I turn 21 in a little less than a month. I've never really been a drinker...in that I don't drink at all, but my father wants to do the whole sharing of a beer thing on my birthday. Since it is a special occasion....I want a great beer to start off what may be a spiral of bad decisions. Any suggestions?

Have a nice strong ale, don't drink it like the way people on tv drink beer. A good strong ale is designed for sipping more in the manner of wine, they are high alcohol but if you aren't going to be knocking back a dozen you ought to be fine.

Personal favourites are:

Chimay Blue (kind of over rated but widely available, buy the 750 ml (40 oz?).

Any of the Roquefortes (I like the 12)

Triple Karmeliet (more like a dessert beer, sweet and so fancy)

Schneider Aventinus (not an ale but one of the best beers in the world)

Kwak, Scotch Silly (both super malty, Scotch silly more so)

Leffe Veille Cuvee (much cheaper than the above, still pretty damn good)

Of course these assume that the time for drinking a rewarding thick and exciting beer is upon you (some people call this winter, I call this breathing).

If not try a hefe, phillip will no doubt point you at the search engine to find his recommended version of this.

Have a peek around here [ratebeer.com] for many many many suggestions.

Kwak is good, if you can find it.

Jersey may have a good selection of beers available at local liquor stores, or you may have to find a more specialized retailer, either locally or "in the city" - which city depends on which end of Jersey you're closer to.

If you want to just have one beer, you should really go for something in the 6 to 8 percent range, not a 4 percent (which most beers are).

Stella Artois is good and readily available most places. In general, you'll find that Belgian style ales are likely to have a higher alcohol content.

As a first time beer drinker, you probably don't want something made to the german rules - you want something that's going to be a litle bit sweet. Anything that says "IPA" or mentions the word "Hop" in the title is not going to be a bit sweet, it's going to be bitter. This isn't bad, it's just not recommended (by me) for your first.

Or, of course, you could go the opposite road. Have a room temperature Milwaukee's Best, or other mass-market American swill.

Where in Jersey? I can point you to some decent beer bars. And there's always the Peculier, which is easy to get to.

Some additional suggestions for strong beers include:

Westvleteren Trappist ales are amazing (probably have to hit a bottle shop instead of a bar; Wegman's wine & spirits annex regularly carries it, though).

Duvel is reasonably easy to find, and will treat you to a world of fun. Most of the stuff from Unibroue (Quebec) and Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY) is done in authentic Belgian style and will make you smile.

Also widely available in Jersey are the Flying Fish offerings; the Belgian Abbey Dubbel is an accessible and fairly accurate representation.

And while it's an acquired taste, you can't beat the whole-body experience that is a properly prepared pint of Guinness. And it's good for you!
 

In Response to gtyrrell (#26691):

Unibroue lost their master brewer. He's around for like another year or two.

So they're good now, but past performance is not a guarantee of future... etc. etc.

im in northern jersey, morris county. i dont really know anything about what is close. I just need to pretty much tell my father where to go to get something.

In Response to zamphir (#26686):

actually, my dad has a can of old milwaukee that has been in his office for 21 years....but I think we are just opening that, I hope I dont have to drink it

In Response to DantePendragon (#26700):

Dunno about that corner of the state. Either head to New Brunswick with a designated driver and hit the bar of The Old Bay or North Star (both just south of George Street; TOB is near the train station, and NS near the theatre district) or:

Get on the Morris & Essex line of NJTransit. Go to Penn Station. Get on the A/C/E downtown to W4th Street. Exit at the 3rd Street end of the station (ironically, the only exits of the W4th St station are 3rd and 8th streets), bearing left after the turnstiles. You're now on the NE corner of 3rd & 6th, facing north. Go three blocks east on 3rd Street, and turn right. Go one block south to Bleeker, turn left, and at the end of the block on the left you will find The Pub.

Drink hearty. Be scared of the bathrooms. Tip your server generously. Marvel at the list of beers available. Avoid anything "lite". And if you're in the mood to hurt yourself, Delirium Tremens is on tap.
 

In Response to gtyrrell (#26702):

Whatever you do, don't try to turn left.

In Response to deerboy (#26719):

Whatever you do, don't try to turn left.

Well of course you don't turn left. Then you'd end up at Senor Swanky's [goats.com] and have to run the risk of encountering Paris Hilton. Ick.
 

In Response to gtyrrell (#26726):

So if you turn left in NJ you automatically leave the state. Good to know . . . .

In Response to deerboy (#26729):

Sounds like Canberra. Except every time you try and go in a straight line there you end up going in circles; every time you try to leave the state you end up where you started.

*cue Twilight Zone theme*

In Response to snipergirl (#26776):

*cue Twilight Zone theme*

can that be played with a didgeridoo?

In Response to AsphaltBuffet (#26788):

can that be played with a didgeridoo?

What makes you think SniperGirl plays a didgeridoo?

Okay,

I have no idea how the rest of the forum will react to this.

First of all, I'm not that much of a beer person.

ducks

But to continue, I think if you don't have extensive beer experience, some of these suggestions may be a bit much in the flavor department. I know that I'm not overwhelmingly fond of bitter stuff to begin with, but some of my earlier experiences with beer were quite shocking.

That said, there are some beers that taste good and are remarkably gently on the nubile tongue. I'm not sure what people's feeling on Hoegaarden is; I know it's a hefeweissen which means perhaps it's not available yet (hefeweissen is a summer beer for some reason). Anyway, I think it's got a pretty good taste to it. Most of the hefewiesens will be this way but Hoegaarden seems particularly gentle for some reason.

And you know, there's not much point starting with a great beer if you don't have any experience drinking beer at all, I think. If you're not used to drinking bourbon, you're just as likely to gag on Knob Creek as you are with Old Crow. Better to start with the rail (or "well" as some people call it) bourbon and work your way up.

So, I'd suggest a middle-of-the-line beer. Nothing crap like Bud Light, but something a little more in between.

I think Dos Equis is pretty decent, although again I'm not a beer man so I don't know. But it's got a decent taste to it and isn't all that bitter. Other people have suggested Guinness. Guinness is a good choice and not too hard to drink either.

Nobody has suggested Lagers, but that might be a decent choice for someone starting out on beers. I'm pretty sure Red Stripe is a Lager and it's pretty good, especially with Carribean food. I believe there's this beer called Moretti or something -- it's Italian and comes in little short bottles. I think that's a lager too. I thought it tasted pretty good, although the context may have helped (a sweet Birreria outside of Florence). And then finally there's that beer from China. Tsing Tsao or something. That's great, but again context helps -- try having one of the tall bottles at the night market in Kaifeng.

You might notice a pattern here. I drink my beer with food, generally food from the same geographic region. I know a bunch of people here are satisfied with drinking beer on its own for its own pleasure, and you may be wanting to do the same. I personally feel that good beer can really be enjoyable when it's matched with good food.

I don't know why you aren't bothering to go out to a bar. The whole point is that now you can drink legally, so flaunt it. Go out with your dad to a bar somewhere.

You should also share 2 shots of bourbon. Rail bourbon. Turning 21 should not be a gastronomic experience. It should be a alcocultural one.

Also, if you want to avoid the spiral of bad decisions, do not drink vodka when you turn 21. I suppose there are some special conditions, such as when you are actually stranded in the middle of Sibera, surrounded by a group of Russians forcing it on you along with chunks of black Russian bread, that drinking vodka makes a whole lot of sense. Otherwise, stick with bourbon, whiskey, tequila, and maybe rum. But basically drinking vodka is like saying, "I'm drinking water that makes me drunk!"--sort of a wine cooler on crack.

In Response to zamphir (#26790):

I thought she emphatically didn't.

In Response to Deathalicious (#26805):

so many things.

people's feeling on Hoegaarden is; I know it's a hefeweissen

Nope, a belgian white beer (assuming you mean Hoegaarden white, the more common of the range). More a citrus and coriander affair than hefe's banana and vanilla flavours. Both can be considered summer beers as they are more astringent flavours, have lighter palates and are generally served cool (not ice bloody cold). Hoegaarden white is available year round, some brewers will make a summer special release beer in the belgian white style though.

Starting with chemical aftertaste, no flavour beers is not likely to encourage any further drinking. Starting with quality beers (most of the ones mentioned are remarkably low in bitterness, and suggested for this reason) which are designed to be sipped rather than chugged is more likely to be a rewarding experience.

Guiness is, IMHO, a rather hard beer for new drinkers to appreciate (and not much appreciated by experienced drinkers either really).

Dos Equis, Bud Light, Red Stripe, Tsing Tao and Moretti? If you enjoy these beers that's fine. If you think they are different in any good way from any other generic cheap ass lager you may want to do a blind tasting of them from a glass.

For added humour in your tasting try pouring them properly as well. It'll bring out the nasty adjuncts for greater differentiation.

If you want to drink beer from a region matched with food from a region you can either continue in your current fashion (which explains why you don't like beer) or you could try looking into different styles of beer from the region and checking ratings on them at various web sites.

Currently I would liken your recommendation to drinking budweiser in Australia (budweiser is expensive here as it is an import, this doesn't make it better than our local mass market crap).

In Response to tor (#26682):

As Deathomatic pointed out, this is the stupidest list of newbie beers ever. Particularly in the US.

In Response to Deathalicious (#26805):

How the fuck did I miss this piece of brilliance?

But basically drinking vodka is like saying, "I'm drinking water that makes me drunk!"--sort of a wine cooler on crack.

Some of us actually spend considerable time and effort on refining our vodka palate, and believe it to be a fine endeavour. But given your general opinions on alcohol, I am unsurprised that the subtlety of highly distilled grain alcohols is given scant regard in your analysis.

Fuck, I've got to get to bed. Too drunk for this shit. Entirely on Pilsener, IPAs and vodka, for that matter.

In Response to tynic (#26832):

I have to agree with tynic. I personally can't stand scotch, whiskey, bourbon, etc. but love a good vodka. Sure there aren't the subtle aromas and barrel aged characteristics but give me a quality vodka and I'm happy.

As for turning 21, have a few Jagermeister shots and enjoy the ride.

In Response to tor (#26813):

Domestically (US speaking here), I'm a fan of Yuengling. It's got character and flavor, and history (if you go in for that sort of thing). Unfortunately it's pretty much an east-coast-only beer.

Also, Tor, what's up with people actually importing Bud? I mean... wtf? When I travel abroad I never fail to see it on beer lists, and at very high prices. I don't buy it at home for fifty cents per bottle, why would I want to buy it at premium prices?

In Response to mcgrue (#26840):

what's up with people actually importing Bud?

People are morons.

If it costs more it _must_ be better.

I would say it is people trying to have a bit of coolness by being american but I recall the massive Fosters international success so I will stick with the morons idea.

In Response to tor (#26813):

which explains why you don't like beer

No, the reason I don't like beer is because I don't like it. Whenever I go with friends to some good place that serves "real" beers, I always manage to convince myself that I'll enjoy it eventually, and I get one of the beers that is high quality and that everyone else is oohing and ahhing over. In the end, I generally don't enjoy it.

I guess it's kind of like opera. My dad loves it; I really don't. For me, it wouldn't matter whether I went to the Metropolitain Opera house or the Louisa County Playhouse -- I'd be able to understand that one is better than the other, but I'd probably enjoy a decently performed play more than a brilliantly performed opera.

As far as pricing, in the US there's generally a three tiered pricing for beer, at least locally. Popular domestic bottles (of beer like Michelob and Bud) are cheapest, followed by import bottles. The nicer domestic beers are next most expensive. Many places have Dos Equis on tap for the same price as Bud Light, or close. So it's not like I'm driving the guy to the poorhouse. And anyway, like I said, I drank most of the beers in the places they came from. I believe that the bottle of Tsing Tao cost me something like 50 cents or less.

In Response to tor (#26843):

I would say it is people trying to have a bit of coolness by being american but I recall the massive Fosters international success so I will stick with the morons idea.

Well, maybe it just means that Australians want to be like Americans and Americans want to be like Australians.

I think maybe this is a vestige of our ancient cannabalistic rituals where we would consume drinks made of the brains of our vanquished enemies in order to extract their wisdom and strength. Except, instead now we drink their beer or something. If you saw the ads for Fosters, they show people who are physical and burly. One ad has a large Australian headbutting a door in. This is presented as Australian for "locksmith." So, if you drink Fosters you will gain inhuman strength. Either that or the inability to use small, complex tools.