Hey People, just turned 18 recently ( legal age to drink here in Australia ), and want to get into beer. I tried some of the swill from the tap at a local pub, and the stuff was awful, can't remember what it was. I hear stouts are good to start off on, any recommendations? cheers
Good question, i'd allso like to know what beer you guys recommend for new beer drinkers. I'm turning 18 in a few months and i've only had some non alcoholic beer (which tasted terrible) :)
It's probably all going to taste terrible to you at first and when you have finally developed a taste for beer a lot of it still tastes like shit. Big brewers are flavorless piss-water and too many micro brews try too hard to stand out and make their beer too bitter or too smoky or too weird. I don't know what beers are available to you down there but my old favorites are Pacifico, Dos Equis and Blue Moon. If those are unavailable go for a blonde or hefeweizen. Find what you like but don't restrict yourself, try everything.
Tip, add a dash of salt to mexican beer.
I live in Australia; the previous commentator is right, you have to try different beers / lagers to develop a taste (develop the palate)
My own tastes in beers is quite subtle; I enjoy both Hahn Premium, and the 'light-version'.
There is the 'generic' Fourex Gold of course (cheap & nasty lol), I don't mind Corona for special events, but I tend to favour Hahn (just my palate)
Most people new to beer dislike the taste at first. As a teenager my dad used to let me have a lager tops - 1/2 pint with a dash of lemonade, and also some weaker generic bitters. By the time I was 18 I was well adjusted and usually drank German lagers or British IPA's. French lagers usually have too many additives, the Germans have strict brewing laws. If you want to go a bit out there the Belgians do some 'interesting' fruit beers.
As for Australian beers, I'm afraid all the ones I have tried have mostly been piss. Victoria Bitter seemed Okay though.
I would avoid stouts to start off with unless you need to nurse a pint all night...
For most people, beer tastes like piss for the first little while until you develop a taste for it. Personally, I have never really liked anything that comes with a "drink it until it starts tasting good" sticker, but I tolerate beer because its a social drink. I dont know whats avail in Australia but I like Guinness, Hoegaarden, and Duvel those may be expensive though (if you can find them) since they are going to be imports.
I really like ciders, although depending on your circle of friends you may/may not get crap for drinking those :D but I will pretty much drink anything made with apples.. Because fuck haters, apples are delicious.
I like stouts but I would not say they are a starter beer. The taste can be quite off putting.
I would however recommend wheat beer. Really clean and light taste and they can range up from there into dunkle beers and then onward.
Here kid, drink this liquid smoke over oatmeal with a dash of chocolate!
DuckRabbit Milk stout is the nectar of the gods.
I'm not afraid to admit it, I love Shocktop Raspberry Wheat. How else am I supposed to get a healthy balance of fruits and grains in my diet?
I just tried a Hahn premium light, it wasn't too bad actually. Also I tried apple cider just then too, and it tastes freaking awesome. I've got a 'Sheaf stout' which I am keen to try later tonight. Thanks for the suggestions!
Great to hear DF30; don't limit your tastes, try as many beers as you can to see what your preference is. Then decide or prioritise your favourite top-3 or top-5 beers.
<p>As I cook, and eat a lot of Asian-based meals, and seafood, Hahn is my first-choice as a beer to accompany the meal.</p>
<p>(by the way I do not work for the Hahn company, I'm just an ordinary Queenslander, and ex-coal operator, who loves an icy cold beer with a meal)</p>
i would say if your new to craft beer you might want to start with something on the light side, like a session beer, if you can find it where you are try Founders All Day IPA, its light and low IBU, i could drink it all day and after about 3 you get that warm IPA feeling...
also if you can find it where you are, try out Smutty Nose Brown Dog. its a great Brown Ale, has a great flavor and is light.
Drink Beer and Love Life!
-S
Coopers Stout is a good, very easy to drink stout that you can easily find in Australia.
Coopers Dark Ale is also killer! i forgot about coopers...
When I first stared drinking beer at 15... I barely could tolerate any of it and at the time most of us drank mostly moonshine anyway but with age and experience (many years of university "studies") I've found that porter and really dark ale's are my thing. Today I can barely drink lagers and lighter beers due to the lack of taste.
Try some of the darker beers from Brooklyn brewery and perhaps you'll be saved from the watery piss that most young folk start of with!
Just Drink fosters, im 15 and i like it pretty nice tbf
Try Innis and Gunn Oak Toaster IPA as a first try for IPA's I like it alot and it is not very bitter.
for light Ale Boddington English pub ale, or Newcastle Brown ale, both pretty neutral but I like em though.
and Dark ale that I have not found any that I like really , and stouts are a meal FFS, but stouts are good though cant remember any label that I thought was good though sorry.
Happy beer hunting :3
Personally I prefer mead and cider over a lager, but they're somewhat hard to come by in my location.
The local beer taste like shite and metal (extremely low production quality standards). However I can get Eradinger Black and White, and they're passable.
This German beer is smooth and creamy, and has a balanced flavor. The dark is a good intro into stouts, but the white is fairly sweet. That's my two bits on the cheap beer.
If I can get them I go for "Three Philosophers" and "Trois Pistoles." They tend to be on the more expensive side, but well worth it.
Hope that gives a little insight into possible options. Good luck, and congratulations on turning eighteen!
If there are any beer festivals in your area check them out. It's a great chance to sample lots of beers without buying them full price.
VB is a decent lager, i think thats australian... I drank a lot of lager when i was 18 but i much prefer strong IPAs and wheat beers now. Deuchars is a good IPA to start out on but I don't know if you get that outside of Scotland. Just sample what you cant get :)