Tap Into Your Inner Beer Lover, Part One: The Fruity Drink Friend

...see what I did there? TAP into...? Ok.

One of the best parts about my new blog/hobby is that I get to share my love of beer with others. I especially like to chat with my friends who are utterly against beer, because I am 100% convinced that there is a beer out there for everyone. Some folks take more convincing than others, but I've yet to run into a person for whom I cannot find a match made in brew-heaven.

So, what's the first step when it comes to converting a beer-shy buddy? Find out what he/she does enjoy to eat and/or drink.

This week I've decided to begin a series of suggestions for the beer-beginners based on their go-to eats/drinks. Today's blog is dedicated to the most timid of beer-beginners, those who may think beer is too "bitter," or who cringe at the sight of a Guinness: The fruity-sweet-tooths.

For the "fruity drink" friend -- the one who orders a White Zin or a Cosmo: Try a Wheat Beer.

Now, when it comes to wheat beer, there are many names which mean basically the same thing (Weizen, Weiß, Hefeweizen, Lambic -- all varieties of wheat beer), but for the purpose of the "beer beginner," focus more on the other words in the title -- for example, names of fruits. For the beer novice, the flavor of the fruit is going to be a bit more apparent than the wheat flavor.

For the wine lover, I'd recommend a  lambic such as Brouwerji Lindemans Framboise. 

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The Framboise is a raspberry lambic that's sweet, but not too sweet. It'll likely illicit a "this doesn't even taste like beer!" reaction.  Lambics are usually a good choice for wine-os because of their dry, cidery taste. Be warned, though: make sure to choose a fruit lambic -- a pure, unblended lambic is incredibly sour. Some buzzwords to look for when choosing a lambic:

• Framboise (Raspberry)
• Pêche (Peach)
• Cassis (Black Currant)
• Druif (Grape)
• Aardbei (Straberry)

For the friend who's hooked on fruity martinis (think Cosmos and Lemon Drops), go for a wheat beer which is described as "fruit beer." One of my go-tos is Berry Weiss by Leinenkugel

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There are a few things that I like about this beer. First and foremost, it's readily available in my area and can be found in grocery stores and even gas stations. This may seem trivial, but to a beginner, it's critical. Searching for a specific type of craft beer in a specialty liquor store can be intimidating. Secondly, it pours a light ruby color, which is also a little less intimidating for a beer beginner. I'd recommend buying this as part of a Leinenkugel's sampler pack, which also includes the Sunset Wheat, another wheat beer that actually tastes incredibly similar to Fruity Pebbles.

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The sunset wheat is more of a citrus-y flavored wheat beer, and I'd venture to say that it is even sweeter than the Berry Weiss. 

There is a beer for almost any fruit out there, and one of my most recent discoveries in the world of fruit beer is the Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat.

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This beer has an incredibly prominent cherry flavor with hints of honey. It's very sweet and would appeal to someone with a major sweet tooth. 

Now, this blog post would not be complete without mentioning the ever-rising popularity of hard cider. 

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It is becoming increasingly common to see hard apple ciders (think Angry Orchard, Woodchuck, or Cider Boys) offered in restaurants nowadays. While these ciders are usually found on beer lists and served alongside beer on tap or in bottles, don't be deceived: cider is not beer at all. The difference between cider and beer is the source of the alcohol. Cider is made from fermented apple juice while beer is made from malted barley. 

But fear not, cider-lovers! All hope is not lost. For the friend who loves her cider but wants to explore beer, there is a readily-available stepping stone: Redd's Apple Ale

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Redd's is technically an ale, but tastes strikingly similar to a cider.

All in all, there are lots of options for our fruit-fanatic, sweet-tooth, cider-savvy friends to try. If you've still got a sweet tooth but none of these beers appeals to you, fear not, for there are many more "sweet" beers to try. Tune in to my next blog which features "The Chocoholic Friend."

Cheers! 

Rach