Well this is a thread I can get in to a bit. Stella is a true pleasure to enjoy. I say try it on tap first as it is a fantastic drink. Modelo and Modelo Negro are good if you want a Mexican beer. I have recently spent time drinking all of the St. Arnold's beers and enjoy most of them. Lawnmower is a great introduction the the brand and amber or brown being my favorites. Elissa is an IPA and I do not care for these much but I would drink it if forced to. I like the Abita brands as well. Sam Adams summer ale is awesome and refreshing during the heat of summer.
I am stunned by the lack of German beer suggestions. Its like talking about champagne and ignoring France. Warsteiner is a good beer for the American beer palate. Anything made by Augustiener, Spaten or Paulner is more of a step up. Most are in the 5% alcohol range unless you get into the double bocks which are 7 to 7.9% as sold here. I have had a 14% double bock in Germany that was a tad boilermakery tasting. Hefe weisse beer is the most widely varying style. I have had ones that were bad and others were heavenly. Great ones are Erdinger, Franciskaner, Ayinger, and Paulner. I like the Marzen (Oktoberfest) beer (specifically Spaten and Paulner), but others find it too strong. Pils beers, like the Czech beer Pilsner Urquell (a very good pick) have a varying degree of bitterness. Bittburger, Konig are examples. Becks is a good everyday beer too. Since you like Shiner Bock, try Shiner Black and Shiner Helles. Shiner used to make a pretty descent Kolsch in summer, but I havent seen it in a while. I havent tried the new cheer one because the discription scares me a little. If you want to try some Belgain beer, the Chimay's are a well known and wonderful beer, but there are many other great Belgian beers. Try Karmeliet, St. Bernardus Abt 12 (an *** kicking 10% beer, other versions of St. Bernardus come in 8% and 6% varieties), Stella, or Duvel. For Mexican beer, your choice of Dos XX is good, but as someone above said, try Negra Modelo. Bohemia is also worth a try. There is so much more to beer than most people think. Try many different kinds and drink what you end up liking.
Winner. I pretty much only drink Real Ale products. Fireman's and Rio Blanco are my favorites but I also enjoy the pale rye.
Bighorn's suggestions are good. If you are just trying some new beers, a step up from the average American lagers, try Shiner Black, Warsteiner, Stella Artois, a Czech pilsner or two, Spaten Optimator is good, you might like Fireman's #4. Awaiting holiday consumption in my fridge at this very moment, one each of the three Chimay selections, two St. Bernardus 8, a four pack of Marsedous 12, one remaining Shiner Black, and a big bottle of St. Bernardus 12, saving for a special occasion, likely Fiesta Bowl watching.
I usually have Guiness--or Harps,,, Bass is ok as well I love my shiner bock, the hefeweitzen is good as is the blond-- not crazy about the black ale Not sure if its in bottles, but I had some carlsbad ale at a bar in CHarleston-- greatness
New Belgian Tripple and Avery Old Jubilation are two that are heavy in my rotation presently that you might like as a not-too-heavy beer
I'm a big fan of pale ales. I tried the Real Ale Brewing Co's Pale Ale recently and it is outstanding IMO. I'll also second the recommendation above for Avery Old Jubilation Ale. My dad introduced me to it recently and it is very tasty. Some other favorites of mine: Piraat Ale Chimay Gulden Draak Spaten Oktoberfest (not an ale but so damn good) Arrogant Bastard Ale Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Try Stella Artois. I have been a Shiner, Newcastle, Bass, Dos Xs Amber, and Fat Tire guy for a while. I recently tried Stella and I love it. It was a nice change for me.
I like the Coffee Porter from Kona brewing and their pale ale is nice too, not as hoppy as other american pale ales. Firemans #4 is an easy drinker, but, too me, it is significantly better on draft than in bottles.
Newcastle for me 95% of the time when I want a beer. I also spent a couple of years in Germany, the variety of beers are amazing, if you try a Hefe, pour it into a good beer glass and leave a little beer in the bottom and "swish" it around to get all the good stuff out of the bottom. I personally loved the dopplebocks from Germany. One oddity the best pilsner I remember was a Yugoslavian beer. (Union Pivo) Which I guess is made in Slovenia now.
Session Lager...made by Full Sail Brewing Company. It's a "pre-prohibition American Lager." After prohibition, the American brewing industry was never quite the same, and neither was the beer. This fixes it quite a bit...a lager, with flavor. I've seen it at a few random bars around Austin -- side bar is the first to come to mind. Comes in a stubby bottle like red stripe.
Ayinger Bräu Weisse - German wheat beer with a very nice scent of banana and vanilla. One of my favorite summer brews.
For a summer brew, just about nothing beats a Belgian Wit beer chilled down to about 34 degrees. Celis White is one of my favorites (though I realize, of course, that it isn't brewed in Belgium).
In the fall, try Samuel Adams Octoberfest. If you can find it, try the Blue Heron Pale Ale by the BridgePort Brewery in Portland. I'm pretty sure they have some distribution in Texas--just not exactly sure where.
A couple of people recommended Shiner Black. I didn't particularly care for it. It didn't seem to have much to it. Some of the beer conisuers could help me out probably with the correct phrase. But it didn't have much of a body to it.
I liked all of the Shiner anniversary beers and the Commemorator is very good too. For a lighter, daytime out by the grill brew, I've grown partial to Kona Longboard.
If you are drinking beer out then go with something on tap. I absolutely love the Live Oak beers brewed in Austin. Their PIlz and Hefe are highly rated nationally and I still have a keg of Oaktoberfest in my garage fridge. liveoakbrewing.com If you are going bottled then the recommendations throughout this thread are all good.
If wit is your thing, why not go with Pierre's first love, Hoegaarden. I think it is a much better wit than Celis White. Of course, when Pierre no longer was involved and Miller started brewing it in Michigan, I'm sure it lost something. The Link
