Good non-mainstream beers

Didn't know what to call these beers, but talking about beers which aren't from one of the major national breweries (Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Miller).

Being from Northeast Ohio, I've found the Great Lakes beers to be outstanding. It has also turned me into somewhat of a beer snob, where I'm favoring the more regional or non-Bud, Miller, Coors beers. Just trying to find a few I should try out.

 

Fat Tire, 2 Below from New Belgium in Denver

Moose Drool from Big Sky in Missoula

 

Bischoff -- Winnweiler, Germany

 

Find a good store that has a wide selection, even better if they let you fill your own six pack so you can try a bunch of different styles. I dig just about anything Oregon or Washington, (Rogue, Full Sail, Deschutes, Red Hook), but there are a bunch of good ones out there. Just got back from a brewfest in Portland and thought the Russian Imperial Stout from Stone out of San Diego was outstanding. My favorite beer is one I haven't had before. Check out Beer Advocate online for a list of beer related stuff going on in your region, you'll find a list of nearby pubs and festivals where you'll get a chance to try a bunch of different beers and styles. Drink Up!

 

Stegmeyer from Nanticoke, Pa.

 

Stiegelbrau. Don't know if you can get it outside of Austria.

 

pyramid.

 

Winner, winner.

Also, throw in a vote for whoever does Killians...........do they do their own?

 

Boulevard Wheat from KC... but I'm biased. Don't know if Leinenkugels (sic) is national, either.. but it's damn good.

 

My list pretty much starts and ends there (though New Belgium is in Fort Collins, not Denver). Fat Tire is my all-time favorite, but alas, the only place east of the Mississippi you can get it is Chicago. I pick up a case or two every time I go to Memphis by driving over to the Walgreens in West Memphis, Ark.

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. in Kiln, Miss. (yes, Favre's hometown) makes some goodies, including one made with pecans (Southern Pecan).

Some of the Abita brands out of Abita, La., are great, though I can't recommend them all (don't care much for Turbo Dog; I like Abita regular and Abita Amber).

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is pretty good, as are all the North Coast brands out of Fort Bragg, Calif. Tastes like chocolate.

I'm not much for dark beers, but Warsteiner Dunkel is phenomenal.

Smithwick's (pronounced Smitt-ick's) was available only in the northeast for the longest time, but went national last year.

I'm sure I'll think of more later ...

 

Fort Collins, Denver. It's all Colorado

 

oly.