OT: recommend me beer!

[lola]

yuengling is a pretty smooth lager... and the oldest american beer (i think)

but if youre a more hardy drinker (which i think you are, being ze germans and all) i would definitely recommend stone arrogant bastard ale. very flavorful and definitely not for sissies or faint of heart. i highly recommend you to try it.

[Tha Gooch]

+1
LOL! I could not have put it better myself.

You guys just aren't looking, and possibly confusing the skunky taste in imports for quality when it's just beer going bad.
http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/verify-age
http://www.twistedpinebrewing.com/
http://www.stonebrew.com/
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/
http://www.lostabbey.com/
http://www.averybrewing.com/
http://www.flyingdogales.com/
http://www.rogue.com/
etc... etc...

[djproben]

+1 on Yuengling if you're on the east coast; on the west coast Henry Weinhard's is a good staple. These are both relatively cheap and not hard to find, and they have various flavors depending on your pref -- lagers, porters, etc. Neither will blow your mind, but they're dependable. Microbrews are definitely the way to go if possible but my guess is Florida is not where you'll find a lot of those, but you'll at least find a few places that specialize in having many different kinds of beer available, domestic or imported.

Big +1 to Abita, which is from NOLA I think so it should be easy to find in Florida. It's got a lot of character for an American beer. Red Stripe will also be easy to find in florida. But honestly I almost always drink imported when I can -- Stella, Newcastle, and Delerium Tremens; I also love Bass Ale and Guinness as well as the occasional Heineken -- most places that have any selection at all will have a couple of imported options.

One thing that should be really easy to find that you should try is Mexican beer -- Corona, Tecate, Dos Equis, Bohemia, Pacifico -- they're pretty widely available in bars all over the US and consistently light and tasty. Even if light beers aren't your thing it's worth trying because it's such a nice contrast to American light beers -- the Buds and Millers and such -- because they actually have flavor.

[tekki]

Just get out the Murphy's Irish Red. Then again, you wouldn't have to visit the States for that one.

[Jester]

anything over 5% and doesn't taste like camel piss!

[JonathanBlake]

anything over 5% and doesn't taste like camel piss!

That's the problem Jes..........

[Shane Says]

Anyone who says good American beer is an oxymoron has obviously never been on the states in the past 5 years. The microbrewerys have grown substantially. IMO Thanks to the homebrewing community we have some of the most experimental and innovative breweries in the world (Dogfishhead being one of the many). Which only leads to fantastic beers. If u think American beer is only bud miller and coors come to my house and I will school ur ass in american beer awesomeness.

[lola]

Anyone who says good American beer is an oxymoron has obviously never been on the states in the past 5 years. The microbrewerys have grown substantially. IMO Thanks to the homebrewing community we have some of the most experimental and innovative breweries in the world (Dogfishhead being one of the many). Which only leads to fantastic beers. If u think American beer is only bud miller and coors come to my house and I will school ur ass in american beer awesomeness.

actually the februrary 2011 issue of maxim covers an article on the "golden age of american beer". its got a guide to 57 beers with reviews and pictures and what not. to be honest my favorite beer is belgian.... lindeman framboise tastes like juice

[BradCee]

... im somewhat picturing a Fosters commercial. LOL

+1

[Shane Says]

Its a beautiful time to be a beer drinker in the US. What i find even more interesting over the past couple of years a couple of breweries have started putting great beer in cans. This helps preventing light and air getting at the beer keeping it fresher longer. Also cans are easier to recycle in the US. All thanks to Oskar Blues for starting that movement.

Belgian styles are definately my favorites. But I can't do more than 1 or 2 sours. It's too much for me. I'm more of a quad and triple guy.

All this talk of beer is making me thirsty. And it's only 845 am.