Post date: 16-Jun-2009 01:54:01
When I first met Colin he only drank Crown Royal and coke. In university, he decided it was time to start liking beer so he kept trying different kinds and is now a full-fledged beer drinker.
Since we’re going to Octoberfest in Germany from September 19 to 24 (Octoberfest runs until Oct 03, 2009), I decided that to truly experience it I needed to learn how to like beer. I mean, I just pictured me being the only person in an entire bar ordering a margarita or glass of wine instead of a local pint.
Therefore, I have started trying numerous kinds of beer. I used to not be able to handle any beers even the lightest ones because of the bitter, skunky, rank after taste. However, you kind of get used to the beery after taste after a while. There are also some beers that as Colin says are smoother like Belgian beer with little to no after taste.
I did a bit of research on the Internet and when tasting beer the appearance and aroma are also important. Beer can have a skunky odour from light and oxidation. I guess many people don't like the hops taste when they first try beer and this could be what I am calling the skunky taste. A few blogs I read said that you should try beer at least 10 different times to see if it grows on you. I guess I did the same thing with wine when I first started drinking it.
So far, I have had MGD, Corona with lime (which makes it taste more like a cooler), Stella Artois, Brahma, Bud Light Lime, and my new favourite Rickard's White with a slice of orange. I was addicted to Bud Light Lime for a while, but so is the rest of Edmonton. The supplies cannot keep up with the demand and I have only been able to purchase it twice (from a liquor store in my neighbourhood where they horde it in the back room). This liquor store shall rename nameless. I tried to purchase the beer from other liquor stores but after driving to 3 with no success I gave up. This beer has become so popular that there are even signs up on the doors of liquor stores stating "Sorry for the inconvenience, but we are out of Bud Light Lime." The Sobey's liquor store even gave me the phone number for Labatt, so I could personally phone them and ask them to ship to liquor stores. However, I have not phoned them (I like to think I am not this desperate yet. Although, last Friday, Colin and I did pay $25.00 for 4 Bud Light Limes at the bar, which we of course could have bought 12 Bud Light Limes from the liquor store for $30.00.
After talking with my Dad who is a truck driver, we also discovered that part of the problem is that most bars are buying all the available Bud Light Lime. Therefore, liquor stores aren't even getting a chance to purchase any for themselves. Apparently, the liquor stores should have some in by the beginning of July. Bud Light Lime is the drink of summer 2009.
I guess I should graduate from the light fruity beers and cream ales to a darker, stronger beer such as Guiness. Any other suggestions of what type of beer I should try next? I have 38 more days to practice. Well, I guess I'll have 3 months on the road to sample more beer before Octoberfest too.