A huge misconception when choosing a beer for beginners is that alcohol volume is the number #1 indicator or whether they will like it or not. For any seasoned drinker, they are well aware that ABV is strictly for visual purposes rather than taste. Easing in a first time beer drinker is easier if they already drink wine, but for the complete virgin there is a lot of ground to cover. Try to be as open minded as a first time drinker, and with this list you should be able to narrow down the best choice for a first time beer drinker.
Red Stripe
Most notable on the list for their popular commercials, this Jamaican beer is possibly more infamous than it is tasty. The marketing is spot on, and for the most part the taste meets the hype. It’s not the strongest lager on the market, which will definitely benefit the beginner drinker. To be quite honest, the bite is on the low side but is remedied by one of the best aftertastes on the list. This can be considered the safest bet on the list due to the combination of marketing and lightness.
Blue Moon Belgian White
This beer is often not mentioned in many circles, and is really the underappreciated red headed stepchild of the Coors Brewing Company. Alcohol volume is at 5.40%, if that is any indication as to what to expect. It’s not really a fruity taste, but a very distinct dry orange and coriander taste with a hint of sweetness. It goes down very smooth, and if those are flavors that you usually prefer, then it leaves a very good impression. Many have started with this particular beer, making it a good choice despite the lack of marketing.
Dark Arts Wild Imperial Stout
Sounding like something out of a Harry Potter film, this is a massive 15% ABV beer that may not always be a winner in taste, but has such a distinct taste that it usually warrants a second taste. This is one of the few beers that takes a couple of tastes before you realize whether it’s for you or not. A mix of flavors ranging from bourbon and chocolate with a nice roasted flavor that stays in the mouth. The beer itself is very thick, but there isn’t a lot of food that goes with its mix of flavors anyway. It might come off as a really malty Boones Farm, and depending on the drinker, that could be a good thing or a bad thing. Use caution when presenting this to beginners-you’ve been warned!
Saison Dupont
Simplistic, basic looking, and only 6.50% ABV. But what makes this Belgium beer so different is the wonderful mix of banana and spices blended with a bit of over carbonation. Too much carbonation is usually a bad thing, but the way the flavors in this bottle are dressed up it comes out extremely refreshing. Out of all the beers on the list, this one will pair well with food of many varieties. There are a ton of better Belgium beers in the world, but this is one that really captures the spirit of what a beginner drinker would feel comfortable with. Balance is the key with this one, and there is little risk when pushing it on a friend to try.
Hoegarden Original White Ale
If looking for something less carbonated and more distinct with its flavor, then Hoegarden is another Belgium beer that many use to break into beer drinking with. There is only 4.90% ABV, but strangely enough to taste it more in this concoction than you do in Dark Arts Wild Imperial Stout. The best way to describe the flavor is that of a little citrus with a hint of sweetness, but barely there. There are a lot of distinct flavors that can be found out if you sit down and break it down, but they work so well together on taste that it just comes out as a singular smooth flavor. This is the one and the original, and if this is the beer that a drinker starts out with, then it actually gives them a better direction when choosing their second and third flavors.