Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

Tophat665 · 01-18-2004, 09:24 AM

OK,
First off, KellyC, it is perfectly normal not to like beer. At a guess, I'd say you were and American woman at an American College, and what beer you have come in contact with has been selected to appeal to fellows who's overriding priority has been cost. Now, this doesn't mean that it has always been cheap beer, but that it has been geared toward the tastes of those acquired from long drinking cheap beer. This means that you were probably drinking an American Standard or Premium Lager, like Budweiser, a Pilsner, like Czechvar or Pilsner Urquell, or a bitter or pale ale, like Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams Stock Ale. These are beer drinker's beers, and the taste is definitely an acquired one. However, there are over 27000 different styles of beer brewed somewhere in the world, and several hundred that can be found anywhere there are people and a market economy. Most people are exposed to no more than 10 of these styles. Typically the most watered down standardized versions of these styles at that. (The best example of Budweiser's style was Korean beer last I checked. Chances are you'll never see OB lager.)

A really good wiezen is a joyous occasion, and resembles Budwieiser to the degree that Charlize Theron resembles Coco the speaking gorilla. The taste, far from bitter, is bannana and cloves and bubblegum, driven by an almost champagne like carbonation, perhaps with a touch of caramel lingering in the mouth after swallowing. It's really beautiful stuff. I reccommend Weeping Radish, Erdinger's, and Valentin's Hefeweizen, Maisel Weisse, and Kaputzinger Schwartze Dunkelweizen.

There are more varieties of beer in Belgium than there are in the entire rest of europe, and some of these are exquisite, even to the non drinker. Lucifer strong golden ale might as well be champagne. Pauwel Kwak is malty and slightly sour, but more refresing for it. Leifmanns Framboise is positively magenta with rasberries. Belgian Witbier, spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel is a wonderful alternative to the hops based beers of the rest of europe (and some of the best examples are made in America - Shenandoah Wit is the best I've ever had.)

In conclusion to this long screed, let me compare beer and wine. There are tens of thousands of different kinds of wine, some of which nearly everyone likes, and some of which are appreciated only by congnoscenti who have trained themseleves to recognize qualities in a wine difficult to achieve, and then have fooled their tastebuds into liking them. Beer is just like this, except the beers that are hardest to get to like are, from long running and incredibly effective marketing, the most popular, and those that are more immediately likeable are either priced out of their market or derided as girlie beers.

Don't believe Anhauser Bush. Budweiser isn't even the King of swilling beers. Go try something different. You might find that there is a whole world out there you didn't even know existed.

BTW, stay away from Guinness. This is another Beer Drinker's Beer. I think it's highly overrated, but I respect that many like it.

01-18-2004, 09:24 AM	#27 (permalink)
Tophat665 Minion of the scaléd ones Location: Northeast Jesusland	OK, First off, KellyC, it is perfectly normal not to like beer. At a guess, I'd say you were and American woman at an American College, and what beer you have come in contact with has been selected to appeal to fellows who's overriding priority has been cost. Now, this doesn't mean that it has always been cheap beer, but that it has been geared toward the tastes of those acquired from long drinking cheap beer. This means that you were probably drinking an American Standard or Premium Lager, like Budweiser, a Pilsner, like Czechvar or Pilsner Urquell, or a bitter or pale ale, like Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams Stock Ale. These are beer drinker's beers, and the taste is definitely an acquired one. However, there are over 27000 different styles of beer brewed somewhere in the world, and several hundred that can be found anywhere there are people and a market economy. Most people are exposed to no more than 10 of these styles. Typically the most watered down standardized versions of these styles at that. (The best example of Budweiser's style was Korean beer last I checked. Chances are you'll never see OB lager.) A really good wiezen is a joyous occasion, and resembles Budwieiser to the degree that Charlize Theron resembles Coco the speaking gorilla. The taste, far from bitter, is bannana and cloves and bubblegum, driven by an almost champagne like carbonation, perhaps with a touch of caramel lingering in the mouth after swallowing. It's really beautiful stuff. I reccommend Weeping Radish, Erdinger's, and Valentin's Hefeweizen, Maisel Weisse, and Kaputzinger Schwartze Dunkelweizen. There are more varieties of beer in Belgium than there are in the entire rest of europe, and some of these are exquisite, even to the non drinker. Lucifer strong golden ale might as well be champagne. Pauwel Kwak is malty and slightly sour, but more refresing for it. Leifmanns Framboise is positively magenta with rasberries. Belgian Witbier, spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel is a wonderful alternative to the hops based beers of the rest of europe (and some of the best examples are made in America - Shenandoah Wit is the best I've ever had.) In conclusion to this long screed, let me compare beer and wine. There are tens of thousands of different kinds of wine, some of which nearly everyone likes, and some of which are appreciated only by congnoscenti who have trained themseleves to recognize qualities in a wine difficult to achieve, and then have fooled their tastebuds into liking them. Beer is just like this, except the beers that are hardest to get to like are, from long running and incredibly effective marketing, the most popular, and those that are more immediately likeable are either priced out of their market or derided as girlie beers. Don't believe Anhauser Bush. Budweiser isn't even the King of swilling beers. Go try something different. You might find that there is a whole world out there you didn't even know existed. BTW, stay away from Guinness. This is another Beer Drinker's Beer. I think it's highly overrated, but I respect that many like it. __________________ Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.