American beer

[Gups]

Taking my son and a couple of his pals to a yankee BBQ joint on Sunday. I will need a few beers to get through the experience. I always like to try stuff I haven't before, so woudl appreciate some guidance. Here's the list

Samuel Adams (tried before, but not on tap - remember it being excellent)
Bud, Coors, Moosehead, Grolsch, Corona - not interested in any of these.
Pabst Blue Ribbon - tempted to give this a go in honour of CCR but get the impression it's a pretty crap beer. True?
Brooklyn Lager - ???
Sierra Nevada - love this beer, would be my default choice
Old Dominion Old Barrell Stout - ???
Blue Moon Wheat Beer - ???

[Admiral Yi]

I thought Grolsch was Dutch.

PBR is the official hipster beer.  It used to be a national megabrew competing with Bud and Miller, then declined to an old man beer until recently resurrrected.  I personally think the taste is too sour, but Tricky thought it was OK.  You should probably have at least one so you can firm up your opinion of hipster aesthetics.

I've had Old Dominion's lager, and thought it was very good (for a lager).  On the other hand I think US stouts can be very hit or miss.  The texture is usually off.

[Barrister]

Moosehead is not an American beer!

I take it you have listed the particular beers available at this joint?

Sam Adams is a fine beer, don't think you'll go wrong there.  PBR is, think, considered to be "pretty good for a cheap beer".  In the US it has also, somehow, gained a particular hipster following, so you might want to give it a go (or, stay far away from it, depending on your thoughts on hipsters).

I seem to recall having some kind of Brooklyn beer in NYC a decade ago and thought it was good.

[Admiral Yi]

BTW, how did your foray into BBQ a while back go?

[Gups]

Moosehead is not an American beer!

I take it you have listed the particular beers available at this joint?

Nor is Corona or Grolsch - not sure why they have them there but as you guessed just listed them all.

[Gups]

BTW, how did your foray into BBQ a while back go?

The place we're going to on Sunday is part of the same mini-chain.

It wasn't bad. Wasn't wowed by the burn end but liked the wings and the pulled pork.  Had serious indigestion. Went to the Olympics boxing after and me and my mate were farting and burping all the way through - good job it wasn't the dressage, we'd have been kicked out.

I probably wouldn't have gone back but the boy's favourite food at the moment is ribs.

[Jacob]

I've had the Brooklyn lager, but it's so long ago that I don't recall much about it. I *expect* it will be fairly hoppy, as American micro- and mini-brewers love their hops.

In any case, I suggest you start of with the Brooklyn lager, follow up with the Blue Moon Hefeweizen, then the Old Dominion stout... after that, you either continue with the Sierra Nevada or return to one of the previous three if you prefer that.

If you don't like hops, start with the PBR instead of the Brooklyn instead.

Once you're done, report back here

[The Larch]

I'd go for the Sam Adams and/or the Sierra Nevada to get a good representative from both coasts.

[PDH]

Have one of each.

[merithyn]

Start with the Blue Moon (with an orange wedge, if you can get one), as it's the lighter of the options presented. From there, I'd go with Brooklyn Lager and then Old Dominion Old Barrell Stout. Leave the PBR off the menu. It's not worth the bar price, imo.

I like Blue Moon, but I prefer a little more teeth to my beer. Of the ones listed above, I prefer the Old Dominion, but you never want to start with a dark beer and then go to a lighter one. You lose too much flavor in the lighter ones that way.

[lustindarkness]

My favorite beer is an open one. 

Of your list, Sam Adams is good stuff.

[Richard Hakluyt]

For a cheap beer I thought PBR was well ahead of the opposition such as Bud and Coors, it is not a great beer though. Beer price differentials are greater in the US than the UK though, so CCR is right to rate this drinkable beer.

[derspiess]

I'd go for the Sam Adams and/or the Sierra Nevada to get a good representative from both coasts.

This.  Sam Adams will give you a good example of an Amber Lager, and Sierra Nevada is top notch as far as American Pale Ales are concerned.

Brooklyn Lager is worth considering, maybe in place of Sam Adams since you've already had it and they're the same type of beer.  Their brewmaster is Garrett Oliver, a deity in the world of brewing and their Lager and Brown ale are a couple classic American craft-brewed beers.

Blue Moon is a good Belgian-style white, but you might as well just go ahead and get Hoegaarden or another witbier as it's better and probably cheaper in your neck of the woods.

Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout is also a good selection, but if you're bringing it to share it may have the least mass appeal.  Has a bit of a smoky, oaky taste to it, which I like but ain't for everyone. 

[derspiess]

And now I can't stop thinking about beer.  The brewery 4 miles from my house opened a tap room and is doing Friday happy hours.  There is a Bourbon Orangette Stout calling my name-- hopefully I can get away from work at a decent hour.

[merithyn]

Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout is also a good selection, but if you're bringing it to share it may have the least mass appeal.  Has a bit of a smoky, oaky taste to it, which I like but ain't for everyone.