I'm trying to become a well versed beer drinker. As such, I have learned to flavourful differences between hoppy beers vs. malty beers, of an India pale ale vs. normal pale ale vs. a stout. I had a couple questions for you beer buffs:
1) I know how a lager and an ale are brewed differently, but I have not yet figured out how that brewing impacts the taste. Maybe this is since most beers like Labatt Blue, Corona, etc. are not usually labeled lager vs. ale so I don't know what Im' drinking as a taste test. So how do you distinguish from flavour alone if you are drinking an ale or a lager?
2) I had the joy of consuming Bell's Dopplebock. The bock seems to have a flavour distinct from all other styles. Yet information on the net regarding how it is made is hard to come by. What makes a bock a bock and not something else?

Beyond that, please post your beer recomendations and those are the best beers. For me, I have recently discovered Stone Brewery's Ruination IPA. It is hops with a small side of malt and water. Truly an assault on the taste buds, but yet somehow an intriguing experience. It is an IPA that has abolished all remnant hints of the malt. Not for the faint of heart!

Not much of a beer buff but I love to drink it Anyways, I think both these beers are maritime only but eh, maybe you can get them. Alpine and Olands are the best.

First rifles, then beer.... um.... you are sounding more and more scary every day.

He is sounding more and more country everyday, which is awesome.

Only beer I've ever really liked was Red Stripe. Hurray Beer!

Roark is turning out to be the god who sits on his porch in the Havens with a beer and a shotgun. And only 8 more days until I can legally drink beer.

bah, I still have to wait 6 months to drink.well, legally anyway

It's the level of yeast that I decide over. I don't really know how to describe it though, since I liken the taste to vegimite.

Gavin: "ok this beer is too vegimitey"
Gavin's friends: "what the F are you talking about?"

As for my recommendations, well, I'm a poor uni student so these are all fairly cheap:

Toohey's New
Carlton Draught
Asahi (about the most expensive beer I drink, heh).

Just wondering Roark, but are you a nascar fan?

Drinking is one the things I've done best in life so far, though the last six months I have really reigned it and I haven't been near as bad a drunk as I was a few years ago.

That being said... my favorite beer is Red Dog. At 4.99 a twelve pack it's retardedly cheap and delicious.

Other favorites are Schlitz, Old Milwaulkee, High Life, and Lone Star.

For some reason I got lucky and really, really love the taste of cheap beer. And it's CHEAP!

Shulgin

If you're into dark, tasty beers, I'd recommend Dragon Stout... I've always wanted to do many, many car bombs with Dragon Stout. Yum.

The best advice anyone can give you when it comes to beer is don't buy that cheap american watered down junk, come to Canada for real beer.

Oh yeah, American beer is known the world over for being bad. Oh and English beer is designed to be had at room temperature..don't even get me started.

Cheap American beer is not only delicious, it does what is expected of it!

Also, there are some tasty malt liquors if you don't have alot of cash. When it comes to those I prefer Schlitz, Olde English, Colt 45, and Icehouse.

Shulgin

I love Old English. I've got some in my fridge right now

I hate Nascar. I actually live in the city, like to read philosophy, and enjoy a good symphony. Not very country... Though my goals are to move where the Amish roam, so maybe I'll come around in the end!

Roark, which philisophers handle the question of the Law of Non Contradiction? i.e. which philosphers say no such law should exist, and secondly, have you seen any such discussions in regards to quautum mechanics.

As for American beers, it seems like the foreigners always try the garbage national chains. Try the microbrews, like Great Lakes Brewery, Bell's Brewery, He'Brew Brewery, Stone Brewery, etc. The only thing more watery than Busch is water. Stay away from it. Do not drink anything that has sponsored any televised sporting event with the possible exception of Samuel Adams. Drink Great Lakes' Burning River Ale or Bell's Pale Ale.



Beer good!

QED.

bleh, help a guy out, my google powers are failing me.

Lager tastes very earthy, almost like there is soil in the drink, a proper beer tastes very crisp and clean. Ale tastes very hoppy as does Pilsner but is slightly more lager in quality. Bitter (which only us brits seem to drink properly) is very hoppy but not as dark, heavy or strong as Ale. Mead is very sweet, should only be drank when heated.



Bock is very strong lager that aims at being matly rather than hoppy. So its kind of sweet rather than bitter. The difference is the mix of malts and that the hops are only present in enough quantity to balance the malt rather than to flavour the brew.


And as for suggestions...

Dark Ale :
Hobgoblin
Wychcraft
Old Peculiar
Pedigree

Honey Ales :
Waggledance

Pale Ales :
Greene King IPA
Caledonian Deucars

Bitter (might be impossible to get proper bitter outside of britain as its not just the way its brewed but they way its served that matter in its taste) :
Brakespaer
Samuel Smiths Old Brewery

As for beer I am not much of a beer or lager drinker though I do have them occasinally. I generally steer totally away from lager, but some of the more unusual fruit beers I quite enjoy.


Last One I promise....

As regard proper British Beer, the best site is this one http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=aboutale

Camra are the CAMpaign for Real Ale and do a lot of good work in britain grading ales and pubs so that we know where we can get a good pint

And a good book worth getting if you really want to get into your beer is this one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1852492...glance&n=266239