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Learning to like beer?

uberamd

uberamd

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 26, 2009
2,785
2
Minnesota
So I turned 21 less than a month ago, and I can drink now. The problem is that I hate the taste of beer. Seriously, I hate it. I can hardly stomach the beer I have tried (Corona, Coors, some others), it just taste terrible to me. I can drink the hard stuff, but I really wish I could just have a beer once in a while because hard liquor tends to hit me hard after a few.

So is it possible to 'learn' to like beer if I keep trying it despite the horrible taste? Are there any recommended kinds that don't have a similar taste to Corona or Coors, some that might actually taste good? I could drink Mikes Hard Lemonade all day, but thats $5 a bottle at bars, ugh.
 
uberamd said:
So I turned 21 less than a month ago, and I can drink now. The problem is that I hate the taste of beer. Seriously, I hate it. I can hardly stomach the beer I have tried (Corona, Coors, some others), it just taste terrible to me. I can drink the hard stuff, but I really wish I could just have a beer once in a while because hard liquor tends to hit me hard after a few.

So is it possible to 'learn' to like beer if I keep trying it despite the horrible taste? Are there any recommended kinds that don't have a similar taste to Corona or Coors, some that might actually taste good? I could drink Mikes Hard Lemonade all day, but thats $5 a bottle at bars, ugh.
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If you don't like beer now, you never will. If you get microbrews and foreign beers, the beer "taste" only gets stronger. I agree with you- all beer is nasty. :p
 
If you don't like beer, don't drink it.

I don't like eggs but I don't try to 'learn' to like them.

Find a drink that doesn't hit you so hard and you do like the taste of.

I mean if your only options are a drink that puts you on your backside or a drink you can't stand then you're drinking for the sake of it, not for the enjoyment.

(Not meant to be preachy but seriously- why 'try' to like something? Either you like it or you don't)
:)
 
uberamd said:
So I turned 21 less than a month ago, and I can drink now. The problem is that I hate the taste of beer. Seriously, I hate it. I can hardly stomach the beer I have tried (Corona, Coors, some others), it just taste terrible to me. I can drink the hard stuff, but I really wish I could just have a beer once in a while because hard liquor tends to hit me hard after a few.

So is it possible to 'learn' to like beer if I keep trying it despite the horrible taste? Are there any recommended kinds that don't have a similar taste to Corona or Coors, some that might actually taste good? I could drink Mikes Hard Lemonade all day, but thats $5 a bottle at bars, ugh.
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If you're going to a bar, do NOT order Mike's Cold Hard Lemonade all day.

Those are spirits and malt beverages, and those are for girls to sip on. NO.

Corona or Coors are also not that great of a beer. In fact, most American beers are just flat out awful.

Blue Moon's not that bad of a beer. Or you could just order cocktails, like a Rum and Coke, White Russians, etc.
 
drink more

beer is definitely an acquired taste. the first few times i had it, i thought it was disgusting. now i love it (maybe a little too much?)

either start with lighter stuff until you get used to that or just get some good tasting beer (they have beers that taste like fruits) and drink that.
 
You've obviously not found the right pint yet. It's your duty to sample as many different alcoholic beverages as possible until you find one you enjoy. Its the only way to be sure! ;)
 
uberamd said:
So I turned 21 less than a month ago, and I can drink now. The problem is that I hate the taste of beer. Seriously, I hate it. I can hardly stomach the beer I have tried (Corona, Coors, some others), it just taste terrible to me. I can drink the hard stuff, but I really wish I could just have a beer once in a while because hard liquor tends to hit me hard after a few.

So is it possible to 'learn' to like beer if I keep trying it despite the horrible taste? Are there any recommended kinds that don't have a similar taste to Corona or Coors, some that might actually taste good? I could drink Mikes Hard Lemonade all day, but thats $5 a bottle at bars, ugh.
Click to expand...

hehe I was in the same boat when I hit 16 (Germany, woot!) and "taught" myself to like beer using James Ready (a Canadian lager...pretty good actually, even for the beer hater I was), and the occasional Radler at a Beergarden my Opa took me too, which is basically Beer with some form of Pop. Coca Cola, Orange Crush, Ginger Ale, it's all good. You get SOME of the beer taste, but it's not as harsh at first.
 
leekohler said:
If you don't like beer now, you never will. If you get microbrews and foreign beers, the beer "taste" only gets stronger. I agree with you- all beer is nasty. :p
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Not true.

I never liked beer and I've now acquired quite the taste for it.

I doubt there are many people that enjoyed their first cup of coffee.
 
I hate alcohol altogether. I'm only 20 and havent had that much but, it's a choice. I'd rather sit at home than be the only sober one at the party.
 
leekohler said:
If you don't like beer now, you never will. If you get microbrews and foreign beers, the beer "taste" only gets stronger. I agree with you- all beer is nasty. :p
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BS. Beer and wine are both acquired tastes. Sure, some people might like them from the get go, but for most people, there's a learning curve in starting with wine or beer. I used to gag on beer - now it's one of my favourite beverages.

I'd say you're on the right track with Coors. I started on Molson Canadian, which is fairly similar to Coors, Bud, Miller, etc. It's easier to start with because it's lighter and tastes weaker than some other beers, so you can develop your palette.

It's well worth learning to enjoy beer, imo. Aside from the social aspects of grabbing a beer with friends, there's lots of exploring you can do... once you're onto beer, there are loads of microbrews and the like you can sample, which is a lot of fun.
 
Krafty said:
I hate alcohol altogether. I'm only 20 and havent had that much but, it's a choice. I'd rather sit at home than be the only sober one at the party.
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It's nice coming home and having a couple of cold ones after a hard day at work though. :D No party involved.
 
messedkid said:
hehe I was in the same boat when I hit 16 (Germany, woot!) and "taught" myself to like beer using James Ready (a Canadian lager...pretty good actually, even for the beer hater I was), and the occasional Radler at a Beergarden my Opa took me too, which is basically Beer with some form of Pop. Coca Cola, Orange Crush, Ginger Ale, it's all good. You get SOME of the beer taste, but it's not as harsh at first.
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We call those shandies in Canada... :)
 
I never understood the point of learning to like something with an acquired taste. If you don't like it don't force yourself to until you do, just find something else you might like.
Personally I can't stand any alcoholic drink other than wine but I still don't drink it.
 
Just for the record from someone who's gone the other way round I can't stand beer these days.

I used to drink all the time- mainly lager and 'proper beer' (Hobgoblin, Hops, Bishop's Finger etc) but the occasional glass of wine, spirits and, in summer, cider. Now I've been tee-total for about 7 months. Just gone completely off booze and can't imagine sinking a few cold beers any more. Used to 4/5 nights a week.

I didn't have an intervention, or join AA and I don't think of myself as an alcoholic, nor a recovering one. No bad experience, no nightmarish hangover. Just don't like it any more.
 
I think you can definitely learn to appreciate something like beer....I don't think most people drink their first beer and say "wow that's delicious!". I certainly didn't...but I was interested in the culture, history and variety of beer out there so I just started trying different stuff and soon came to love it.

Try getting a 6 pack of something inoffensive like Amstel Light, get it super-almost-frozen cold and have one every night before dinner or something. Maybe by the end of the week you'll find you can tolerate it well enough to pick out another brand that looks interesting to you.
 
leekohler said:
If you don't like beer now, you never will. If you get microbrews and foreign beers, the beer "taste" only gets stronger. I agree with you- all beer is nasty. :p
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I'm with you on this. I've tried several different kinds over the past 20+ years, and I just plain do not like it.

iGary said:
Not true.

I never liked beer and I've now acquired quite the taste for it.
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I'll acknowledge that perhaps it's possible to start liking beer - but if you don't like it now, why bother trying?

I gave up trying to like beer many years ago. From time to time I'll have a cocktail, but there isn't any alcoholic beverage I would rather have than a nice glass of iced tea.

I doubt there are many people that enjoyed their first cup of coffee.
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And I still don't.

OP - seriously, do you feel compelled to drink beer, or is it a peer pressure thing? Because since I became an adult (21+) nobody has ever given me a hard time for drinking iced tea at happy hour.

P.S. - tea is also cheaper, and has free refills. And it sends you to the men's room just as frequently as beer, so you're not missing out there, either. :p
 
pelicanflip said:
If you're going to a bar, do NOT order Mike's Cold Hard Lemonade all day.

Those are spirits and malt beverages, and those are for girls to sip on. NO.
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Thats why I have never ordered one at a bar. The cost, and the fact that it isn't manly.
 
Corona with lime is good, but I've never been able to stomach the very strong beers. Mike's Hard Lemonade is good, I don't worry about not appearing "manly". :D
 
Tomorrow said:
I'm with you on this. I've tried several different kinds over the past 20+ years, and I just plain do not like it.
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Same here. It's disgusting.



Tomorrow said:
I'll acknowledge that perhaps it's possible to start liking beer - but if you don't like it now, why bother trying?

I gave up trying to like beer many years ago.
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We agree again.



Tomorrow said:
And I still don't.
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Me neither. I've tried, believe me.
 
leekohler said:
If you don't like beer now, you never will. If you get microbrews and foreign beers, the beer "taste" only gets stronger. I agree with you- all beer is nasty. :p
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That's not entirely true. I didn't really like beer for years, until some friends in college got me to try some decent microbrews. Well, non-macrobrews, anyway. I believe Sam Adams and Guinness were my gateway beers. Before that, I had only tried the standard megabrews, and didn't like them.

I do agree that it is an acquired taste that some people never acquire. A similar thing happened for me with Scotch. I never liked it until I was in my late 20s, and I tried some really good (and expensive) stuff. It still isn't my favorite drink, but I can handle it on occasion. Again, though, lots of people never acquire that taste at all.
 
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