Angry Ram said:
Can someone please explain to me some terms? American lager/dark, light (I think it just means less calories?), etc.? I'm sorry but really I'm just starting.
All I know is that Corona, Sam Adams = :tooth: , that Keystone is like the the Wal-Mart of beers, and that I think Heinekin is freakin nasty. Coors/Bud...any good?
I heard Blue Moon is good, gonna try that one of these days.
Maybe I can be of some help. A lager is a beer that is made with a lager yeast and fermented at somewhat cool temperatures - roughly 50 degrees or so. An ale is fermented at higher temperatures - roughly 70 degrees. Characteristics of a lager is that the yeast profile is generally not as pronounced or pungent. Most American craft beers are ales. Ales generally carry more flavor and fermenting at 68 - 70 takes far less cooling.
Generally speaking, it is the amount of sugars (malt) used in making the beer that will make it higher or lower in calories. Things can affect it like fermentable vs. non-fermentable sugars, original gravity compared to finishing gravity, etc. You probably don't care about any of that. A nice rich IPA (India Pale Ale) can have as many as 500 calories per 12oz. Whereas a light beer usually comes in at 100-150. I think most American lagers and Corona come in somewhere around 200-250 but that's just a guess.
Sam Adams is very similar to many American craft brews and Ales you might find in England. It is a little unique in that it is a lager rather than an ale.
All in all, the best beer is the beer you like the best. Blue Moon is made by Coors. That doesn't mean anything in particular but if you are going to try a wheat beer, IMO there are far better offerings out there on the market. If you like a light beer on a hot day, Coors light is still a decent selection. Personally, I can't stand Bud or Keystone but that's MY taste. I agree with you that Hiney is nasty. It makes an ok red beer though.
If you like Sam Adams, go out and try some craft brews. If you have a microbrewery near you, most of them will pour you small tastes of anything they make so that you can taste them for free before you buy a pint. Or they almost always have sampler trays so you can try a 2 - 4 oz sample of anything they make. That's a good way to go because for 6 or 8 bucks you can try a bunch of different types and make up your own mind.
Mmmmmm Beer good.