Beer is one of the most in demand beverages in the world. Despite its widespread popularity, beer isn’t for everyone. Everyone has personal tastes and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a wine, soft drink or water while others are enjoying a beer.
If you’re not usually a fan of beer but would like to try to expand your horizons a bit, you’ve come to the right place. In this article we’ll look at some beers that are a little more accessible to people who may not like the traditional beer taste.
Fruity and flavourful
If you are looking for something sweet and delicious as an entry point to exploring the world of beer, a fruited ale or lager could be a good place to start. A “fruited” variety is any beer that has been flavoured with fruit, fruit juice or other fruit-like flavourings. There are countless products available from delicate fruited ales with recipes unchanged for hundreds of years, to macro lagers with outrageous artificial flavourings added generously. These days, many liquor stores stock fruited beers but you may have to venture into a specialist store for some of the more niche varieties.
My personal favourite fruit beer is the Framboise from the Zenne valley in Belgium. This beer starts its life as a sour beer before having raspberries added to give it a fruit flavour. Don’t let the fact that this is a sour beer throw you – this is an incredibly tasty, refreshing entry point into the world of beer.
Similar to the Framboise, the Kriek or “Schaarbeekse krieken” originates in Belgium. Also like the Framboise, it starts life as a lambic (sour beer) before having fruit added in secondary fermentation. The Kriek is made with cherries which gives it a unique and delicious taste.
A classic beer combination is fruited wheat beer and you can find a vast array of different flavours. Many breweries have weird and wonderful creations, but I think the best flavour combinations are raspberry wheat beer and orange wheat beer. The wheat base of these varieties are quite mild so the fruit flavour is really accentuated.
Finally is the Bud Lite Lime varieties. I’m not sure how much real fruit is in these brews but they are pretty tasty. I prefer the “Grape-ah-rita” flavour. These beers are available at most good liquor stores and supermarkets in the US. The flavour can be a little strong – maybe just try one can before you commit to a case!
Easy Drinkin’ Lagers
There’s a joke about mass produced lagers: “This beer is like sex in a canoe…it’s fu**ing close to water!”
Despite many beer snobs scoffing at macro lagers like Bud Lite, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Peroni, XXXX Gold and other mass produced lagers, I think they have a time and place. Sitting at the ballpark in summer and enjoying some salty snack calls for an inoffensive, easy drinking beer. I don’t want to sit up in the bleachers in the middle of summer drinking a 9% peanut butter stout.
The joke above does have some truth to it – while these beers do have hops and malt, the flavour is closer to the watery side. This makes them a perfect way to start your journey into beer. You can try these beers without being slapped in the face with excessive hop or malt flavours. I’m an absolute sucker for an easy drinkin’ lager and am delighted to share a few of my favourites below. I’ve tried to stick with lagers that are internationally available.
Bud Lite is perhaps the most inoffensive beer you can buy – not too hoppy, not too malty and very drinkable. It’s one of the most popular beers in the states and you can find it almost anywhere alcohol is sold in the US (and beyond).
Like Bud Lite, Michelob Ultra is a completely inoffensive lager. Whether on tap or in a can, this beer is pretty easy to drink. This is a perfect lager to enjoy if you’re wanting something simple, crisp and delicious.
Pabst Blue Ribbon or PBR is probably in the top five of my favourite beers in the world. It’s a little more complex than some of the other American macro lagers, but still a pretty straightforward brew. This is a great entry level beer and insanely crushable…just be sure to enjoy it in moderation.
CHECK OUT: Making Ginger Beer (Without Equipment!)
Beer cocktails
Until very recently I had never heard of a beer cocktail. When I ordered a Jamaican Guinness Punch after some jerk chicken, my mind was blown. Aside from this creamy delicacy, there are almost countless other beer cocktail recipes from sweet to bitter and everything in between. These tasty mixes are another good introduction to the world of beer or perfect for a regular beer drinker who wants to try something new.
Jamaican Guinness Punch is a sweet, milky, beer based cocktail with a light alcohol hit. Don’t be put off by the fact that there is Guinness in there – I promise you’ll love this sweet treat. Some of the ingredients can be a little tricky to get (especially Supligen), but if there is a Carribean, African or particularly well stocked supermarket you shouldn’t have any issues.
Recipe here
A shandy is a classic way to enjoy a little bit of beer flavour with a bit more sweetness. There’s only two ingredients for this recipe: beer (lager is best) and what we call lemonade in Australia and the UK (Sprite in the US). This drink is not only a great way to ease into enjoying beer, it’s also lighter in alcohol and immensely refreshing.
Similar to a shandy, a snakebite has a few simple ingredients: beer (again, lager is best), alcoholic cider and grenadine for colour and sweetness (optional). Some people like to layer the ingredients in a pint glass to make it look cool…I prefer to just dump them in and enjoy!
Finally we come to the Michelada, a Mexican drink that is a cousin of the bloody mary. Think tomato, spices and Mexican lager. This drink doesn’t have a very beer-y taste but it is definitely not for everyone. If you like a bloody mary, why not give this a try?
Beer doesn’t have to be daunting. If you don’t usually drink beer and want to give it a try, there are plenty of great options out there. Whether you want a Guinness punch from Jamaica or a Kriek from Belgium, you’re sure to find something you like.
Cheers!
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