Beer!

I didn't used to like beer - I was more into hard liquor (gin and tonic, hooray).  But a few years ago I finally found beer I liked at a Belgian restaurant (Flemish sour ale at Monk's Cafe, http://www.monkscafe.com/).  So I've been experimenting.  Today I went to a German place (http://www.ludwigsgarten.com/) that was pretty awsome.  I got some kind of Oktoberfest beer that was so-so, don't recall the name: Both of these sites only have a fraction of their beer menus online.

My favorite that I can actually obtain (can't get Flemish sour ale anywhere else, it seems) is Spaten Optimator, a German dopplebock.  Its dark and smooth, and a little stronger than normal (like 7% alcohol).  I kinda like Guiness, but didn't like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - both bitter, but I didn't like the flavor of Sierra Nevada.

Any thoughts on beer?

I usually drink Sierra Nevada.  It's pretty damn good, and by some amazing stroke of luck, the local Stater Bros. actually carries it amongst all the cartons of Bud Light, Miller, and other watery shit they call beer.  Heffenweizen is also pretty good.  When I want to get drunk, I usually get a big 22 oz can of Sapporo and use that alongside whatever hard liquor I'm taking (I'm also surprised the Stater Bros. has any Japanese beer to speak of).

Side note:  how the hell did Budweiser, Miller, and Coors become so popular?  They taste like rainwater, and yet people still buy them by the dozen.  It makes no fucking sense.  Even if you wanted to drink light beer for health reasons, why not at least settle for a Sam Adams Light or something else far less offensive?  It just boggles the mind...