Beer 101: How To Try New Beer

7 things you can do to drink outside of your comfort zone

One of the most common things I hear from friends is “I like beer, but there’s so much out there I’m scared to try something new. What if I get a six-pack of something I don’t like?”

You’re right, the adventure of beer drinking is not without it’s risks. But I have a few strategies I employ to avoid getting a beer I don’t like, or to minimize the consequences of finding a beer I don’t like.

1) I ask for a tasting.
If I’m in a bar or a restaurant that has a lot of beers on the menu, and I’m interested in the description of a beer but aren’t sure I’ll like it, I’ll ask for a tasting. This way I can see if I like it, and order accordingly. It’s a great way to be adventurous in a safe way. If you don’t like the beer, you haven’t committed to a pint yet. Also, let’s face it: a lot of beers can be described as “Subtle amounts of malts and hops make for a clean and crisp ale.” (source) while tasting wildly different in comparison to each other.

(note: Some bars charge for tastings. If they do, they’ll say so.)

2) I’ll ask for a recommendation.
You could ask your bartender. Let them know if you’re pretty new to beer, and don’t apologize for it, but be honest. Say “I haven’t tried a lot of beers but I really like Sam Adams’ Boston Lager and Bass Ale, but I really don’t like Half Acre’s Daisy Cutter.* Is there something you’d recommend?”

OR

If you’re torn between two beers on the menu, ask your server to describe them in comparison to each other. “I’m not sure which one of these two I would like, how are they different?”

(note: this suggestion and the one preceding it are counting on the fact that your server knows the beer they’re serving. It’s a sad fact that many waiters don’t know the beer list very well. If they give you a blank, awkward expression and a bunch of “um”s and “er”s before they answer your question, go with something reliable and experiment next time.)

3) I’ll buy an individual bottle.
At the grocery store, staring at six, twelve, even twenty-four packs of beers you’ve never tried? Try an individual bottle. Those 22oz ones (sometimes called “rockets” or “bombers”) are enough to split with a friend, and they can be found for as little as $3. Low investment, low risk.

OR

Make my own six pack. Many grocery stores and package stores give you this option. Do a little Google searching and you should be able to find somewhere near you that offers this. Get six different beers that you’re interested in trying.

4) I’ll try something from a brewery I trust.
Breweries and brewmasters can be incredibly creative, but there’s generally some consistency that you’ll find among the offerings from any given brewery. There are many examples of this, but that’s for another post. If I’ve LOVED a beer from a brewery before, I’m a lot more likely to try something else they offer than something from a completely different brewery. Example: Uinta, in Salt Lake City. Zach and I had their Baba Black Lager and it was amazing. Next time we went to our local liquor store, we decided to try their Hyve Honey Ale. And it was amazing.

5) I’ll read labels and boxes of beers I like, and then look for similar descriptions of other beers.
This is how I discovered that I prefer lagers to ales, and how discovered that I like beers described as “malty” and “nutty” over beers described as “sharp” and “bright”. There’s no science to it and you don’t need a beer notebook to write down all the buzz words that you enjoy or don’t enjoy. Over time, if you pay attention, you’ll notice certain descriptions GRAB you more than others, and you’ll find yourself thinking “ooo that sounds yummy!” instead of “meh, I’ll pass.”

6) Stick with a variety or category and try lots of beers in that type. (i.e. Belgian, bock, trippel, Irish red ale, double IPA, or Imperial Pale Ale.)
When you find a beer you LOVE, try other beers made in the same style. All this requires is trying a beer, loving it, and finding out what kind it is. Some beer styles are incredibly specific, like trippels, others are really vague like ale. Ale is a very large umbrella under which beers of all tastes can fall. Try to narrow it down. What KIND of ale? What KIND of lager? Where was it made. Find out as much as you can about the individual beer you love and go from there.

7) Ask your friends for a recommendation.
Chances are that you have a friend or two more familiar with beer than you are. Consider them another good resource for trying new beers. We’ve had plenty of occasions where a friend brought an unfamiliar six-pack to a party and by the end of the night we’d found a new brew we were in love with.

Don’t have any friends that fit the bill? We can be that friend! We are by no means experts, but we’ve gotten a handle on figuring out what kinds of beers we like and would be happy to recommend something to you. Include one or two examples of beers you’ve really enjoyed and ones you haven’t liked as much. Hit us up on Twitter or Tumblr and we’ll try and point you in the right direction. If you can, try to describe what you liked about those enjoyable beers.

What strategies have worked for you? If you have an example of discovering a new delicious beer, or trying a new beer and being disappointed, please share in the comments!

*No offense to Half Acre or to Daisy Cutter devotees everywhere. I respect anyone who can drink a whole glass of Daisy Cutter and enjoy it. It’s a flavor I just haven’t gotten my taste buds on board with yet.

This article was written by Elspeth Harris and originally published in 2013 on the Layman’s Guide to Beer