Any suggestions?

[unholyinferno]

I'm looking to try some other beers. I don't know where to start. I've drank the following:

Amstel Light: It's good.
Bass Ale: It's not bad.
Budweiser: It has a filmy aftertaste. Nasty.
Bud Light: It's ok. Kinda boring. Not so smooth.
Coors Light: It's ok. Not too bad.
Corona Light: A gimmick with the lime. Don't care for it.
Fosters: It's good.
Guinness: It's really good. But I'm bored with it.
Heineken: It's really good.
Michelob Ultra: It's good. But I'm tired of domestic.
Miller High Life: This good, but I'm bored with Miller.
Miller Genuine Draft: This is my favorite domestic beer.
Miller Lite: Watered-down swill.
Sam Adams & Sam Adams Light: Really good, but I'm looking for a change.

Any other beers you can recommend? Thanks.

[Richard English]

I can't believe you've managed to try so many beers and, with the exception of Guinness, have tried nothing except macro-swill rubbish. Maybe you've been going to the wrong places!

Unlike the UK, good beer is not always available in just about every US pub or bar and you need to take advice as to the best ones in your location. Why not ask on this board?

That would be maybe a better bet than just asking which beer to try. There are maybe 10,000 good beers in the USA - plus all the wonderful Belgian, Czech and British imports. If you can find them, try Fuller's, Young's Hop Back, Coniston - all from the UK and all available in the USA.

I will be trying a few of the 600 plus beers at the Great British Beer Festival later today - it's a shame you can't make it!

[hertha fever]

looks like you´re kind of new to this.

i´ll give you one tip for now:
if you´ve seen it advertised on t.v., don´t buy it, it´s swill.

[wortchillergoal]

Richard was correct save for that Sam Adams products are a good place to start your beer experience along with the Guinness.

I see that you are from Mass. I suggest trying any of the beers that Smuttynose produces. If you can find Saranac beers, they are not a bad place to start as well.

I am sure that someone else from Mass will offer up other good suggestions.

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by Richard English
I can't believe you've managed to try so many beers and, with the exception of Guinness, have tried nothing except macro-swill rubbish.... Easy on the noob, Richard, and as the goalie said, Sam Adams really shouldn't be lumped in with the rest of that crowd.

It is truly disheartening how many places here, both pubs/bars/restaurants and package stores, get by with an astoundingly poor selection of beer. This goes from be an unfortunately common problem in urban areas that do have the monotony broken up by retailers that recognize a market to be served, to more rural areas where you'd be beyond lucky to find a single store in a whole county who had a few dusty bottles of aforementioned Guinness or Sam Adams.

Unlike your experience here in Chicago where you were able to obtain a replacement draught after our local hooligans slipped a Bud Slight or similar swill into you paw, there's still entire swaths of the country where there's no relief in site.

[steveh]

Originally posted by hertha fever
if you´ve seen it advertised on t.v., don´t buy it, it´s swill.

Uh... Sam Adams advertises on TV now, they have some great styles.

S.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Richard English
Why not ask on this board?

I thought that's what he was doing...

S.

[steveh]

Originally posted by unholyinferno
Miller Genuine Draft: This is my favorite domestic beer.


Yeah, you do need a change.

I agree with Wort's suggestions, also look for some of the Brooklyn stuff in your area and definitely seek out Sierra Nevada -- start with the Pale Ale and work from there.

Have you tried Red Hook ESB? That's a good jump into flavor, and how about Goose Island? Are they distributing in your area yet?

Also, look into the reviews on the Tasting Notes forum here at RealBeer, many members give good discriptions that may help you find something that sounds like your style.

S.

[hertha fever]

Originally posted by steveh
Uh... Sam Adams advertises on TV now, they have some great styles.

S.

didn´t know that. i´ve been away for awhile.
um, this may be sacrilige, but i don´t like most sam adams brews. the chocolate stout is pretty good though.

[steveh]

Originally posted by hertha fever
i don´t like most sam adams brews.

It's not sacrilige, but most of their seasonals are pretty good.

the chocolate stout is pretty good though.

Uh...you have been gone a while, I don't think they make a Chocolate Stout. You thinking of the Chocolate Bock? Young's Double Chocolate is as good (or better) a beer at 1/10th of the price, IMO.

S.

[hertha fever]

Originally posted by steveh
It's not sacrilige, but most of their seasonals are pretty good.



Uh...you have been gone a while, I don't think they make a Chocolate Stout. You thinking of the Chocolate Bock? Young's Double Chocolate is as good (or better) a beer at 1/10th of the price, IMO.

S.

cripes, it´s been so long i don´t know anymore. the only one i had last time i was home was the boston lager, also available here, but i don´t like it.

[newportstorm]

Post the city/area of MA you live in.
I'm sure there's a decent packie nearby that sells singles or mixed sixers.
Walk in and grab something local(ish), something you've never heard of, something with a wacky label, whatever.
Drink.
Repeat next week.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by newportstorm
Post the city/area of MA you live in.
I'm sure there's a decent packie nearby that sells singles or mixed sixers.
Walk in and grab something local(ish), something you've never heard of, something with a wacky label, whatever.
Drink.
Repeat next week.

definitely find a place close that will sell singles or let you mix a six pack. Try anything you can. Remember, though, that not liking a beer now, means you have to try it again after a year of exploring different brews.

[Richard English]

Originally posted by steveh
I thought that's what he was doing...

S. He was asking about beers, not places.

[unholyinferno]

What are some good places to go? Where can I go to get really good beer?

[steveh]

Originally posted by Richard English
He was asking about beers, not places.

That's what I get for skimming...

Inferno -- you need to stop this practice too, let everyone know where in the commonwealth you actually are (and please don't say Walpole).

S.

[Vienna Lager]

I bet the stomach pumping was rather unpleasant after trying all those 'beers'.








Bwahahahahahah

[unholyinferno]

I live in Canton, Massachusetts

[steveh]

Check this link out:
http://beeradvocate.com/search/index

Then check out this one by our friend Beerinator:
http://beermapping.com/

In some detail:
http://beermapping.com/maps/citymaps.php?m=boston

S.

[MadDog88]

Any fairly large package store in your area should have a decent starting selection. I second the Smuttynose and Saranac suggestions. I think you should also be able to find Harpoon just about anywhere. Their new Brown ale is real good. Also look for Shipyard. They are a Bud product but I think St Louis keeps their hands off and allows them to brew some decent stuff.

Like others have said Brooklyn makes some good stuff, but it can be hard to find in Metro Bos. One local brand I personally dislike is Ipswich. Bought the twelve pack mix. Funny thing was they all tasted the same.

[sundontlie]

rather than randomly buying beer at a store, you should do a quick search on google for a brewpub in your area. go there and talk to the bartender and try a few different styles. its usually a good atmosphere, and the beer should be fresh.. Unfortunately the beer isn't always all that good, but it has to be better than most of the beers you listed...

[jesskidden]

Originally posted by MadDog88
Also look for Shipyard. They are a Bud product


Huh? Shipyard was, for a time, owned in part by Miller (around 1995, when they first bought into Celis), but they sold it back to the original owners in 2000.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by jesskidden
Huh? Shipyard was, for a time, owned in part by Miller (around 1995, when they first bought into Celis), but they sold it back to the original owners in 2000.

He may have meant Redhook (Portsmouth, NH).

Regardless, A-B owns a minority share of Redhook stock (1/3?) and has a distribution agreement for their products (as they do with Kona, Goose Island, Widmer, etc.). They (A-B) do not dictate Redhook's recipes in the brewhouse.

[steveh]

34.5%, to be exact. Got this nice link from a discussion on Red Hook & A-B over at BeerAdvocate:
http://moneycentral.msn.com/ownership?Holding=5%25+Ownership&Symbol=HOOK

S.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by unholyinferno
I live in Canton, Massachusetts

Plenty of options:

Beer bar: British Beer Company in Walpole
http://www.britishbeer.com/

Brewpub: Rock Bottom in Braintree (at South Shore Plaza)
Brewer Scott Brunelle makes some nice beers here. Chain brewpubs often get a bad rap but this one is above average. Order a sampler, follow up with a pint of your favorite and take home a growler (64 oz. jug) filled with fresh draft beer for $8.50.
http://www.rockbottom.com/RockBottomWeb/RBR/Home.aspx

Package store: pick a direction - there's plenty around.