So young, so naive: How has your taste in beer matured?

[KIP]

The first beer I ever drank was a Miller High Life, given to me by a friend. For a short time, that's all I drank, and I was basically happy with it. But then I tried some other brews, and I very quickly dropped Miller and never went back. It was Michelob especially that made me realize how much Miller tastes like pi$$ and that beer could be so much better than what I realized. But nowadays, I don't drink Michelob either; haven't had a Michelob in 10 or 12 years. Thankfully, tastes mature. I drink several commercial brands, but SNPA is my fav.

Just curious what commercial brews you guys (and gals) started out drinking, and thought were good, but refuse to drink today.

[gregb]

Though it hurts to admit it, I was a huge fan of VB in the early days.

Cheers,
Greg

[NTRabbit]

The first beer I ever drank was a few sips of Fosters Lager, given to me by my uncle in the back of his ute as a bunch of us headed out fishing when I was about 12.

Didn't have a beer again until I was the legal age of 18, and even then it took some convincing to get me to try a Coopers Pale Ale - beer was redeemed for me that day.

[buscador]

used to steal Heineken from my dads fridge in 6th grade

(is this admitting to a crime?? )


SNIPA, SNCelebration Ale & Bigfoot Barley Wine are classics

also anything Pyramid

b

[blandy]

used to steal Heineken from my dads fridge in 6th grade

(is this admitting to a crime?? )

No, the beer made you do it!

---

As for me, I got into beer seriously when I was in the UK for a couple of weeks after I'd finished year 12. Unfortinately for me and my mates, we were on a tight budget and/or didn't know any better. So we spent our time drinking BUD

yep, the first beer I drank seriously was BUD.

Fortunately not too long after, I got home for Chrismas and discovered (read: dad offerd me a bottle of) Cascade. Infinitely better! Later that summer, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, shixth .... um etc bottle of Coopers PA passed through my system, and I was fully converted.

Started homebrewing six months later.

[Pale_Ale]

Started on West End Draught for the first couple of sessions then tasted CPA. Never bought draught again and have been drinking Coopers ever since.

[KIP]

You Aussie blokes all seem to be huge fans of CPA. To my knowledge I've never seen the Coopers brand here in the States, but I'll try looking for it at a different store that carries a wider selection.

Brew up a ripper for me.

John

[KIP]

SNIPA, SNCelebration Ale & Bigfoot Barley Wine are classics

I'm planning on trying Celebration Ale this winter; I've read about it and it sounds great.

Cheers,

John

[NTRabbit]

You Aussie blokes all seem to be huge fans of CPA. To my knowledge I've never seen the Coopers brand here in the States, but I'll try looking for it at a different store that carries a wider selection.

Brew up a ripper for me.

John

Exports to the USA have only just recently picked up - they've been on for a while in some states, but only last year did Coopers manage to work out the US legal hassles that prevented them from profitably exporting to many others.

Don't know about the average bottle shop, but they are on tap in that chain of Australia themed restaurants you have over there.

[KIP]

Don't know about the average bottle shop, but they (Coopers products) are on tap in that chain of Australia themed restaurants you have over there.

Ahh, yes, Outback Steakhouse. A fair dinkum chain, in my book. There's one less than a hour's drive from me. Thanks for the tip.

Gotta tell you a quick, funny story about Outback Steakhouse. I had to use the restroom/loo/whatever you blokes call it, and I thought the room was laid out and decorated in a strange manner. Fortunately, I was alone in there because when I exited the room, I discovered the sign on the door said "SHEILAS"! (The other door said "Blokes"!)

Cheers,

John

[Rysa]

Though it hurts to admit it, I was a huge fan of VB in the early days.

Cheers,
Greg

Ah yes i can agree with this but now....
homebrew tastes soooo much better.

[buscador]

Best steak at Outback Steakhouse--

"the Melbourne" (a Porterhouse from Heaven)

also the Bloomin' Onion with ranch dressing dip

i need that recipe...

b

[lethaldog]

Don't know about the average bottle shop, but they (Coopers products) are on tap in that chain of Australia themed restaurants you have over there.

Ahh, yes, Outback Steakhouse. A fair dinkum chain, in my book. There's one less than a hour's drive from me. Thanks for the tip.

Gotta tell you a quick, funny story about Outback Steakhouse. I had to use the restroom/loo/whatever you blokes call it, and I thought the room was laid out and decorated in a strange manner. Fortunately, I was alone in there because when I exited the room, I discovered the sign on the door said "SHEILAS"! (The other door said "Blokes"!)

Cheers,

John

Its called numerous things such as:

Dunny
Crapper
Shitter
Porcelain bus ( when your crook)
Outhouse

and im sure there are many others but never a Restroom

[Boonie]

I was a Tooheys boy for years. Draught and Black (Old).

Had a Coopers Pale Ale, I thought crikey, this thing has flavour.

Was on a mixture of Tooheys, CPA, TED (Tooheys Extra Dry) and Black for 15 Years.

When I started HB'ing my tastes changed, I actually wanted beer with flavour. I had moved onto all Imports, all Micro breweries beers and have hardly had a Tooheys since.....except a couple of blacks.

Now I am loving all my HB's as the flavour and assortment of tastes are awesome, plus I am really into James Squire and Belgians at this minute.

Cheers

Boonie

PS Slang for restroom........We always call it a dunny, dunno why?? It must be short for something, as Aussies have a tendency to shorten every word.... or "Convert It" to a rhyming slang, like "Septic Tank" for a yank". "Meat Pie" for a try, etc

[buscador]

from wikipedia-dunny

The word is believed to be derived from the much older 'dunnakin' (also spelled 'dunnigin'), but the origin of these terms is much older and remains unknown. In colloquial (Australian)English no distinction is made between the type of toilet;all types of "convenience" being commonly referred to as a dunny. In the bush (outback) the dunny can be a conveniently sheltered part of the paddock or indeed any place where one relieves oneself.

b

[Iron-Haggis]

I have seen Coopers PA, SA and Stout over in the States. Kip best of all for you is that in fact Coopers is cheaper to buy in the States then in Australia, converting and everything.

I start with whatever I could get my hands on when I was underage. Then it used to be Tooheys New or Carlton Draught. Then I tried Tooheys Old at the RSL. Realised hey this is better, then just kept trying more and moe beers. I can honestly say I only spent 6 months of legal drinking age on crap beer.

[rwh]

You Aussie blokes all seem to be huge fans of CPA. To my knowledge I've never seen the Coopers brand here in the States...

...and there's no Sierra Nevada over here. The world is full of injustice.

[KIP]

You Aussie blokes all seem to be huge fans of CPA. To my knowledge I've never seen the Coopers brand here in the States...

...and there's no Sierra Nevada over here. The world is full of injustice.

Yes indeed. What happened? Did the supply of SNPA get cut off, or has SNPA never made it to Oz? There are so many blokes on the OAGHBAB forum who rave about SNPA that I figured it's sold in Oz; furthermore, I've read Ollie or Geoff (I think Ollie) say that he used the dregs from an SNPA bottle to make a yeast starter. I just assumed SNPA was sold in Oz, at least somewhere.

Well then, I suppose you'll just have to brew up a ripper SNPA clone! At the very least, 'ave a CPA for me.

Oh, and rwh, thanks for your informative posts. I've learned a lot on this site and your posts are part of the reason.

Cheers,
John

[NTRabbit]

Yes indeed. What happened? Did the supply of SNPA get cut off, or has SNPA never made it to Oz?

It never officially made it over here. What actually happened was the distributor with the contract to supply Sierra Nevada products to Europe redirected a small amount of the supply to some of its client stores in Australia. Worked well for a while, but then Sierra Nevada found out what was happening and demanded they stop doing it or lose the contract. Before and after, SN has refused to consider exporting to here, despite the fact there is obviously a proven and existing market for it.

Somewhat bizarre, really.

[corks]

its a strange strange world.

started on VB but moved to strongbow (god i miss it, wish i had some in the fridge now) at 16, which led me to JS, Little Creatures and Coopers at 18. mates thought i was bloody weird, until they got sick off one too many coldies (or passion pop) and decided good beer was the way to go. im just glad i hit 18 right when good beers really started to take off. Little Creatures can even be found in Safeway now...there's no arguing with good taste.