The Bar Towel

What beer(s) would you suggest to friends that are just starting to expand their beer horizon (i.e. the type that consider Rickard's Red or Keith's exotic)? When hosting parties, I always try to keep something like Wellington Arkell Best Bitter or King Pilsner on hand, but many keep asking for the Kieth's!!!!!

I think this is common knowledge, but the simpler German wheatbeers are always a hit with people willing to be a bit adventurous. Try Paulaner (which comes in 341ml bottles, making it less threatening) or the Hacker-Pschorr stuff. I'd leave Schneider Weisse for yourself, as I suspect most newbies would find it a bit spicy.

Without question, the ultimate transition beer for the micro industry for the last 17 years has been Creemore Springs Lager.

It is a 'lager/ale' and always has been. It is made with the hardest water in the brewing industry (500+ ppm total hardness?) which fits only into the ale category, has some amber malts for sweetness and colour (I held one up to our MacLeans PA last week and it was slightly darker) and it has a sulphury nose. Despite that, it is made with a lager yeast and is very mellow and easy drinking.

Creemore fits into classic Molson and Labatt pretend-a-pubs as the only micro in dozens of locations because it is a transition beer that does not freak out your basic macro drinker when they get brave enough to try one. Watch for it.

I find the Wellington County Ale and Arkell are good ones for this. Accessible enough to not freak anyone out but tasty enough to please more hard core types.

I would suggest the Walkerville Premium Blonde. It’s a standard lager without the taste of chemicals found in the macros your friends are drinking. I think it also has a much fuller body with a nice malt & hop balance. I’ve been keeping some on hand for my macro-drinking friends and they’ve enjoyed it. I’ve yet to try their Superior Light, but that could be an option too.

The Wellington Trailhead Lager has also gone over well with friends.

If they think Rickard's and Keith's are exotic then perhaps Paulaner shouldn't be introduced so soon. Pouring out samples is probably okay but not inflicting a whole bottle on them.

Here are some beers that I like to drink that are easy drinking, taste good, available just about everywhere and don't push the envelope too much:

Amsterdam Blonde & Dutch Amber
Big Rock Grasshopper Wheat
Big Rock Warthog Cream Ale
Boddington's
Cameron's Cream Ale
Catfish Cream Ale
KLB Raspberry Wheat
McAuslan Apricot Wheat
Muskoka Honey Brown
Northern Red Maple
Robert Simpson Confederation Ale
Walkerville Premium Blonde
Wellington Beehive Honey Lager

A little more challenging and darker but not dark:
Big Rock Traditional Ale
Gritstone Premium Ale
Kilkenny

I remember back in the mid '90s when I was finally giving beer a better try. I usually stuck to just fruity martini's and mixed drinks as I don't like bitterness. The first beer I would regularly drink was Algonquin Honey Brown which sadly doesn't exist and I haven't found a honey brown that equals it yet. I moved on to KLB Raspberry Wheat then later the Amsterdam lineup, cream ales and some of the other sweet beers listed above. Now I'll try just about anything short of dark beer and pale ales.

I agree that Creemore is the champion transition beer in these parts. Otherwise, Sleeman Cream Ale? I also like the Walkerville as a pleasant but not overly challenging micro, both the lager and the blonde.

Wheat beers for sure, I agree with DukeofYork. Hacker-Pschorr has become a favourite for many people I've tried to introduce to the world of beer, does anyone NOT like a refreshing wheat beer? Wunderweisse remains my top pick still, wish it were more readily available.....maybe McAulsan Ambroise Pale Ale too.....pretty basic, but something new for most people.

midlife crisis wrote:I agree that Creemore is the champion transition beer in these parts. Otherwise, Sleeman Cream Ale? I also like the Walkerville as a pleasant but not overly challenging micro, both the lager and the blonde.

How about Steam Whistle....probably turned on many a Blue drinker to proper CZ and German pils.

I have to disagree with Rob about Creemore though....in this market. which is totally deprived of malty robust lagers like Viennas, Helles, Kellerbiers, Oktoberfest-Marzens, Dunkles and doppleBocks...it stands alone as a well made, malt biased session lager......in a class of it's own...I haven't seen too many well made local lagers by micros (outside of Michael's excellent Dunkle) in these parts.

El Pinguino wrote:Wheat beers for sure, I agree with DukeofYork. Hacker-Pschorr has become a favourite for many people I've tried to introduce to the world of beer, does anyone NOT like a refreshing wheat beer? Wunderweisse remains my top pick still, wish it were more readily available.

Agreed...as well Iterbev is distributing some stepping stone teasers like Leffe and Hoegaarten....don't forget Magnotta's Alt and IPA.

Great thread. I often recommend Denison's Weissbier. It's a bit aggressive for very mainstream tastes but it's incredibly likeable once someone gives it a try.

Anything Cameron's should do the trick ... interesting but not too far out.

TerryW wrote:Anything Cameron's should do the trick ... interesting but not too far out.

I dunno -- if I had first sampled Cameron's Dark 266, I would have been tempted to pass on their entire line-up. Watery is not a phrase that ought be associated with a beer.

To state the obvious, everything hinges on the type of mainstream beers he or she drinks. If they like a good session beer, go with Mill Street Tankhouse, Wellington's Iron Duke, or Rogue's Shakespeare/Chocolate Stout. I'm not sure if it has any curative powers, but for an all-purpose beer, I'd swear by Wellington's Arkell Best Bitter (cask).

If Revolution 1798 (Dublin Brewing Co.) were still available, I'd go with that -- Heaven knows I sold everyone I convinced to try it on the vitrue of it. If anyone has some cellared & wants to trade, let me know -- I doubt it's kept, but it was a nice beer.

The Denison's Weissbeer, KLB Raspberry Wheat and Mill St Organic are always a hit at non-beer-geek parties.

skaghevn wrote:

TerryW wrote:Anything Cameron's should do the trick ... interesting but not too far out.

I dunno -- if I had first sampled Cameron's Dark 266, I would have been tempted to pass on their entire line-up. Watery is not a phrase that ought be associated with a beer.

I was thinking more along the lines of the stuff that's readily available - Cream Ale, Auburn Ale, Premium Lager ...