The Suggestions Indian Pale Ale So for example, one night buy a bunch of pale ales or if you've got a good enough selection, just Indian pale ales. Now Indian pale ales are often referred to as "IPA", hence why over time you'll probably hear people talking about getting a nice pint of IPA or whatever. A classic example being Deuchers, which is an outstanding IPA in my mind. Also Chimera IPA is great, although at 7%, I wouldn't suggest more than 4 pints in a night. Most bottles will indicate that they're an IPA by either having IPA, or Indian Pale Ale written on the front. Golden Ale Another night, just try a bunch of Golden ales. These are light and often fairly sweet for ale, in the 3.8-5% range and great for summer if you like 'em. They're easy to pick out, they often have yellow labels, pictures of bees or summery type stuff on the label. Try 3 or 4, see if you like the theme. Oxford Gold and Waggle dance are two empties that are sitting in my kitchen that I like, so I shall suggest them to you. Just buy whatever though, I mean it's a couple of quid and if you hate it you just never buy it again, if you love it, you've discovered something awesome. Bitter (Pale Ale) Try regular old Bitter (there are actually pale ales, but often won't say), 4-5% range, no added flavours. This is kind of the benchmark imo, a huge class which contains a wide range of flavours - if you don't find any bottles of bitter that you like, I'd say you're probably not going to be an ale person. I tend to recommend Spitfire to people who want to get started on what bitter is. It's nothing fancy, it won't blow you away, but it gives you an idea of the sort of domain these things live in. Old Speckled Hen is another must try. Reserve/Premium Bitters Another night, if you can afford it, buy the more expensive high strength la-dee-da versions of the various ales. Abbot Reserve, Old Crafty Hen - you'll know 'em cos they'll cost nearly £3 and will tend to be at least =>6% ABV. Drink them out of a wine glass, slowly, and sip 'em. These will never be session beers for you, but you'll get an understanding of what range and depth of flavour beer can have. Weissbier (Wheat Beer) Next up I'm going to have to say, buy some bloody Weissbier (Wheat beer). It's amazing how fruity and zesty beer can taste when it's made with wheat. This isn't to everyone's taste, since it's very different to your average lager or bitter, but I think the stuff is fantastic. If you can, drink it out of a proper glass, since in my experience it does taste better in one, but not to worry too much. Erdinger Weissbier is easily available, and tastes nowhere near as good as some of the Weissbiers I had the pleasure of trying while in Munich last year, but still tastes pretty good, and is a good enough introduction. Weihenstephaner Heffe WeissBier is something special my girlfriend bought me, and I liked it enough to stick it on my beerlist so it must be good (since I never stick stuff on there). Schneider Weisse, if you can try it, is worth doing so also - although a couple of bavarians told me it was piss, I thought it wasn't bad. With Weissbier these are really just things to try, if you actually want to properly get into it you'll have to start buying from the internet instead of supermarkets. Porters and Stouts I can't help you much here because frankly I think most of them are disgusting. They're an area of ale which I've just never managed to get into, but once more there's a tremendous range of flavours available. I've been bought porters which taste similar to coca cola, others which I could swear were 50% liquid chocolate. There's a lot of room for different kind of flavours, although obviously a black beer isn't going to taste of lavender and heather honey - expect darker flavours for obvious reasons. Guinness and Newcastle Brown Ale are two that come to mind instantly, although hopefully an enthusiast will be able to recommend some, because I feel remiss recommending things I don't like. Godfather Jack Daniels, Amaretto + Coke. Yum. Jägerbomb Jäger, depth charged into redbull Skittlebomb Similar to Jägerbomb but with Cointreau. Global Killer A shot of Tequila/Stroh80/Absinthe. Feel your brain cells die. Four Horsemen 1 shot of each of the following [in order] Jack Daniels Jim Beam Johnny Walker [the cheapest one... i wouldn't go wasting one of the more expensive ones on this] then *either*, depending on personal preference: Jose Cuervo *or* Jamesons ??? [this does have a name... I just can't remember it] - Its now called this Cider and Calvados [or other apple brandy] mixed, usually 50/50 but alter as preference dictates.. Zombie There's tons of different recepies for this... in short it's 1 of each rum [light, golden and dark], fruit juice of some description and some overproof rum floated on the top. Sit back and drink until you resemble the name Skittle Vodka Not done this one yet, but have been meaning to for a while. Get a bottle of vodka, and lots of skittles. Separate the different flavours, and put each into a seperate bottle and fill with Vodka. Shake the bottles well and leave them to sit for a few hours. You then filter out the white crap from the middle of the vodka (kitchen towel over a jug will do), put the filtered vodka back into bottles, and then throw them into the freezer. They'll be near pure vodka, and sweet as skittles, so you need to be careful with how much you drink. Beer Budvar (the real deal, not that adulterated American Budweiser crap) Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen Rogue - Double Dead Guy Ale Weihenstephan make a nice Weissbier, and they're the oldest still existing brewery in the world (since 1040 AD) Wieckse Witte or Raaf Hoegaarden Pannepot Chimay blue, red, white Westvleteren 12 (arguably the best beer in the world) St. Bernardus acht Brugge Zot Blonde or Brune Oerbier Arabier black albert (****ing takes your head off) De koninck Delirium tremens Gin Hendricks (some tonic allowed; if you want a martini, mix with Noilly Pratt vermouth) Whiskey Laphroaigh Springbank 10 Year Old Campbeltown Whisky Jameson or Tullamore Dew Ardbeg 10yo (smoky/peaty) Glenlivet (nice highland malt) Edradour (many different expressions) Bowmore legend (despite not being aged it is exquisite) Jura origin Glenn Moray 12 year old (a highlander but still nice) Woodford reserve bourbon (amazing) Rum Wray and Nephews (pure, not mixed; only ice and a wedge of lime are allowed contact) Angostura 1824 Zacapa 23 Pyrat XO Appleton Estate 21 Vodka Stolichnaya (again, pure and ice cold) Wine Try a decent Amarone (if it doesn't cost £25,-- or more, don't bother. On a tight budget I recommend instead a La Casse Shiraz by Gabriel/Mefrez) Champagne Charles Heidseck (Dom Perignon is overpriced for what it is. Moet & Chandon is released too early and overrated in any case) Lager Windhoek and Tafel Lager Liqueurs Amarro (not to be confused with ammaretto) have it with tonic, it's heavenly Nocino (made with the husks of walnuts but amazingly sweet and goopy if thats your thing) Limoncello (this is more common but still nice) I'm going to update it regulary with new ideas and concuctions which you all can share, just drop it in the thread and I'll put it here. Thanks to Geoboy333, RedFlames, Anneon, lysol, Xir, SeT, Ady6UK, BentAnat, Specofdust, Edwards and Nexxo
yay for beer threads. current favorites: Beer: Rogue - Double Dead Guy Ale Whiskey (straight): Jameson or Tullamore Dew For the dsigusting, I think you're looking for Cement Mixer
In developing drinking experience, it is vital that you sample some quality benchmarks. Remember: always go for quality, not quantity: Beer: Budvar (the real deal, not that adulterated American Budweiser crap) Gin: Hendricks (some tonic allowed; if you want a martini, mix with Noilly Pratt vermouth) Whiskey: Laphroaigh Rum: Wray and Nephews (pure, not mixed; only ice and a wedge of lime are allowed contact) Vodka: Stolichnaya (again, pure and ice cold) Wine: try a decent Amarone (if it doesn't cost £25,-- or more, don't bother. On a tight budget I recommend instead a La Casse Shiraz by Gabriel/Mefrez) Champagne: Charles Heidseck (Dom Perignon is overpriced for what it is. Moet & Chandon is released too early and overrated in any case) Then try some Grappa or Aguardente, Absinthe and a decent old brandy. You are now a man, my son.
Gin: anything but Gordons... go for something like Hendricks, as nexxo suggests or Tanqueray, if you're going for G&T mix with Fever Tree tonic Rum: Wood's 100 and none of this ice and slice ****... the only thing it should come in contact with before drinking is the glass... same goes for whisky/bourbon [hell, all spirits] Whisk[e]y/Bourbon: I could be here all day... Find a whisky shop... buy a load of miniatures/small bottles... try them find one you like.., Wine: personal preference is anything but French and red rather than white... but try a few and decide for yourself... [and personally I think if you're paying £25+ a bottle... you're being ripped off...] Champagne: Don't bother, from the el-chapo stuff through to £300-a-bottle Dom Perignon and upwards... it all tastes like crap... Brandy: Spanish > French... Sandeman's if you can get it... Generally my advice is... Expensive doesn't mean it's any good... and just because we like something doesn't mean you will... and ffs enjoy it... drinking to get drunk is a waste of time and booze...
Nexxo, if you ever become a drunk, you won't be asking for spare change on a street corner it'll be more like £100 to feed your expensive taste!!
I disagree, if you're going for quality benchmarks i'd much rather have Grey Goose, Purity or Chase. That's not to say Stoli isn't nice but there's better out there for not a lot more money.
A lot of Champagne hate, you can pickup some great champagne for cheap. or make some rhubarb champagne which is i65168719849781971 times better.
Tanqueray is good, but to me it was always just a gateway drug to Hendricks. I'll try that. I've had a few bottles of £32,-- and above. They really are that good. But I agree that the quality levels beyond that, and past the £60,-- mark it is mostly just bragging rights. You've just not had good champagne. My best experience was a few 10-year-old bottles of some obscure French house that were found in the back of a warehouse, which I got for £7,-- each. Contrary to popular opinion, champagne can age really well, and these were mind-blowing. Very true, but it is less likely to be crap. Actually I drink fairly little. It's quality, not quantity that counts. I'm always willing to expand my horizons...
I've had enough of it, from a wide enough range of makes [and prices] to know that personally I don't like *any* of it...
Nothing wrong with having your own personal likes and dislikes. But Jake123456 has to find his own path to alcoholic enlightenment.
As a few gentlemen has already pointed out the better spirits out there I will just add a few. Port: don't go for the cheap stuff, a 10 year or better tastes wonderful Cognac: try a few, there are major differences and price does not always follow quality here. but still avoid the cheapest but as you also ask for the I will introduce you to a few of the uglier. This little fellow will burn your tongue and make you shed tears, if you get the right ones you will be using most other rums to get rid of the taste. However this wonderful drink can be enjoyed if you mix it with some sprite or 7up as this gives a wonderful taste of liquorice. CAUTION this drink can be dangerous if you get versions of it with a lot of absinth in it as this may cause hallucinations or brain damage. However the types that can be bought in Europe has only very little absinthe in it due to regulations. This our next guest is the strongest drink I have ever tried, the tears are no more as the fire in your throat will make sure you don't close your eyes for a while. you will run to the absinthe in order to get rid of the taste. however as these spirits are quite strong watch out and have someone in your party as the designated driver. I do believe that you will in time settle for the better spirits as they simply taste better, don't rush and make sure you take your time tasting a cognac or whiskey, they aren't shots.
Ciders my fav drink, try some different types (not strongbow crap) Right now I am on brothers apple cider with twist of ginger Mark
Indeed, he has to come to his own decisions and, as i said just because we like [or dislike] drink X doesn't mean he will... it just annoys me when whenever i say something like 'I don't like beer' [or champagne] i get the 'oh, you just haven't had decent stuff/the right one' comments... 'I don't like beer' means I don't like beer... of any kind... I'm not the type to write off an entire type of drink because i don't like one particular one... so another bit of advice from me... if you dont like, say, Hendricks gin [not singling you out nexxo... its just an example ] try another, it may just be you don't like *that* gin, rather than not liking *all* gin... anyway enough of all that... more booze suggestions!
I think the problem is you appear to be one of the rare people who'll actually try a number of variants of a drink before reaching the conclusion you don't like said drink. In my experience it's far more common for people to try one brand of a spirit or beer, not like it and then declare that they don't like that spirit or all beer. Which is a shame because there's a fantastic variety of flavours within a spirit family or across the vast range of beers you can buy.
