or two holier than thou posts at the beginning. Apologies to any offended ..

 

[IffyG]

That's why wheats, ambers, blonds, Belgiums, etc. are out.

Pale (Sierra Nevada)
IPA (Bell's Two Hearted)
Brown (Big Sky Moose Drool)
Porter (Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald)
Stout (Guinness Foreign Extra ???)
???

I completely disagree on your assessment of what a good gateway 6 pack is for a BMC drinker. Wheats, ambers, blondes, etc are the best beers to introduce to someone who is used to fizzy yellow beer...

 

[emjay]

My first non-BMC was a Belgian Dark Strong (Trois Pistoles). First beer I bought at the local store when I was finally of-age, actually. I loved it, and that's what got me into craft beer.

In fact, that's one beer that every BMC drinker I've given it to has liked (to some extent). And a dark, 9% ale with plenty of Belgian yeast character is about as far as you can get from BMC, so I'm not sure why the OP said "Belgiums" are out.

 

[BrewMU]

Cascadia Ales has a good IPA - very tangy American style.

 

[djfriesen]

I'm not sure why the OP said "Belgiums" are out.

Because he doesn't care for them.

 

[erikhild59]

I completely disagree on your assessment of what a good gateway 6 pack is for a BMC drinker. Wheats, ambers, blondes, etc are the best beers to introduce to someone who is used to fizzy yellow beer...

I agree..

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

Pale-Firestone Pale 31
IPA-Lagunitas
Brown-Lost Coast Downtown Brown
Porter-Deschutes Black Butte
Stout-Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout

I would include a good Pilsner, probably Gordon Biersch Czech Style Pilsner, or maybe Pilsner Urquell.

 

[iWillbrew]

I say go with a scottish wee heavy that would be a great nail in the coffin

 

[d_ozz68]

If you're looking for a good oatmeal stout The Poet from New Holland is very good.

 

[emjay]

Because he doesn't care for them.

Actually, he explicitly said they're too similar to BMC.

 

[Mongrel]

Actually, he explicitly said they're too similar to BMC.

No, he didn't. He said, "The idea is to give him a wide range of beer that I like, not necessarily the next step after BMC" and he got called a beer ****** for it.

 

[billtzk]

For the stout, why not something from an American craft brewery? Rogue Shakespeare Stout is imminently approachable, tasty, and with a slightly lighter body than many stouts, which makes it quaffable and easy to enjoy.

I just brewed the Brewing Network CYBI version of it earlier today, although I didn't pitch Pacman yeast. I used Denny's Favorite 50. I'm hoping it comes out tasting as good as the Rogue Shakespeare Stout. I drank my post-boil hydrometer jar sample, and it sure was tasty.

 

[xjmox14x]

Actually, he explicitly said they're too similar to BMC.

Please quote the original post where he "explicitly" stated that.

I must be looking at a different thread than some of the people in here..

 

[ZamaMan]

There's way too much attitude in this thread.
IMO you've left out the beer that's changed so many people to aopreciate bigger beers. I know you said no 22oz but arrogant bastard is amazing and like a gateway drug lol. You think its bitter at first but love the malty flavor. Next thing you know after a few your paletes leveled up and it taaste as non bitter as a lager. =]

here's my list I would possibly do if my goal was to convert a bmc to real beer.
Victory pilsner -light
Sierra Nevada pale ale
Sierra Nevada torpedo ipa but more like a hoppy pale ale to me lol
Lagunitas ipa as a gateway- I'd think a real ipa like green flash west coast would be too much
Arrogant bastard-red strong ale
******* creek ESB

IMO that's a perfect gateway beer selection.

 

[billtzk]

This thread went awry early on. You don't have to read very far to see where that occurred.

Perhaps the OP could just start over with a new thread. To his credit, he remained calm in the face of criticism and he didn't fan the flames in any of his responses.

 

[IffyG]

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale? I can... I couldn't finish it because it was too bitter. I can't imagine many people can appreciate something of that nature after drinking BMC products. Most people need to be carefully and delicately brought into beer with more flavor or they will turn their back on it in a hurry.

 

[billtzk]

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale? I can... I couldn't finish it because it was too bitter. I can't imagine many people can appreciate something of that nature after drinking BMC products. Most people need to be carefully and delicately brought into beer with more flavor or they will turn their back on it in a hurry.

The OPs selection for an IPA was Bell's Two Hearted. That is not an over-the-top IPA like DFH 90 or 120 or Stone's Ruination. I would never give one of the latter to anyone who had not already developed a liking for hop bitterness.

I think the OPs idea was to represent a few of the major styles from points along the brewing spectrum with good quality well-regarded examples as an introduction to craft beers for his friend. It's not as if anyone could pick six beers that would all be winners for every palate, but it seems like a good way to introduce someone to the possibilities. Many people who are new to craft beers would find at least one or more of the styles represented by the six picks to be to their liking.

But yeah, I remember when I first started drinking craft beers, most of the American IPAs I tried were too hoppy for me. Heck, it took me a while to get used to the hop level of SNPA.

 

[Mongrel]

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale? I can... I couldn't finish it because it was too bitter. I can't imagine many people can appreciate something of that nature after drinking BMC products. Most people need to be carefully and delicately brought into beer with more flavor or they will turn their back on it in a hurry.

Loved IPA at the first taste, but then my friends and I were drinking a lot of Brigeport's Blue Heron (pale ale) in high school back in the early 90's. Best friend's older brother (the beer provider) didn't want us drinking **** beer. Hooray for beer snobs.

 

[Apendecto]

If you're looking for a good oatmeal stout The Poet from New Holland is very good.

Good call!

For the stout, why not something from an American craft brewery? Rogue Shakespeare Stout...

Another good suggestion. I'm not sure if it comes in 12 oz, though.

There's way too much attitude in this thread.
IMO you've left out the beer that's changed so many people to aopreciate bigger beers. I know you said no 22oz but arrogant bastard is amazing and like a gateway drug lol.

We can get the bastard in 12's here and that's not a bad idea at all. I prefer AB with some age on it (call me crazy) to mellow it out a bit. After that, it's exactly like what you describe.

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale?

Yep, SNPA. I couldn't believe how great it was, even when it warmed up a little (unlike BMC).

The OPs selection for an IPA was Bell's Two Hearted. That is not an over-the-top IPA like DFH 90 or 120 or Stone's Ruination...

Thanks!

 

[gstrawn]

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale? I can... I couldn't finish it because it was too bitter. I can't imagine many people can appreciate something of that nature after drinking BMC products. Most people need to be carefully and delicately brought into beer with more flavor or they will turn their back on it in a hurry.

I do remember my first.ipa. damn it was.good. perhaps still my favorite. However mu first pale ale was too bitter to finish. Ironic? Yes. Hops= amazing. I was an idiot.

 

[ClaudiusB]

Paulaner Salvator Doppel Bock (still brewed as an ale since 1569)

Sorry, your information is not correct.
The Salvator double bock is a bottom-fermented beer= Lager

Honestly, can any of you remember your first IPA or pale ale? I can... I couldn't finish it because it was too bitter. I can't imagine many people can appreciate something of that nature after drinking BMC products. Most people need to be carefully and delicately brought into beer with more flavor or they will turn their back on it in a hurry.

I remember my first IPA
Recently I tasted a few, still not my style.


Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[xjmox14x]

I remember my first IPA... Sierra Nevada Torpedo. I absolutely hated it. I drank the rest by mixing it with Michelob Ultra.. *dodges rocks being thrown*

Now I love a good IPA. And actually, to my palette, DFH 90 is less bitter than 60, in perceived bitterness anyway. Definitely more hoppy (not to be confused with bitter), but has a hell of a malty backbone to back it up.

I've never tried two-hearted as I can't get it where I am, as far as I know. I'd love to though. I think, and this is merely my opinion 100%, a good IPA to bring a BMC drinker would be a hoppy one, but not an overly bitter one. In other words, good strong hoppy flavor and aroma, to get the person used to the hops and see if he even LIKES them, before pounding them with over the top bitterness. Again, that's probably what I would do... no idea if it's the best approach or not though.

 

[unionrdr]

Sorry, your information is not correct.
The Salvator double bock is a bottom-fermented beer= Lager

I remember my first IPA
Recently I tasted a few, still not my style.


Cheers,
ClaudiusB

Sorry,you're def wrong. Read the label,it says "ale". Seems to me I read about that on the germenbeerinstitute.com as well. I've drunk a lot of it. Most doppel bocks are lagers now,except for the original,the Salvator.
**PS-well,this weird. I know I've seen the word "ale" on the label. But the story at germanbeerinstitute.com refers to it being "lagered" in their cellars after a commercial guy bought it outright after Napolean shut the monks down. Darn it,now I have to go out & buy some. I never saved any of the labels from all those bottles of Salvator we drank. Idk,maybe they just made it ahead of time & put it in cold storage so it wouldn't degrade as fast till Lent???

 

[ClaudiusB]

Sorry,you're def wrong. Read the label,it says "ale".

Many lager beers have the word ALE on the label.
Based on your reply I can tell you are not familiar with the labeling laws.
Many states required any beer style above a certain alcohol level to be marked ALE or Malt Liquor.
The position of the word ALE is on most labels close to the edge or next to the volume and alcohol info.

Example #1
Two lagers with the word ALE

I've drunk a lot of it.

Salvator is a lager, now I know why you forgot

Example #2

Idk,maybe they just made it ahead of time & put it in cold storage so it wouldn't degrade as fast till Lent???

The brewers in dose days did not know the difference between ale and lager yeast.
The knew fermenting during the cold days created a different flavor profile than during warmer days.
They used open fermenters and only cold temp tolerant wild yeast did the job.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[jonmohno]

Chances are he may not like it at first anyways. Im a firm believer that your palate has to be trained.It happend to me. I remember not likeing SN pale ale along time ago, i even didnt like Bells two hearted much at first but after another try after trying some it was my favorite.I dont like everybodys interpetation of a particular style either.Try like 5 different stouts, id probably only favor 1 or 2 out of those and may never get that style from those i didnt like again,maybe.
Where is this thread goiing anyway? Are you still looking for suggestions,or are you exhausted from frustration?

 

[hodge]

I know whenever I go back to Michigan I pick up a 6-pack of Ghettoblaster from Motor City. Any interest there?

Also, maybe Nut Brown from Michigan Brewing or Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue?

Dortmunder Gold from Great Lakes?

Just a few that are coming to mind...

 

[falconnuke]

anyone thinking maybe Doppelbock?

 

[jonmohno]

Three floydes mild ale,or gumballhead.

 

[Apendecto]

Are you still looking for suggestions,or are you exhausted from frustration?

Hahah, no.

I went with SNPA, Stone IPA, Moose Drool, Poet (oatmeal stout) from New Holland, Edmund Fitzgerald and Anchor Steam.