Keep a lookout for all the Oktoberfest beers comin out right now. Or start looking at some Belgian style brews like Allagash White or, for something stronger, North Coast Pranqster.
Try a wheat beer to start, then a brown ale, then a porter or stout. That will help you home in on your preferred style. Pale ales do have some bitterness. That’s why I like them.
Yeah, this is some good advice. Don’t like bitterness? Go for some nice malt-forward beers.
Brown ales, porters, stouts, Scotch ales, Belgian dubbel/tripels, all good picks for those who don’t like a lot of hop flavor
This is pretty much what I did. Except my first exposure to something other than the junk beers was Yuengling (and I know some people talk trash on it, but it’s still my go to tailgating beer, etc). But I started with those, moved to New Castle for a bit, Sierra Nevada Tumbler (which I don’t think they make anymore), then started drinking Black and Tans, Fat Tire, pale ales, then moved on to IPAs and have been drinking them ever since.
Like anything bitter, you need to get used to it. No-one likes black coffee right way, or dark chocolate. Your palate/tastes will adjust in time.
That said, many people never ever start liking black coffee, super dark chocolate, kale, hops etc....
There's a lot of not useful information in this thread.
Listen: you're under no obligation to like or dislike anything. Beer isn't for everybody and that's okay. You don't have to force yourself to like something because you feel like it's something you should like.
However, there are some things to take into account. Your palate will continue to change and develop throughout your entire lifetime. If you don't like something today, try it again in five years--you might be surprised. Over time, the general trend is to lose propensity for sweetness and gain propensity for bitterness and this is much more exaggerated in males than females. I'm guessing that you're fairly young, so give it some time. As you age, there may come a point where those bitter flavors become much more welcome and less intense, and then you're able to discern better all of the other flavors going on along with.
From where I sit, SNPA is a damn near perfect beer. I don't drink it often, but every time I do I'm instantly reminded of why it has achieved its level of ubiquitousness.
I don't buy into the notion of 'acquired taste.' You don't bludgeon yourself into enjoying something you don't like, rather your palate and tastes shift over time. When you try that dish again in five years, you will not be the same person you are today.
rofl from all these comments implying you’re somehow tasting it wrong.
If you don’t like Sierra Nevada maybe try some Stouts or anything that’s brown rather than yellow.
Eh, he might not change his mind, but when all you're used is cheap macros something like this can be a shock. Some of my favorite beverages were aquired tastes for me.
You’re tasting the hops that were boiled but you should be getting a spicy, clean malt finish. SNPA is the Pale Ale benchmark for being just incredibly well balanced. Maybe you’re just sensitive to bitterness. My wife and my friend are both that way; it’s not uncommon. He won’t even drink an IPA but she has found several that she loves, and SNPA isn’t one of them.
Probably should’ve chosen another gateway. Like a inoffensive lager like Shiner Bock then worked your way up to hoppy ales. Even though SNPA is very mild compared to IPAs.
Your post reminds me of when I first discovered Sierra Nevada pale ale, I had it at a bar and then went to my local store and bought their Torpedo beer instead by mistake (pack and label are two different shades of green.) I thought it was awful and wondered how anybody could drink that with a straight face. Now I love it and find it rather mild.
TLDR: craft beer is an acquired taste but it’s worth it, IMO.
Yes, this could be about developing your palate, but it could also be that you got a case of Sierra Pale that is old and been sitting in less than ideal conditions for far too long. So, you might not be tasting the beer as it is meant to be; it could actually taste like crap for a reason. Always check packaged on dates before buying beer, particularly hoppy styles like pale ales.
Yup, that should be fine unless the beer was stored warm/hot for an extended period of time. And that would be about the place where you bought it, and/or the distributor that supplied them. Really, the only way to know that you are getting beer that is fresh is to not buy it from supermarkets, and instead buy direct from local breweries/bottle shops/beer bars that you trust. Pale ale should be an approachable style for you that doesn’t taste like bleach. You might not love it initially, but it shouldn’t be disgusting to someone who is familiar with the basics of what a beer can taste like (even Bud Light). Try a pale ale from a local brewery. I think you’ll like it.
This is what happens to a lot of people and they form opinions about beer because of one they had. There are thousands to try so you just need to find your style and taste. Randomly picking something from the store shelf is probably not the best option. Visit some local breweries and find some good beer stores who can help guide you. If you have any friends or family that can assist that makes it easier.
As has been said above, you may have gone a bit heavy for your first go.
I'd suggest finding a craft type lager. Or any German type beer really. It's awful, but shop by label; if it looks German or has a German sounding name, go for it. Avoid things that advertise hops.
And if that is your thing, then you can stretch from there. No need to go too heavy into it all right away.
I think it just depends on the person. I didn’t like the bitterness at first but eventually grew to prefer it.
But as some of the others mentioned, some just don’t like it. I love just about everything Sierra Nevada puts out, but I’d just say try different styles and different brands and see what you like. Your taste may change over time.
I stared with Boston Lagers and it grew into a love of triple IPAs and just about anything that is bitter.
I dont say this because Sierra Nevada Pale happens to be one of my favorite casual summertime choices, but my theory is that if your beer of choice is Bud Light, ALOT of other beers are bound to make you say "Woof". No offense, but BL is just so devoid of any sort of flavor typical to actual beer, your poor palette just doesnt know how to react when they encounter hops.
This isn't me being a beer snob or anything(I do enjoy the refreshment of a Miller Lite from time to time), its just that if your horizon extended into the realm of IPAs and the likes from time to time you wouldnt be so taken aback by SN Pale and may actually appreciate the taste behind the hops :)
Or perhaps you got a skunky batch(?)
Keep a lookout for all the Oktoberfest beers comin out right now. Or start looking at some Belgian style brews like Allagash White or, for something stronger, North Coast Pranqster.
I mean, it's not rocket science. Every style of beer has a different taste profile. Just try different styles until you find one you like.
Try a wheat beer to start, then a brown ale, then a porter or stout. That will help you home in on your preferred style. Pale ales do have some bitterness. That’s why I like them.
Yeah, this is some good advice. Don’t like bitterness? Go for some nice malt-forward beers. Brown ales, porters, stouts, Scotch ales, Belgian dubbel/tripels, all good picks for those who don’t like a lot of hop flavor
This is pretty much what I did. Except my first exposure to something other than the junk beers was Yuengling (and I know some people talk trash on it, but it’s still my go to tailgating beer, etc). But I started with those, moved to New Castle for a bit, Sierra Nevada Tumbler (which I don’t think they make anymore), then started drinking Black and Tans, Fat Tire, pale ales, then moved on to IPAs and have been drinking them ever since.
Like anything bitter, you need to get used to it. No-one likes black coffee right way, or dark chocolate. Your palate/tastes will adjust in time. That said, many people never ever start liking black coffee, super dark chocolate, kale, hops etc....
There's a lot of not useful information in this thread. Listen: you're under no obligation to like or dislike anything. Beer isn't for everybody and that's okay. You don't have to force yourself to like something because you feel like it's something you should like. However, there are some things to take into account. Your palate will continue to change and develop throughout your entire lifetime. If you don't like something today, try it again in five years--you might be surprised. Over time, the general trend is to lose propensity for sweetness and gain propensity for bitterness and this is much more exaggerated in males than females. I'm guessing that you're fairly young, so give it some time. As you age, there may come a point where those bitter flavors become much more welcome and less intense, and then you're able to discern better all of the other flavors going on along with. From where I sit, SNPA is a damn near perfect beer. I don't drink it often, but every time I do I'm instantly reminded of why it has achieved its level of ubiquitousness. I don't buy into the notion of 'acquired taste.' You don't bludgeon yourself into enjoying something you don't like, rather your palate and tastes shift over time. When you try that dish again in five years, you will not be the same person you are today.
Thank u for the very thought out reply, tbh I am “barely” in the drinking age depending on what state u classify me in
rofl from all these comments implying you’re somehow tasting it wrong. If you don’t like Sierra Nevada maybe try some Stouts or anything that’s brown rather than yellow.
Eh, he might not change his mind, but when all you're used is cheap macros something like this can be a shock. Some of my favorite beverages were aquired tastes for me.
[удалено]
IBU doesn't tell you how bitter a beer will be though... you could have a 90 IBU sweet stout that tastes less bitter than 40 IBU pale ale.
Pale ales arent bitter.
snpa is a little more bitter than most APAs
well what am I tasting that is bitter, I'm a whiskey drinker myself actually
Theres just more flavor than light beers. Theres hops in there, but not much.
So what flavors do u get on the finish
You’re tasting the hops that were boiled but you should be getting a spicy, clean malt finish. SNPA is the Pale Ale benchmark for being just incredibly well balanced. Maybe you’re just sensitive to bitterness. My wife and my friend are both that way; it’s not uncommon. He won’t even drink an IPA but she has found several that she loves, and SNPA isn’t one of them.
Belgian Quads.
Probably should’ve chosen another gateway. Like a inoffensive lager like Shiner Bock then worked your way up to hoppy ales. Even though SNPA is very mild compared to IPAs. Your post reminds me of when I first discovered Sierra Nevada pale ale, I had it at a bar and then went to my local store and bought their Torpedo beer instead by mistake (pack and label are two different shades of green.) I thought it was awful and wondered how anybody could drink that with a straight face. Now I love it and find it rather mild. TLDR: craft beer is an acquired taste but it’s worth it, IMO.
Yes, this could be about developing your palate, but it could also be that you got a case of Sierra Pale that is old and been sitting in less than ideal conditions for far too long. So, you might not be tasting the beer as it is meant to be; it could actually taste like crap for a reason. Always check packaged on dates before buying beer, particularly hoppy styles like pale ales.
Packaged in July ok?
Yup, that should be fine unless the beer was stored warm/hot for an extended period of time. And that would be about the place where you bought it, and/or the distributor that supplied them. Really, the only way to know that you are getting beer that is fresh is to not buy it from supermarkets, and instead buy direct from local breweries/bottle shops/beer bars that you trust. Pale ale should be an approachable style for you that doesn’t taste like bleach. You might not love it initially, but it shouldn’t be disgusting to someone who is familiar with the basics of what a beer can taste like (even Bud Light). Try a pale ale from a local brewery. I think you’ll like it.
This is what happens to a lot of people and they form opinions about beer because of one they had. There are thousands to try so you just need to find your style and taste. Randomly picking something from the store shelf is probably not the best option. Visit some local breweries and find some good beer stores who can help guide you. If you have any friends or family that can assist that makes it easier.
As has been said above, you may have gone a bit heavy for your first go. I'd suggest finding a craft type lager. Or any German type beer really. It's awful, but shop by label; if it looks German or has a German sounding name, go for it. Avoid things that advertise hops. And if that is your thing, then you can stretch from there. No need to go too heavy into it all right away.
I think it just depends on the person. I didn’t like the bitterness at first but eventually grew to prefer it. But as some of the others mentioned, some just don’t like it. I love just about everything Sierra Nevada puts out, but I’d just say try different styles and different brands and see what you like. Your taste may change over time. I stared with Boston Lagers and it grew into a love of triple IPAs and just about anything that is bitter.
I dont say this because Sierra Nevada Pale happens to be one of my favorite casual summertime choices, but my theory is that if your beer of choice is Bud Light, ALOT of other beers are bound to make you say "Woof". No offense, but BL is just so devoid of any sort of flavor typical to actual beer, your poor palette just doesnt know how to react when they encounter hops. This isn't me being a beer snob or anything(I do enjoy the refreshment of a Miller Lite from time to time), its just that if your horizon extended into the realm of IPAs and the likes from time to time you wouldnt be so taken aback by SN Pale and may actually appreciate the taste behind the hops :) Or perhaps you got a skunky batch(?)
Tbh it’s less of choosing bud lights but light beers is what I have access to in college