I look at the bartender and say "surprise me". No joke. His name is Eric (it's usually him) and he's very knowledgeable about his brews. He knows how to pick something similar enough to keep you happy, but different enough to surprise you. Try this sometime with a good bartender, in a good bar, on a slow night.
If you ever find yourself within a long drive of Erie, Pa I highly recommend you ask if the bar that you're in carries
Railbender Ale, my favorite that I can afford. My actual favorite is a Belgian import that costs $11 a bottle at the bar....