What is a unique beer to bring to a beer-tasting party?

Question

I have been inivited to a beer-tasting party and everyone is supposed to bring a unique beer for everyone to sample.

I would appreciate some suggestions for a beer that would be different yet enjoyable for everyone to try.

Men's Health rated 'Saison Dupont' the 'Best Beer in the World' but I am hoping that someone can confirm this if they have tried it.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Firstly, homebrew is the most unique of any beer available. That being said, and you're probably not a homebrewer, I would go with something that either you like personally, or that you don't think anyone else at the party will be bringing.

Sam Adams seasonals are always a nice change of pace. Their Winter Lager is out right now, and it is quite good, so is their Honey Porter. Or try a local micro-brew.

The problem with getting into any critic's 'best beer in the world', is that some of those brews can get quite expensive. It would be one thing for you to buy yourself a bottle or 2 for tasting, but if you are going to a tasting party, that means you need to take enough for at least most of the people there to taste it. I'm not willing to shell out $10+ per bottle for my friends to drink it all...

Answer 2

I've tried the Dupont and enjoyed it a lot. It's dry, hoppy and yeasty I would of thought more a summer drink.
what about
Leffe Radieuse more complex fruity/spicey flavour than the blonde or bruin. I like it better than their Triple. Souldn't be too expensive
Schneider Weisse is a great german wheat beer but get the cloudy not kristall (filtered) version or if you can find it their Aventinus (wheat double bock) is extremely good
Liefmans make very good fruit flavoured beer Kriek (with cherries) and Framboise ( wonderfully sour raspberry flavour-but again more of a summer drink I think) They do a "Gluhkriek" which is served warm
Chimay Blue or Cinq Cents in 750ml corked bottles are excellent
English ale
Shepard's Neame Spitfire -light, firm, dry excellent hop flavour
Bateman's XXXB- classic bitter
Wadsworth 6X
Badger Brewery's Tanglefoot
are all excellent

Answer 3

I am a former chef and like the Belguim Fruit beers, like the cherry or framboise ones, there is a german beer were they smoked the barley before brewing, the Danish beer called Old Nick, it is 10% alcohol.

Wheat beers amke a nice impression and the one's from the easten block, like the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia are a unique flavour, I had a Ukrainian one that tasted like a rusty pipe on time, try not to get that one, we had one here in Canada a Coffee lager, and most people in the UK are still not aware of the famous Porters still brewed.

Answer 4

First don't depend on what the so called experts say. Taste varies with each individual.

I hear people rave about several beers, that I think are horrible.

Go to a package goods store and get a variety of beers to try. Many will split the 6 pack to 6 different beers for this purpose.

German beers are usually sweeter
UK and Irish like dark heavy beers
and in most cases draft beer taste different from the bottle because of the process of making it.

For a change of pace try a dutch beer called Grolsch. It is not cheap but is has a very good taste. To me anyway

Answer 5

There are exotic beers available that are also crowd pleasers. Look for
Westmalle Triple from Belgium (strong but malty and almost sweet, yummy),
Traquair Jacobite Ale from Scotland (a dark ale seasoned with coriander),
Ayinger Ur-Weisse from Germany (a dark hefe-weizen),
Lindeman's Framboise from Belgium (a raspberry infused beer with a sweet/sour quality),
Rochefort Trappist 8 from Belgium (a Belgian brown ale)

Answer 6

If you can find it, get some "Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Porter". It is so dark you can't see through it. It makes Guinness Extra Stout look like an amber. I guarantee it will get a lot of attention! It's quite good, too, but it's hard to drink more than one.

Answer 7

Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat
Lindemanns's Framboise Lambic
Unibroue's Trois Pistoles
Harpoon's Rasberry UFO (Hefeweisen)
Abita's Purple Haze
Dixie's Blackened VooDoo
These are some tried and true brews, but any microbrewery beer will do.

Answer 8

any of the Victory Beers or Sam Adams Winter Ale

Answer 9

Around this time of year there's a chocolate stout that comes out in an enormous bottle. It's... unique. Actually it is pretty good in small amounts, though really heavy and rich. If I remember the name of it I'll come back and edit it in.

**Edit: Rogue Chocolate Stout... comes in a 22oz bottle.

Answer 10

Bring local brews, not world brews... anything from your area. Guinness is the best beer in the world, Men's Health should know that. Just remember to open your mind and your taste buds when you drink.