You deserve it!
As a self proclaimed and slightly obvious beer nerd and amateur aficionado a lot of people ask me how to get to know beer. Inside I chuckle because I think: Beer is so easy to acquaint yourself with and it is simply begging to get to know you too! But outside I grin enthusiastically and offer a number of strategies which all boil down to a few key concepts leading to one important fact: There is a beer out there for you. It's just waiting for you to find it.
Goal #1: Try Beer
To find a beer you like, you are simply going to have to try some beer, and maybe try a lot which is the fun part if you ask me. Go to breweries or beer bars specifically, somewhere you can guarantee the bartender is going to know w thing or two about beer styles and flavors. Order a sampler if you can, try them all, and share with the bartender what it is you do or don't like about about each one. Try to be really specific about the flavor, "I like the roasted flavor", "I don't like that it is bitter", "It tastes like banana and that is weird". Ask them if these flavors are traditional of for the style or if the flavors you are tasting are artistic preferences of the brewer. Get a sense of the types of beer you like best and then next weekend go to a different brewery or bar and do it all over again. Do this until you consistently identify a handful of styles that you seem to enjoy. These can be your go-to beers, but don't stop trying other beers when you can.
Goal #2: Drink Beer in Different Settings
Have a local brewery's beer at the ball game. Have a Belgian import at a cheese tasting. Have a beer from another region at a hip beer bar. Grab a six-pack or 22 of the newest brew in your grocery store to take to game night. Ask the bartender to pour you their favorite at the jazz or nightclub. Drink the beer they serve where you are. If you look for a beer every time you walk into an event or bar or store, odds are you'll start to notice the diversity all around you and your eyes will be opened to the variety. Not only that, you'll probably start to learn a thing or two about pairing like how an ice cold extra pale ale will probably taste best with your hot dog at the game while the funky Belgian is more likely to stand up to the intense flavors of an aged cheese. Pairing is advanced, don't worry about it too much. Essentially, start discovering what tastes good where.
Goal #3: Don't Get Put in a Box
There are so many stereotypes surrounding beer drinking. Don't let anyone tell you what you should like. Just because you live in the Pacific Northwest does not mean you have to like hoppy beers. Just because you are a woman does not mean you have to like fruity beers. Just because you are lower or middle class does not mean you have to like light lagers. You like what you like because when you drink it your taste buds react with positive associations and beg you for more. You like what you like because of the way it warms or cools or fills or fizzes in your belly. You like what you like because it makes you feel good. What you like may be what other people who identify in similar ways as you like or it might not. It doesn't really matter. At the end of the day the only beer prescribed for you is the one you choose.
Goal #4: Ask Good Questions
OK, so I am stealing this one from my dad. He used to say it to me everyday when he dropped me off for school. But it's a good rule of thumb when adventuring into learning about something new. Ask questions that will make you feel more comfortable and knowledgeable with beer. How do you tick and what interests you? Do you like the science behind how things work? Ask about how beer is made. Do you like understanding business and the economy? Ask about how beer is marketed and sold. Do you like politics and public policy? Ask about alcohol and distribution laws. Whatever you "get", ask about how it relates to beer. Then do your homework, research, investigate. Next time you go to the beer bar you'll be glad to be an expert at something from the beer world.
Goal #5: Read a Book and Follow a Blog
Once you are feeling fairly solid-and likely swept up in your new hobby as happens to the best of us-read a book and follow a blog. Here are some recommendations:
Books
The Homebrewer's Companion by Charlie Papazian
The Naked Pint by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune
Blogs
The Beer Wench
Women Enjoying Beer
Goal #6: Attend a Beer Festival
There are a ton of beers to try, from a ton of breweries you may or may not know, they are usually outdoors, they are a ton of fun, and they demonstrate how open, accessible, and enjoyable the people of the beer community are.
Enjoy!
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