Savannah Mul – Opinions Editor –
Ah, beer. Refreshing cold beer. The beverage comes in many different flavors; fruity, malty, light and sweet, roasted, hoppy (meaning a bitter taste) and of course, dark and heavy. Personally, I love the darker brews. Hand me a stout and you got yourself a happy girl.
However, not many people like the taste of the darker brews of beer. The dark brews are thick and heavy; some people call them “milkshakes,” because of the heaviness to the beer. But I call it, “deliciousness.”
All beers are brewed differently, and even some adventurous people out there brew their own. But that takes time; time that I don’t have. So going to a bar and ordering a beer on tap is one way to go in expanding your beer palette.
Beer on tap—compared to a bottled or canned beer—is the way to go if you want to experience the full taste of the beer. Hence, order beer on tap at the bar because you can never get the same flavor at your dorm, home or apartment. It’s just not the same. There is one beer over all beers that regardless of how many times I drink it in the bottle, it will always be better on tap, and that is Guinness.
But drinking a beer on tap usually holds true for all stout beers, because then you get to experience the true malt flavor. A stout beer is a dark brew usually made with roasted malt or barley. A few months ago, I was feeling adventurous at Cask Republic one night and tried their special beer; oatmeal stout on tap. I heard this from the bartender and replied, “I’ll try that one.” I mean, what stout lover couldn’t resist that? It’s oatmeal stout because proportions of oats were added into the brewing process.
But dark brews of beer aren’t everyone’s milkshake, there are many lighter brews that are comparatively, just as tasteful. Shock Top brand beer seems to be a favorite of many people, and if you order this at the bar and the bartender doesn’t put an orange wedge on the glass, don’t give them a tip. It might be a bit harsh, but Shock Top original brew needs that orange wedge to enhance the flavor of the beer.
All of the Shock Top brews are considered light beer and if you’re one of those who prefer a sweeter taste in their beer, try Shock Top’s Raspberry Wheat ale brew.
Ales are brewed differently than stouts, and ales have a sweeter, lighter taste. It’s considered fruitier because the yeast in the beer ferments quicker than the yeast in the stouts, giving it a full-bodied, sweeter taste.
But in more familiar brands we all know unfortunately too well: Budlight, Budlight Platinum (it’s still tastes the same and is STILL gross), Keystone, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Genesee “Jenny” Cream. These beers can be “good” in a pinch because they are the cheapest, but that surely does not mean they are good.
There are too many different and delicious brews to be buying those same old brands. If you haven’t tried a Guinness, make that the next thing to check off your bucket list. If Guinness is still a bit dark for you try Smithwick’s. The Irish red ale has a color between a dark and light shade and the flavor is malt and hops, very refreshing.
Ah, beer.
