Supposedly you can tell that Belvedere is better than Smirnoff if you're drinking it straight (generally only the pro vodka "experts" were able to), but can't tell the difference if it's got a mixer in it. I've done vodka tasting menus and I guess you can taste a bit of a difference from each brand but I thought the bottles were the only cool thing about them.

-Rudey

I think I could tell the difference if I was drinking straight vodka but yeah, if it's mixed with something, just throw some Smirnoff in there. Or Fleischmann's, even! I don't care.

I do agree that part of the problem is that people (girls especially) tend to believe that beer stops at Miller Lite. They spend their high school/early college years sucking down Beast at house parties and don't realize that there is more out there.

Don't dis the Lite!

I think my friends and I will keep Miller afloat, regardless of any hardships the beer industry may face.

I agree. But ick, the Beast? That was the one beer I definitely would not touch, even on my poor college-student income.

I used to not touch beer -- I would only drink liquor, and occassionally wine. Then, I discovered beer. I think part of that had to do with the fact that the county where I went to college didn't sell liquor by the drink, and also because beer was so much less expensive.

I hardly drink liquor now. In fact, the last liquor drink I had was a strawberry daiquiri in Aruba on our anniversary trip in March. I've really started to develop an appreciation for beer, and definitely for wine. I've gotten Mr. AXiD670 into wine.

Speaking of the mister, he's developed an appreciation for scotch.

Anyways, no, I don't choose my drinks based on perceived image. I choose based on what I'm in the mood for, and how I want to feel. I have no qualms plunking down with a Mich Lite in the middle of a fancy restaurant.

That said, I do agree that image plays a large role. There are definitely stereotypes -- for example, everyone around here jokes that you can tell who the NASCAR fans are by the beer they drink.

I've never cared for the taste of beer. I drink it at sporting events, at sports pubs, etc... more for the atmosphere than the actual "like" of the drink. I prefer wine or the occasional martini when I'm out on the town or at dinner.

More power to the beer drinkers, though-- Anheuser-Busch used to sign my paycheck, so no complaints there!

Another problem is that it takes time and effort (although the 'effort' involves getting straight bombed) to develop a worthwhile palette for most forms of alcohol - even beer, although that's probably the least painful to develop (at least on a cursory level).

For instance, when tasting bourbons, most of the quality is expressed in residual, subtle flavors that most people miss on first tasting, as well as how smooth it finishes. It takes time to overcome your 'ick it burns!' mentality, from drinking bad booze, to get the vanilla and oak flavor from something like Booker's.

Compare this to, say, throwing Goose or Stoli into a Cosmo or Martini - there, the benefit is much more marginal (cutting the alcohol reduces the good qualities along with the bad), but more immediate - everyone can drink a hypersweet vodka martini with good booze and say, "Hey I like that! It takes like Jolly Ranchers!" as I puke on myself.

Ahhhh interesting thread...

I HATE beer. But, I like pumpkin. Therefore I will give pumpkin beer a chance before this Halloween season is over. I might never know. I used really hate mountain dew. Then md live wire came out in 2003, now I like md live wire (because I like any orangish soda) AND regular md. Maybe, I will be the same way with beer. But, for now, I can't stand the crap, and it has nothing to do with image. I'm glad that I have more choices and drinking stuff like wine has become more socially acceptable for younger people.

Some of my Christian friends say it is perfectly okay to have a glass of wine with dinner, but not a can or two of beer at a function...they say it has everything to do with image. I'm a complete novice when it comes to alcohol, but doesn't a glass of wine get you tipsy quicker than a can of beer?

Re: WTF beer?!!
 

And real quick on this subject...is it possible that craft beers are simply more accessible now then they were in the past? I'm sure Harry Schuhmacher knows more than I do about trends in the beer industry, but it just seems that in the past 10 years or so, the whole microbrewery-as-restaurant concept has become more popular, which would expose drinkers to different beers. I think Rock Bottom was the first place I actually tried a microbrew rather than a run of the mill brewski, which got me interested in trying new things. That may be why higher end beers are enjoying more of a growth than the middle of the road ales.

Re: Re: WTF beer?!!
 

It's definitely easier to get microbrews than it used to be. As evidenced by the fact that people at my class reunion were drinking them.

Send all those beer haters to Gemany for Oktoberfest or just send them to Munich and they'll be changing their tune. The beer I had in Germany went down like water it was definitely not as harsh as some of the beers here. Even in prague we went to the original Budweiser brewery (the Budweiser Anheuser-Busch ripped off) and it tasted nothing like the US Bud.

After my Oktoberfest trip I have a lot more appreciation for beer.

Dionysus I dont know where you live but Shipyard makes a good pumpkin ale called Pumpkinhead.

They're going with the edict that it's okay to drink, just not get drunk.

FWIW, I think that beer has been marketed for male audiences for so long, many women only drink it at male-oriented occasions. It's not like you often see a woman pop open a cold one! But microbrews are changing that image to a certain extent. Also, wine coolers have cut into the beer profits.

I go to a convention every year, and one of the yearly events is a beer tasting. It's almost exclusively microbrews any more. There was an Apple Honey Ale that was excellent!!

Jesus didn't turn water into beer at Cana.

Re: Re: WTF beer?!!
 

Micro/craft brew sales have increased something like 6000% in the last 5 years - just look at your local package store, the raw amount of craft beers available has definitely increased in most locales.

Oh, girl. You must try Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale. It is OMG SO GOOD. It's the best pumpkin beer I've ever had, aside from this Great Pumpkin thing I had at GABF that I have no idea where to find.

If you're someone who doesn't like beer but likes sweet, I can't say enough good things about vanilla porter. It's the best thing ever. Stoney Creek makes a really good one. Also, if you're in the Chicago area, I tried some TO DIE FOR coffee and chocolate beers from Walter Payton's Roundhouse -- whatever the brewery is there.

Some other beers I love:
Jackman's Pale Ale from Left Hand
Loft from New Belgium (Fat Tire is good, but Loft is better although it's only out six months of the year)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Bell's Two Hearted
Alaskan Brewing Company's Smoked Porter
Oskar Blues Old Chub

drinking out is all about the image. You aren't going to order a beer with an Italian dinner.
I personally like beer. but not all the time... I like the dark beers... but they are so filling so I stick to lite's.
But when I am at a place with my girl friends, we will all be drinking something simular... wheather it is wine or mixed drinks. Also my friends won't let me drink... wine coolers around them... I grew up drinking wine coolers with my mom, and I like them. They taste like juice... but I won't get drunk off them or order them at a bar...
Although usually I can't tell the difference in what kind of liquior is in my drink (unless it is Arisocrat...yuck). But you can defintely tell the next day if you are hungover. Also... I say Jim Bean and Southern comfort rock!!