Yeah, I wasn’t sure how you would like that IPA. I think I really liked it because it wasn’t like an IPA at all, haha.
Hopefully the COOP Belgian and Prairie Stout beer go over better than the Marshals did.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to try just about anything once 
I am really looking forward to the stout, I’m almost afraid to drink it though and not have another one to follow up with 
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I think I might want to try some wine. I have zero knowledge about wine. I got a yellow bottle with a kangaroo on it a few years ago and hated it.
What should I look for?
Basically it’s first pick your color red/white, then your dryness.
Here’s a pretty good chart:
I’m quite partial to a semi-dry reisling
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I can’t guarantee the best answer, but I do work at a wine (and beer) distributor.
What are some things you like the taste and/or smell of (doesn’t have to be wine)? Do you have a sweet tooth, or do you prefer things a bit dryer? Do you mind some bitterness (tannins), or do you avoid bitter?
Reds will tend to have a more berry and dark fruit as well as a sometimes meatiness to them. Whites tend to lean towards citrus and tropical fruits and floralness. Roses kinda fall in between. All of that depends entirely on the the specific variety and brand though because so many little differences can make an entirely different outcome in wine.
If I was to just throw out some recommendations I would say try
- Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay - Should be able to find a bottle under $20 pretty easily, but it’s also probably one of the best values when it comes to Chardonnay. Dry, citrus, tropical fruit.
- Ste Michelle Gewürztraminer - Should be under $15, another good value. Semi-sweet, fruity, with a touch of spice.
- La Crema Pinot Noir - Under $20 again. More on the cherry and cranberry end with lower tannins.
- Marques de Caceres Rioja Reserva - Probably the most expensive of the four at right around $20. Very different from the Pinot Noir. Rich, fruity, structured.
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@ThatBootsGuy thanks for the graphics. That helps a lot. I’m pretty sure the one I tried years ago was something very red and bitter. Did not like. Basically the taste I’ve always associated with wine. Makes me think I should lean more towards the other end of the spectrum.
@w.meri thanks for the suggestions. A few of those do sound very good. I tend to sway more towards the sweet. About the only bitter thing I like is coffee. I’ll see if my local liquor store has any of those at the end of the week.
If you’re looking for sweet with little to no bitterness then sweeter whites are a good place to start. Reds have more tannins, which are what can make a wine taste bitter.
A few varietals that tend to be sweeter are muscat blanc, sauternes, chenin blanc, gewürztraminer, and a few rieslings. I had a bottle of that Ste Michelle Gewürztraminer about a month ago and I thought it was pretty good, especially for the $10 I paid for it. Kendall Jackson and Ste Michelle are pretty decent wine brands for not a whole lot of money.
Picked up a couple. So far I’m really enjoying the Ste Michelle Sweet Riesling. Very light and sweet. Reminds me of sparkling grape juice minus the sparkling.
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Merdude by Lorei Brewing and Coffee Waves. First time anyone local has tried making an Imperial Russian Stout. It is pretty damn good on par with Ale Smith Speedway Stout.
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Milk Man Milk Stout from @Steinwerks
A delicious dark roast beer. There is more roast flavor than malt, and just a hint of sweetness at the end. A good simple stout with good flavor, but the coffee flavor adds a little acidity to the taste. Not a bad thing, but it is a part of the flavor profile.
Overall 7/10. Would drink again.
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Interesting color. Not black like the beer I love but it looks interesting for sure.
It’s a pretty straightforward pale or amber ale. Not my greatest homebrew, but good enough.
My next one is going to be a blonde ale with an unusual hop bill and the one after I’m planning to make quasi-stout.
Baxter Brewing Ceremony (2018)
It’s an IPA with gunpowder green tea and matcha. I actually really like it.
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It was cold, and free.
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It leans towards a NEIPA, but doesn’t have the fruit juice taste or hop burn like a NEIPA can have. Pretty good.
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Got access to the Sumpin’ Extra? Stuff is a dangerous 8.5% without being boozy at all. 
I could probably get some.
I’m actually trying to go through as much of Zymurgy Magazine’s Best Beers in America 2018 list as I can for the near future, so I’ve got a lot planned out already. Some I won’t be able to get because of distribution, but I’m going to get what I can.
As such…
This was honestly pretty normal tasting, I would not call it a standout beer, especially compared to the local wheats I can get. Another one off the list though.
Oberon is better on tap for sure, but I think I liked it a lot more about ten years ago. It’s a good summer patio beer IMO.
I definitely wouldn’t call it a bad beer, but there’s just better out there.
I think the next one up is Two Hearted at some point later this week, that one sounds like a pretty good drink.
EDIT: A back to back of Bell’s Two Hearted and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale would be fun. 100% Centennial vs. 100% Cascade.