So you’ve decided you want to try out beer, but you aren’t sure where to start? Well you’re in luck, because today we have our guide to making the best mixed 6 pack for a new beer drinker. I’m a firm believer that there is a beer out there that most people will enjoy, but with all the options it is definitely overwhelming. Some of the criteria we are looking for is a variety of flavors across the 6 pack and wide distribution for the beers. You won’t find your favorite local's new hazy triple dry hopped pilsner on this list. Also you might be wondering what order you should drink these? I’d suggest enjoying them in the order of the list or opening them all and trying them side by side.
Most people will have had beer flavored beer at some point and Boston Lager is a more flavorful next step after the Lite and Light beers of the world. This beer is best categorized as a Vienna Lager and will have a fuller body and flavor than mass produced American light beers. It is slightly hoppy but not as overpowering as a German pilsner might be which would be a style which just missed out on being in the initial mix. Also the firm maltiness will showcase another flavor profile common in beer and allow the drinker to decide if they want to take their next lager in a hoppy or malty direction. If this beer was to your liking head over to your beer store and start looking for beers like Spaten München, Pilsner Urquell and Köstritzer Schwarzbier to try a wide variety of accessible and sessionable lagers.
While this beer isn’t distributed across the entire US it could be easily replaced with Hoegarden or Blue Moon if needed. Citrus and spice are generally agreeable flavors and in Allagash White they are plentiful. Another reason this beer makes in your initial 6 pack is the high carbonation. The zippy and plentiful bubbles will help to showcase a distinct mouthfeel after the first beer. This is possibly the most accessible beer in the list and will open the door to the wide variety of Belgian beer which is often overlooked. A great next choice if you enjoyed this beer would be Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier if you are interested in another wheat beer or Tripel Karmeliet, Duvel or Delirium Tremons if you want to step up the ABV and intensity.
Hoppy beers dominate the shelf and cooler landscape and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the first beer many people tried on their journey into hoppy beers. This traditional and balanced pale ale will showcase classic hop flavors like citrus and pine. If this beer is enjoyable and isn’t overwhelming, look toward IPAs like Dogfish Head 60 Minute and Stone IPA next. A word of caution though is to check the dates on these. While they are considered suitable by the companies for 6 months for drinking I’d recommend looking for the dates that show the beer was produced recently. This style of beer really doesn’t get better with time. Also if you did or didn’t like this beer I’d recommend looking for Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing or ask for a recommendation for a local hazy IPA which might also be labeled as New England or northeast IPA to try a less bitter and more juicy IPA.
This beer is described as a blend of 3 beers, but the saltiness of this places it squarely as a Gose to me. It is sour and tart which will stand in stark contrast to the other beers on this list. The bright tangy lime and saltiness is an accessible introduction to sour beers. It is sour enough to be obviously sour but isn’t overwhelming or pallet destroying. If drinking the pack in order it will also cleanse and refresh the palate again. If you are interested in trying more sour beers, Lindemans Framboise and Rodenbach Grand Cru will offer big next steps.
This beer is often misattributed as heavy and filling, but to me it is the best widely available low calorie beer on the market. It is also my safety beer at a bar with a draft list that doesn’t have any craft options I want. The bittersweet roastiness will pack a much fuller flavor than the 4.2% ABV suggests. Also the nitrogen will showcase a different mouthfeel than the other beers by being smooth and velvety. Bell’s Porter and Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro are great next beers to try. Also look at stouts on the shelf if you think the addition of coffee or chocolate sound good as they are ubiquitous in stouts and porters.
I’ll readily admit this pick is a bit of a wildcard. I think it is important to try a higher ABV (while not overwhelming) and malty (while not roasty) beer in the initial mix pack. This sweet and fruity choice opens the possibility of endless beers that are higher alcohol and best enjoyed a little slower than all the previous beers in the list. If you enjoyed this try another big malty while not roasty beer like a barleywine such as the seasonal Sierra Nevada Bigfoot or a Quad like Chimay Blue which will most likely be near the Chimay Red on the shelf. If you want to try another Dubbel look for Rochefort 6 or St Bendardus Pater 6.
Bonus Pick
This can be swapped out for the Chimay Red or brought home as an additional option. This one is up to you and I encourage you to look for a beer label that looks interesting or anything seasonal. If you’re not sure which beers are seasonal the easiest way to spot one is to look for words like Summer and Winter or things like Pumpkin which immediately bring to mind a holiday like Halloween.
So what would be your recommendation for the best mixed 6 pack for a new beer drinker? Let me know in the comments!
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