What kind of beer should I buy for my extremely helpful neighbor
February 8, 2010 12:27 PM Subscribe
What kind of beer should I buy for my extremely helpful neighbor?
So in the aftermath of the blizzard, my previously unknown neighbor appointed himself Snow Removal Czar and either dug out or organized shoveling teams for most of the people on the block. We're going to get him a case of beer and bake him a batch of (chocolate chip) cookies to say thanks. What kind of beer should we get? His standard drink is King Cobra 40s, but that doesn't make a great gift.
So in the aftermath of the blizzard, my previously unknown neighbor appointed himself Snow Removal Czar and either dug out or organized shoveling teams for most of the people on the block. We're going to get him a case of beer and bake him a batch of (chocolate chip) cookies to say thanks. What kind of beer should we get? His standard drink is King Cobra 40s, but that doesn't make a great gift.
Sam Adams's Noble Pils is the best beer I've had in a while. It's pretty high quality, though nothing fancy enough to freak out a King Cobra lover-- just a simple, tasty, well-balanced beer.
posted by oinopaponton at 12:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by oinopaponton at 12:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
those who drink king cobra 40's really have no interest in hippie artisinal beer. he's obviously more interested in quantity over quality...just get the 40's, but get a bunch of them...a big 'ol case.
posted by sexyrobot at 12:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by sexyrobot at 12:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
If it's malt liquor he likes, but you don't want to buy him 40s of it, there's always Mickey's in the fun little green bottles.
Otherwise you might consider a craft malt liquor. Rogue makes one called Dad's Little Helper that got the best review on beeradvocate.com out of all the malt liquors there, a B- to King Cobra's D+.
posted by Askr at 12:37 PM on February 8, 2010
Otherwise you might consider a craft malt liquor. Rogue makes one called Dad's Little Helper that got the best review on beeradvocate.com out of all the malt liquors there, a B- to King Cobra's D+.
posted by Askr at 12:37 PM on February 8, 2010
Given his current drinks, I don't think he sounds like he'd enjoy most microbrews -- most are a long way in terms of flavor from malt liquor. Ideas: Get him a 12 pack of a standard beer (Budweiser, Michelob) or a 6 pack of a nicer but still not-too-hoppy-and-still-relatively-light beer (maybe Harp or Newcastle?). Or maybe even some Guinness if you want something to talk about (it might be new to him, but flavorwise is pretty easy to drink). Avoid getting him more King Cobra -- even if someone likes that stuff*, they're not going to think of it as much of a gift, IMO.
* Speaking as a man who, in his drinking days, used to enjoy the hell out of Busch and Sierra Nevada alike.
posted by seventyfour at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2010
* Speaking as a man who, in his drinking days, used to enjoy the hell out of Busch and Sierra Nevada alike.
posted by seventyfour at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2010
If you're looking for a craft beer that won't be overwhelming for a malt liquor drinker, take a look at cream ales. They're going to be the closest ale to a malt liquor or a light lager (like bud, miller, etc.) but with better ingredients and, generally, flavor.
posted by craven_morhead at 12:43 PM on February 8, 2010
posted by craven_morhead at 12:43 PM on February 8, 2010
because of the activity, if you have it available, get him snow plow
(on the list of the very few things i miss from washington)
posted by nadawi at 12:47 PM on February 8, 2010
(on the list of the very few things i miss from washington)
posted by nadawi at 12:47 PM on February 8, 2010
Answering the question, but disagreeing with your premise.
If his standard drink is King Cobra 40s, then King Cobra 40s make a great gift. Sounds like he deserves it, and good on you for recognizing that.
posted by Sk4n at 12:47 PM on February 8, 2010
If his standard drink is King Cobra 40s, then King Cobra 40s make a great gift. Sounds like he deserves it, and good on you for recognizing that.
posted by Sk4n at 12:47 PM on February 8, 2010
To start with, if you don't know him that well, you can't really be that sure of his favorite drink with much certainty.
Most importantly, I've yet to meet a beer drinker who would turn their nose up at free beer of any type (aside from *really* funky Belgians/Lambics).
Get him something good! (You can't go wrong with Dogfish Head 60-min IPA).
posted by wrok at 1:02 PM on February 8, 2010
Most importantly, I've yet to meet a beer drinker who would turn their nose up at free beer of any type (aside from *really* funky Belgians/Lambics).
Get him something good! (You can't go wrong with Dogfish Head 60-min IPA).
posted by wrok at 1:02 PM on February 8, 2010
fwiw - i love beers of most stripes. i love microbrews. i love malt liquor. i love cheap american beers. i hate, hate, hate IPAs. so, you can go wrong with the dogfish...
posted by nadawi at 1:14 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by nadawi at 1:14 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
What a nice thing to do! Since you don't know him too well, my inclination would actually be to get him a bottle of whiskey - something like Jack Daniels that is decent but not snotty.
In my experience, taste for things like beer or wine vary dramatically, but very, very few people would not appreciate a bottle of whiskey.
posted by susanvance at 1:18 PM on February 8, 2010
In my experience, taste for things like beer or wine vary dramatically, but very, very few people would not appreciate a bottle of whiskey.
posted by susanvance at 1:18 PM on February 8, 2010
Most importantly, I've yet to meet a beer drinker who would turn their nose up at free beer of any type (aside from *really* funky Belgians/Lambics).
Get him something good! (You can't go wrong with Dogfish Head 60-min IPA).
It might be a regional thing, but there are certainly plenty of beer drinkers around here who would not touch a craft brew of any kind. It makes sense, too. If you drink nothing High Life for 20 years, then a Dogfish Head IPA is going to taste like some kind of crazy alien beverage rather than like beer to you.
If you really do know what kind of alcoholic beverage he likes, I would say go with that.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Get him something good! (You can't go wrong with Dogfish Head 60-min IPA).
It might be a regional thing, but there are certainly plenty of beer drinkers around here who would not touch a craft brew of any kind. It makes sense, too. If you drink nothing High Life for 20 years, then a Dogfish Head IPA is going to taste like some kind of crazy alien beverage rather than like beer to you.
If you really do know what kind of alcoholic beverage he likes, I would say go with that.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:34 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm a big fan of beer, but I'd stay away from IPAs. To me, they remind me of my first taste of beer, which I hated. They seem like an aquired taste, and I'd rather not have to reaquire the taste of beer. The time lag between first taste and first enjoyed taste was something like fifteen years.
Guiness would be a worthwhile gift, as it's got name recognition, but is easy to drink. Newcastle and Bass are pretty tasty, and similarly easy. I'd stay away from an obscure craft brew, just because the point is to be different and stand out from 'normal' beer, and it sounds like your neighbor would be more likely to appreciate 'normal.'
posted by Ghidorah at 2:17 PM on February 8, 2010
Guiness would be a worthwhile gift, as it's got name recognition, but is easy to drink. Newcastle and Bass are pretty tasty, and similarly easy. I'd stay away from an obscure craft brew, just because the point is to be different and stand out from 'normal' beer, and it sounds like your neighbor would be more likely to appreciate 'normal.'
posted by Ghidorah at 2:17 PM on February 8, 2010
I'm with seventyfour - I was going to suggest Harp. I would agree that an IPA, or maybe even Guinness, could taste like a "crazy alien beverage" to people who aren't used to it. But Harp is a good normal beer -- hard to imagine a beer drinker objecting to it. Harp (or something along those lines) would be implicitly saying: "here's the kind of thing you like, but it's a step up as a gift." I see 3 possibilities here: (1) he'll truly appreciate the quality of the beer; (2) he won't care much about the actual difference in taste but will appreciate the extra thought; or (3) he'll just be happy to get free beer and won't think anything of your choice of brand. So, Harp (or something like it) would either be a bonus or it'll be neutral, so it's worth doing. On the other hand, getting him his standard beer has a possible downside of seeming like "nothing special."
posted by Jaltcoh at 2:22 PM on February 8, 2010
posted by Jaltcoh at 2:22 PM on February 8, 2010
those who drink king cobra 40's really have no interest in hippie artisinal beer. he's obviously more interested in quantity over quality.
Doesn't follow at all. Might just be that he doesn't care enough not be cheap. I know people who drink Gallo jug wine who really like better stuff when someone else pays for it.
That said, you could just ask him what his dream beer is.
posted by IndigoJones at 2:27 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Doesn't follow at all. Might just be that he doesn't care enough not be cheap. I know people who drink Gallo jug wine who really like better stuff when someone else pays for it.
That said, you could just ask him what his dream beer is.
posted by IndigoJones at 2:27 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Maybe an assortment, like Beers of the World from Cost Plus? Sometimes they also have other themed assortment packs, like American Craft or summer brews. I think Costco carries their own assorted cases, too. It might be safer and more fun than a whole case of something you aren't sure he likes. If you can't find a pre-packed one, maybe you can put together your own.
posted by JenMarie at 5:05 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by JenMarie at 5:05 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Get him many different beers from all over the dial. Some will be mystery presents; some he may know. Maybe he will find a new favorite!
posted by user92371 at 5:08 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by user92371 at 5:08 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
I like oinopaponton's suggestion of Sam Adams' Noble Pils - it's a very good beer in a familiar style. Not "crazy alien beverage", but also something he might not normally try, whether because of cost or comfortable routine.
posted by usonian at 6:44 PM on February 8, 2010
posted by usonian at 6:44 PM on February 8, 2010
Response by poster: Chocolate chip cookies and a 12 pack of Heineken is what we decided on. Very well received.
posted by electroboy at 11:19 AM on February 13, 2010
posted by electroboy at 11:19 AM on February 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by supramarginal at 12:30 PM on February 8, 2010