7 Beers for People Who Don't Like Beer

Editor’s note: We believe if you don’t like beer, it’s possible that it’s only because you aren’t drinking the right one. Beer comes in a wide variety of styles. We’ve tapped beer expert Mandy Naglich to help introduce beers in different flavor profiles in hopes that one might just tickle the fancy of even the most ardent beer avoiders.

There are people out there that think they don’t like beer. To me, it’s a shocking fact, but a fact nonetheless. And while these non-beer-loving people exist, I choose to believe that they are not yet in their final form. They’re simply a future beer appreciator waiting for the right pint. After all, beer is the original fermented drink, the original alcoholic drink, and the most widely consumed alcoholic drink on earth. In fact, many distilled spirits (vodkas, bourbons, scotches) start their journey to the bottle as a form of beer.

If you or someone you know identifies as a non-beer-lover, I have made a list of prescriptions to dispense that will hopefully cure the ailment. These are beers, but not the fizzy pale lagers or over hopped IPAs that fill the “beer” section on many menus. Here you’ll find dark ales aged like fine whiskeys, red ales that taste like natural wine, and even a few beers masquerading as beloved cocktails. Consider this list your first step into a life as a reformed beer-avoider.

Fruity & Tangy

Brewery Verhaeghe Duchesse de Bourgogne

For someone that loves trendy natural wine, and eschews meager beer, a Flanders Red is the ticket to changing their mind. Duchesse de Bourgogne is an easy-to-find example that showcases the hearty tang and balanced fruitiness of the style.

It is similar to natural wine in not just tart funkiness but also it’s appearance. Flander’s reds pour a hazy deep burgundy or maroon closer to a red wine than most beers. And with a little searching Duchesse de Bourgogne is available in 750ml bottles further playing up its similarities to a fine, yet funky, wine. To further appease the beer skeptics out there Duchesse is available with added flavors of cherry or chocolate cherry, playing up the fruit character and obscuring its malty beer quality.

Bright & Refreshing

Cigar City Margarita Gose

Well, there’s margarita right in the name. This tart low abv beer shows off its limey side along with plenty of brightness. It’s one of my favorites to hand to someone that thinks beer is either too bitter or too watery. The Cigar City Margarita Gose shows the full spectrum of flavors a brewer has to work with, while being bright and refreshing for any tequila cocktail fan.

Spicy & Complex

Live Oak HefeWeizen

Another take for a cocktail lover, the very best Hefeweizens have a spiced quality (usually described as clove) along with an unmistakable banana note. The effect is similar to layering a few liqueurs over a base spirit in a cocktail.

Beyond the complex taste, Hefeweizens have a creamy weightiness to them. This smooth mouthfeel is a hit with people that hate the thin bubbles of a light lager or the languid heaviness of some stouts. If your friend typically scans the menu for a sweet fruity tipple, a Hefeweizen is the thing to get them looking toward the beer section for their next order. If you can’t find Live Oak Hefeweizen look for the classic German example Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier.

Nutty & Toffee

Chimay Grand Reserve

The whiskey drinkers of the world may believe their palate for aged spirits is too refined for a lowly beer. However, a few sips of the luxurious Chimay Grand Reserve is sure to have them second guessing themselves. Notes of candied prune mingle with nutty hazelnut and subtle toffee to make a sophisticated beer worthy of a snifter. And while the abv doesn’t quite match a bourbon, at 9% abv it’s heavier than most beers.

Tangy & Fresh

Dos Equis Lime & Salt

This one is ideal to add to a game day cooler to encourage people who typically reach for hard seltzer to try beer instead. Dos Equis Lime & Salt has an identifiable grainy beer backbone but pairs those flavors with hints of vivacious lime and balancing salt to create a drink that sits somewhere between beer and seltzer. Even better, this beer also comes in a non alcoholic version that is nearly identical in flavor to the full abv version. Try the two next to each other for some half time entertainment. I bet many people will mix them up.

Delicate & Effervescent

Duvel

Champagne is great but what if there was a beer that was just as delicate and effervescent? Even better, what if it was a quarter of the cost and less likely to leave you with a hangover? Enter Duvel, a Belgian Strong Blond with enough bubbles to match any sparkling wine. Plus, the green apple freshness followed by a crisp finish to make you forget you’re not drinking one. This classic Belgian beer does have a slightly bitter finish, which makes it a great aperitif while being an introduction to beer.

In a champagne flute a well-made Belgian Strong Blond will shimmer like a fine wine and with no residual sugar it’s less likely to end with a morning headache, no matter how many times you raise a toast.

Bittersweet & Creamy

Odell Brewing Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout

The name gives it away. This milk stout tastes more like chocolate ice cream than a Miller Light, and it’s a great way to introduce people to the slightly bittersweet, occasionally roasty world of Stouts. Luegene specifically packs a heavy dose of chocolate alongside the viscous syrupy texture that’s typical of a milk stout. Another example that has a similar dessert-like flavor while still being well made beer is the Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout. It’s not quite as rich as Lugene but will still do the trick of falling between a beer and a confection.

There are many ways to enter the ranks of beer fans. Whether through the wine-like Flanders Reds and Belgian Golden Strongs, the confectionary Milk Stouts and Hefeweizens, or the cocktail-inspired Gose, a great introductory beer is all you really need to set out on a path to discover a whole new category.