Upgrade from Killians

Begin drwtsn32 quote:

; Now I'm looking for something better. I don't know what it is about ; Killians I like...maybe the hops taste? I've tried Red Hook ESB and it ; seemed to lack that particular taste. I have tried India Pale Ale and I ; think it had more of that taste I'm looking for, but I found it to have ; quite a bitter aftertaste.

Red Hook ESB is a specific beer. India Pale Ale is a style of beer, many brewers make it. And naturally, each one is slightly different from the others. If you've decided that an IPA is at least close to what you like, then I suggest two things:

Try IPAs from many different brewers. See if a beer store near you will let you make "mix-packs". You can then get one bottle from each brewer to see which you prefer. Without knowing where you are, it's hard to make specific recommendations.

Try other beers in the ale lines. One of my favorites is the Golden Ale.

I'll try to answer your question a little better. Beeradvocate.com (great site if you're interested in beer by the way) classifies Killian's Irish Red as a "Euro Dark Lager." So this style may be what you're looking for, but the top beers from this style may not be so easy to find. There is a Russian beer in this category called Afanasy which I have had and can say is pretty good. You should be able to find it at a good package store.

Another beer I would recommend that you might like is St. Rogue Red Ale. You will find this refreshingly more hoppy than Killian's but it has enough maltiness to balance.

The more different styles of beer you try, the more you will learn about the different tastes and characteristics of each. And you may not like a particular style the first time you try it, but as your pallate develops you may find that you acquire a taste for these beers later on. I wasn't a big fan of IPAs when I started sampling good beers, but I really like them now. Try to get your hands on some IPAs from the west coast if you can (Bridgeport from Oregon is truly awesome). They have a different flavor profile than the more traditional IPAs.

Hah, that's exactly the IPA I just purchased. I was going to get the Red Hook IPA one but this caught my eye. I do find it kind of bitter but I may come to appreciate it some more as time goes on.

Thanks for the tips. I'm just going to sample several beers in the coming weeks and enjoy it.

I was going to purchase Red Hook IPA but ended up getting Bridgeport IPA. I may try the Red Hook one to compare the taste between the two.

That's just it...I'm not sure if IPA is what I'm looking for. I just need to try out several beers I think.

Good idea about the mix-packs. BTW, I am in Washington state.

Begin drwtsn32 quote:

; > Red Hook ESB is a specific beer. India Pale Ale is a style of beer, ; ; I was going to purchase Red Hook IPA but ended up getting Bridgeport IPA. I ; may try the Red Hook one to compare the taste between the two.

Red Hook IPA is an OK beer, but nothing special. At least here on the other side of the country where they brew out of Portsmouth, NH. IMO, Red Hook has dumbed down their beers. Although A-B denies it, I think it's due at least in part to A-B owning a piece of them.

; > from the others. If you've decided that an IPA is at least close to ; > what you like, then I suggest two things: ; ; That's just it...I'm not sure if IPA is what I'm looking for. I just need ; to try out several beers I think.

Always a good idea.

; Good idea about the mix-packs. BTW, I am in Washington state.

I understand that WA has several very good microbreweries.

Sounds like it might be similar to "Buzz Millenium" beer, a hemp-based red lager brewed by the Cool Beer Brewing Co. of Brampton, Ontario. Here's their website:

If you find IPA too bitter, try any US craft beer labeled Pale Ale. They're generally less bitter but have the same general characteristics as US-brewed IPA.

Rogue's in Portland, and they brew a pretty broad range of beers. Their Dead Guy Ale is quite approachable, and decent. If you want to try some good stouts, their Chocolate and Shakespeare stouts are exceptional. Fish Tale is pretty highly-regarded, though I think they tend to make more aggressive beers. That being said, their Poseidon Imperial Stout is pretty incredible stuff.

For Pale Ales, Stone IPA is very hoppy, but it's more of a citric character than pure bitterness. FYI, for good places to hit to find different beers, here's a generic Ratebeer link:

On Thu, 4 Nov 2004, it was written:

I'm going to agree with the malty recommendations here.

If Killians is more to your liking and something like Bridgeport IPA (which I would consider fairly typical for IPA) was still a tad bitter, then I recommend the maltier beers: Rogue's stouts and porters (OK, Shakespeare is pretty hoppy), brown ale, and dead guy ale. Look into any dark lagers, this list includes Killians and some that are like it, including some that are better:

Also try these:

I guess thats enough ratebeer for any one usenet post! lol

Redhook IPA is much milder and less bitter than BridgePort IPA. Redhook ESB is closer to Killian's. Don't know if you'd like a darker beer; if so, you could give Redhook's seasonal Winterhook a try.

You might want to try different pale ales - Pyramid, Hale's, Maritime Pacific - to see if they're in the range you like. Maybe some imports too - Fuller's, from London, has a range of bottled ales worth trying, including London Pride, ESB, and IPA.

Where in Washington? If you're in the Seattle metro area or in Bellingham, there are specialty beer stores you might want to check out.

"drwtsn32" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Hmmm...something between Killian's and (from your other post) Bridgeport IPA.

Well, both of these are quite palatable without being as hoppy as an IPA, which is my beer of choice.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Prohibition Ale

Some sort of Imperial Stout might fit the bill also, as long as you're feeling adventurous (compared to Killian's).

YMMV, of course, especially since I prefer my beers hoppy rather than malty.

The *best* thing to do is find some liquor store where the owner loves beer and lets you "mix a six" -- that is, grab an empty sixpack, and fill it from the coolers with beers of your choice. That way, you can always try a few new ones, and still have some good 'ole favorites to fall back on. My local has 571 different beers. I'm like a kid in a candy store every time I go.