I'm 28 & I've never had a beer before

[kalrith]

Update 11/11/09: I've tried many of the recommendations, and I just want to say thanks for helping me get started on a nice journey.

Update 10/21/09: I've tried 7 different beers now, with 6 of them being from the Boulevard Sampler. I would rate them as follows:

• Lunar Ale: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
  Unfiltered Wheat: :thumbsup:
  Mothership Wit: :thumbsup:
  Bully Porter: :thumbsup::thumbsdown:
  Pale Ale: :thumbsdown:
  Oktoberfest: :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
  Single-Wide IPA: :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Update 10/07/09: I had 3 bottles of New Belgium Mothership Wit last night. I enjoyed them but found them a bit weak. I'm getting a Boulevard sampler tonight that will have two bottles each of the following: Unfiltered Wheat, Pale Ale, Single-Wide IPA, Lunar Ale, Bully! Porter, and Dry Stout. I'll be sampling these over the next few days to try to experience different types of beer and figure out what beers I like and don't like.

OP: I've had wine and champagne before, but never beer. I won't get into the reasons in the OP, but I mainly want some recommendations for what I should have as my first beer so that I don't choose a crappy one. I'd prefer something that I can just buy at the gas station or grocery store, although we do have a brewing company in town, and I might consider going there.

The answers in the poll are taken from this list of the 15 best-selling beers in the U.S. with Blue Moon and Bud Select added, because that's what most of my friends drink, and the local brewing company on there as well. I know that best selling does not mean best, but I know about nil regarding beer and had to produce a poll from somewhere.

 

[MetalMat]

Shlitz, cause you cant go anywhere but up.

 

[dullard]

Why go backwards in taste and class?

 

[Martin]

You might enjoy the taste of Hoegaarden or Hacker-Pschorr more than many other beers.

 

[chorb]

most likely your first beer is going to taste like ass no matter what it is. Beer is an acquired taste, pick something mid price range and light colored and go from there.

 

[abaez]

I believe my first beer was Stella Artois. Still love it to this day.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Go with a light beer - Ice cold.

Bud Light has the least flavor
Michelob Ultra also has little flavor unless you go amber
Miller Lite - the best tasting light beer

 

[HybridSquirrel]

i had to vote for natty light...because if you havent had shit beer, you cant appreciate good beer imo

 

[BW86]

Guinness

 

[vi edit]

If you are a non beer drinker, you want something light and maybe a slight bit citrusy.

I suggest a Belgian Whit (white) like New Belgians Mothership Whit. It's a very easy to drink beer for even the non traditional beer drinkers.

Avoid lagers or watery pilsers (pretty much any major domestic brew and Heineken).

 

[TheNinja]

Don't go for anything with a lot of hops like IPA or Pale Ale, you won't like it if you never had beer. Go for a domestic light beer if you don't want much flavor. Or better yet, go for a brown ale as they are typically more malty. I konw people who claim they don't like beer, yet they tolerate Brown Ale.

 

[MotF Bane]

I voted Other, but I just want to see the results.

 

[bignateyk]

Another vote for starting with something shitty like Old Germany or PBR...

But seriously.. go somewhere that you can do a taste test of different kinds to see what kind you like best. Microbrews are usually good for this.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

A Heineken will make you appreciate any beer thereafter.

 

[MixMasterTang]

Boulevard Wheat, gotta support the Breweries in your own state (besides budweiser!)

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: vi edit
If you are a non beer drinker, you want something light and maybe a slight bit citrusy.

I suggest a Belgian Whit (white) like New Belgians Mothership Whit. It's a very easy to drink beer for even the non traditional beer drinkers.

Avoid lagers or watery pilsers (pretty much any major domestic brew and Heineken).

It's ok, you can say fruity.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Natural Light? Really?

Honestly, if this is your first beer:
A. Why are there any light beers up there?
B. Why is Natural light up there?
C. Why is Milwaukee's ANYTHING up there?

Sam Adams, I believe, just released their Winter Lager which is always good. Yuengling is a slightly cheaper beer, but never a bad choice. Blue Moon is real smooth but overall good. Sierra Nevada is a very good beer as well. Corona is really overrated IMO. Guinness is very heavy - not a good choice for a first beer.

That said, my first beer was Yuengling - though I would recommend Sam Adams Winter Lager.

-Kevin

 

[vshah]

Originally posted by: HybridSquirrel
i had to vote for natty light...because if you havent had shit beer, you cant appreciate good beer imo

aaaarrrggghhhhh....the memories

 

[phoenix79]

I'd go with Newcastle if you feel like just getting something easy to find

Delirium Nocturnum if you feel like having a good beer that is easy to drink.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: cherrytwist

Originally posted by: vi edit
If you are a non beer drinker, you want something light and maybe a slight bit citrusy.

I suggest a Belgian Whit (white) like New Belgians Mothership Whit. It's a very easy to drink beer for even the non traditional beer drinkers.

Avoid lagers or watery pilsers (pretty much any major domestic brew and Heineken).

It's ok, you can say fruity.

Nah, fruity would be a cherry wheat or a lambic.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: MixMasterTang
Boulevard Wheat, gotta support the Breweries in your own state (besides budweiser!)

Boulevard is probably my favorite brewery simply because they make a wide variety of very reasonably priced, quality brews. Their wheat is one of the best of it's type. And their Zon is a nice take on Belgian Whit but just not quite up to par with New Belgians. Their Bully Porter and Dry Stouts are great too and their Lunar Ale is a great dunkelweiss.

 

[SuperSix]

How the hell do you make it to 28 and not have A beer?

SHE
NAN
I
GANS

 

[shocksyde]

DOGFISH HEAD PUNKIN ALE

Do not ask questions. Just buy some.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: MotF Bane
I voted Other, but I just want to see the results.

That's OK. I did the same thing .

Originally posted by: vi edit
If you are a non beer drinker, you want something light and maybe a slight bit citrusy.

I suggest a Belgian Whit (white) like New Belgians Mothership Whit. It's a very easy to drink beer for even the non traditional beer drinkers.

Avoid lagers or watery pilsers (pretty much any major domestic brew and Heineken).

I find your recommendation interesting. There's a bar right by work that carries this. Am I correct in assuming that this isn't something that's going to be at the grocery store or gas station?

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Natural Light? Really?

Honestly, if this is your first beer:
A. Why are there any light beers up there?
B. Why is Natural light up there?
C. Why is Milwaukee's ANYTHING up there?

Sam Adams, I believe, just released their Winter Lager which is always good. Yuengling is a slightly cheaper beer, but never a bad choice. Blue Moon is real smooth but overall good. Sierra Nevada is a very good beer as well. Corona is really overrated IMO. Guinness is very heavy - not a good choice for a first beer.

That said, my first beer was Yuengling - though I would recommend Sam Adams Winter Lager.

-Kevin

Well, I explained in the OP that I have zero knowledge of beer, so I wouldn't have been able to come up with a list on my own and stole someone elses.

And I'm all for going with something that isn't going to taste disgusting. But to those recommending a light beer, is that really what I should be starting with?

 

[sutahz]

I'm 29 and I only very recently started drinking beer. When I was like 22 I tried bud light but couldn't stomach it. Last year I tried some bud lime and have been progressing through beers ever since.

As you've never really tasted beer it's all going to taste like crap at first.