Puddy Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 We have a good amount of 'good' beer drinkers on these boards. I'm guessing that many of you like me, started with the traditional American mass produced Bud or Miller products. I'm curious what beer would you consider your "gateway" beer into the world of truly tasty beers. I've only broken away from the mass produced stuff for a few years. I'd have to say the beer I began to drink regularly that took me away from Bud Light was Sam Adams Boston Lager. I then tasted several of their other offerings. Now I drink mostly American craft beers (I'm enjoying a very tasty Goose Island Nut Brown as I type this). I've delved into some Belgium beers over the last couple of years but mostly buy American. There is a world of beers to still try and enjoy. What was your gateway beer and when did you break away from the pack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Probably an Americanzed Heffeweizen of some sort....maybe Windmere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Gosh I don't know, maybe Lemon Lager. In college, I would "splurge" on Bud Light when I got paid or got my student loan check. Otherwise, it was Keystone or Natty Light. After college, I honestly don't remember what I mainly drank. I think I didn't really drink much beer for awhile. I know I kept with the cheap swill when I started drinking beer again... and I think Lemon Lager was one of the first "non-swill" beers I remember liking. Now, I still drink swill but do find myself drinking Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat and Blue Moon quite a bit.... especially during the warmer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 guinness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 i started drinking michelob and lowenbrau when i was about 11 or 12. never had a tast for heinekin. high school we drank a lot of mgd and coors light. college... fraternity parties were mostly kegs of coors light and keystone. being so close to mexico, we had a lot of corona, medelo, dos XX, pacifico, etc. that is when a roommate and i started buying more foreign bier to actually "compare" them. we would by about 4-5 new biers a week and we were all over the map. for my wife..... she didn't like bier until our first trip to germany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 My dad took me to German beer fests as far back as I can remember. Dinkelacker was my first taste of something not cheap American swill. I've since graduated from skunky European swill but it was definitely Dinks that got me going in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 My first sip of Bass Ale in college started me on my love of English ales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 When I was in HS, working as a busboy at a fancy restaurant, I used to hang out with two of the younger waiters after work some times and we always drank Tooths Sheaf Stout and Bass Ale (either alone or in a black and tan). That one sticks out. Mind you, even before that we could tell the difference between the good stuff and the crap, even if we were drinking crap nearly all the time. By the time I got to college I was almost always drinking imports and micros and we had some good brew pubs around, so that was pretty easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billay Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I had to leave the country to alter my beer palette. I was never a hugh beer drinker, if I did I would drink Michelob Light (remember that?) Then I went to Prague and beer, for me was never the same. Prague is known for its hops, and I had never tasted anything so good. It was like ambrosia. On the airplane back home, I ordered a Heineken, never having done so before. Since then, I drink nice, hoppy beers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 1973. Thailand. 1020. In the middle of a jungle/rainforest this maiden shows up with Singha in a bucket of ice water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tiff Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 (edited) I laugh about it now, but I didn't start trying other beers until I tried Amberbock. It showed me there were other flavors to try than Bud/Miller/Coors. Don't touch the stuff now! (Amberbock, that is) Edited January 31, 2009 by cre8tiff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 1973. Thailand. 1020. In the middle of a jungle/rainforest this maiden shows up with Singha in a bucket of ice water. OK something about this post jumped out at me. 1973 was not the best of times to be in Southeast Asia. Are you willing to discuss what you were doing over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 If I am going to be drinking alot, I'll still swig the Lite. I can't say one beer was a gateway, just that I always knew better existed. Got a six of the new Sam Adams for tonight's festivities http://www.samueladams.com/promotions/beer...e2008/home.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameltosis Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Hmm, interesting post. If I remember correctly it was probably Guinness and Newcastle that started me on my way. I drink mostly IPA's now as I have developed into a hop head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 OK something about this post jumped out at me. 1973 was not the best of times to be in Southeast Asia. Are you willing to discuss what you were doing over there? My Uncle sent me there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WashingtonD Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Wait....Miller Lite was my gateway away from Milkwaukee's best Lite....does that count? My dad bought me a six pack of newcastle when I was hope from college one weekend...that began my love affair with finding a better beer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 In college, I would "splurge" on Bud Light when I got paid or got my student loan check. Otherwise, it was Keystone or Natty Light. college... fraternity parties were mostly kegs of coors light and keystone. Same for me... keystone or natty light kegs - and I was always the kegman as you got o meet every girl there and get them to do something nice for you to get beer. Occassionally it was PBR, so odd that it is the main ngredient of Trailer Park Tea, a darin favorite at The Huddle. I enjoy Stella Artois now, but I really don't drink that much so my beer tastes are not very diverse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Same for me... keystone or natty light kegs - and I was always the kegman as you got o meet every girl there and get them to do something nice for you to get beer. Occassionally it was PBR, so odd that it is the main ngredient of Trailer Park Tea, a darin favorite at The Huddle. I enjoy Stella Artois now, but I really don't drink that much so my beer tastes are not very diverse. Mmm... Trailer Park Tea. Stella. Yuck. I've found that I really hate beer that comes in green bottles. Skunky crap. Heineken, Stella, bleh.. I guess Rolling Rock is OK but it's been years since I've had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Mmm... Trailer Park Tea. Stella. Yuck. I've found that I really hate beer that comes in green bottles. Skunky crap. Heineken, Stella, bleh.. I guess Rolling Rock is OK but it's been years since I've had it. I love Heineken on tap in Ireland. It just tastes better there. Delicious. I go through gallons of it in a night. Jaeger Bombs Wednesday night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
untateve Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I remember the gateway event quite well. 1991--my brother and I were in England. He had some friends there and we all went out. One of these guys told me and my brother we had to try "Guinness." To be honest, I'd never heard of it. So, we each order one. My brother and I took our first sip and looked at each other wondering what this nasty stuff was. However, we ordered and we drank it. By the time we finished it, we loved it and immediately ordered another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlanta Cracker Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I had to leave the country to alter my beer palette. I was never a hugh beer drinker, if I did I would drink Michelob Light (remember that?) Then I went to Prague and beer, for me was never the same. Prague is known for its hops, and I had never tasted anything so good. It was like ambrosia. On the airplane back home, I ordered a Heineken, never having done so before. Since then, I drink nice, hoppy beers. I also went out of the country... to upstate New York after college.... and it was just too da_m_n cold to drink Miller Lite. The first "gateway" was some version of LaBatts followed by Guiness and Bass. Now I am back South and still enjoy the lighter beers in the summer but much prefer the hoppy ones and have Sweetwater IPA on draft now. Sounds like I need to go to Prague. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boat_hacked Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I remember the first non-American beer I tried was a Canadian beer called Special Export. that awakened my taste buds to find something better than Bud/Coors/MGD. A buddy of mine hung out with this guy whose father was starting his own micro back in the late 70s-80's. We'd go to the weekend taste testing and get hammered on St. Stan's Amber, Dark, and then Fest. This experience solidified my taste for finding those great craft beers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 (edited) I remember the first non-American beer I tried was a Canadian beer called Special Export. that awakened my taste buds to find something better than Bud/Coors/MGD. . That was an American beer made by Pabst. Edited February 14, 2009 by Big John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 That was an American beer made by Pabst. So Pabst helped boathacked escape the mass produced swill by AB, Coors and Miller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 That was an American beer made by Pabst. classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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