Ten Beers to Try

A week or so ago, reader Doug Peltz, who had noticed my appreciation for good beer, emailed me to exchange beer recommendations.

I regard myself as still on the journey from beer snob to connoisseur, but I enjoyed thinking of this list, perhaps in no small part because I haven't had time to stop by any of my favorite pubs lately.

Since I haven't much time to blog either this week, I'll kill two birds with one stone by posting some slightly modified excerpts from my reply to Doug.

***

... I have to try [Pilsener Urquell] again. I keep hearing it's good, but the time I tried it I might have gotten a bottle that went bad. If I see it on tap and my mood is right, I'll give it another chance.

Ten Beer Recommendations (In No Particular Order)

1. Lindemans Gueuze. If you've never tried a lambic before, this style may take some getting used to. I do not recommend drinking it after anything hoppy.
   
2. Kostriker Schwartzbier. This is a black lager from the eastern part of Germany. Very tasty, but probably overwhelming to people who prefer or are used to lighter beers.
   
3. Schneider Aventinus Weizenstarkbier. Very complex flavor. My wife likes it, too. The same brewer makes a good Eisbier.
4. Avery Czar Russian Imperial Stout. As I once put it on my blog: "The iron fist of the alcohol is felt through the velvet glove of the mouthfeel." (If you held a gun to my head and asked me to name a favorite style of beer, I'd probably say, "Russian Imperial Stout.")
5. Full Sail's Session. A very tasty lager. Only one person I have ever introduced this to has not liked it. Yes. There are good light lagers out there, even for people like me who prefer ales. Don't let Budmiller cause you to write off all lagers.
6. St Arnold's Elissa IPA. You'll have to go to Houston to try this as St Arnold's is a small, local brewery. I regard this as their best non-seasonal ale.
7. Sierra Nevada IPA. This is listed at their site as a "specialty draft", so that may be hard to come by. (My recollection is that it had a red label, unlike the dark green one at the link. Now I'm beginning to wonder just a little bit whether I had another one of their hoppier beers and am recalling the wrong name. Nothing at their site rings a bell for me.)
   
8. Left Hand Brewing Company's Milk Stout. Called "milk stout" for the lactose, which sweetens it and makes for a creamier mouthfeel.
9. Black-and-Blue. Not really a beer, but a nice variant of the "black and tan" serving style. Some bars may call it by a different name, but what you want to ask for is a "black and tan" made with Guinness and Blue Moon.
10. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. They craft a different one each year during the holidays. Typically big beers, and never disappointing. Some of my friends have succeeded in storing these for two or more years. (Follow "specialty draft" link at #7 above.)
    

And, for one last bit of advice: If you haven't done so already, you should stop here to pay homage to the late, great Michael Jackson (No! Not that Michael Jackson!), and then buy his Great Beer Guide.

Cheers!

-- CAV

PS: And if you're in Southern California, you should stop by here some time. Yes, Doug. I am jealous. Very jealous!