[The 3 Happy Eaters in NYC a few years ago, enjoying a brew in line for Shake Shack.]
I have a reputation among my friends as the beer snob. I won't let anything with the word "ultra," "lite" or "ice" in it pass my lips. I probably won't drink it unless it's darker in color than lemonade (or another famously yellow liquid). And few things offend me more than a potentially delicious beer ruined by a frosted mug.
I blame my snobbery on my dad. He raised me with a healthy attitude about alcohol. I don't remember my parents drinking it, but I also didn't receive the impression that it was taboo. Chalk one up for "all things in moderation."
[Like father, like daughter.]
When I became of consuming age, he taught me important things like that Bass Ale is bottom-of-the-line standard and that wheat beer isn't really beer (ahem Blue Moon) and that drinking out of the bottle is sooo middle class.
The all-time biggest offense to a well-cultured beer drinker is the frosted mug. My dad and I are both known to order an unfrosted glass while dining at lesser-informed establishments. And here's why:
Most bottles of beer (worth drinking, anyway) have the correct temperature at which the beer should be served printed on the label. It is never ever ever going to marked slushie-cold. No. You should only drink BAD beer at sub-arctic temperatures, because the colder the beer the less you can actually taste it. You shouldn't be drinking bad beer in the first place, so let's just stop it all together with the frosted glasses thing.
Speaking of glasses, despite the creation of more dishes to clean, I suggest you don't drink out of the bottle whenever possible. Much like wine, beer has a "nose" and crafters perfect their beers based on the assumption of that additional sense. It's a more forgivable offense, however, and I'd always pick a bottle over a frosted glass (are you getting the seriousness of that one yet?).
[A suite of beers to taste at The Brick Store Pub in Decatur.]
When you go to bars or pubs that have an extensive beer menu, you'll notice that different types of beers are served in different shaped glasses. This poster hangs above our bar cart and is a fun way of seeing which type of beer should be served in which glass (depending on the "nose" of the beer, as mentioned above).
[Sweetwater Motor Boat: here for a good time, not a long time.]
Now for some beer recommendations! I tend to go for the ambers, browns, and reds. My favorite beer of all time is a Sweetwater seasonal, Motor Boat, an ESB that usually hits Atlanta-area stores around October. As I mentioned before, Bass Ale is a great go-to when you're somewhere with a smaller beer selection. Another of my favorites is Rogue's Dead Guy Ale, an Amber that's very drinkable.
[Eye Patch IPA by Monday Night Brewing that I snagged at The Beer Growler in Brookhaven.]
I encourage you to explore the local brews from your area--craft breweries are popping up all over! Also be sure to find your local growler--these are storefronts where you purchase a jug for around $5 and then choose from 20-30 different beers on draft (prices depend on the beer). They bottle it for you, seal it up so you're legit, and you get to have on-draft beer at home! (Atlanta Eaters: ScoutMob has tons of deals for growlers all over the city, even OTP!)
Cheers!
