A Problem with Drinking (probably the opposite of what you think)

[Wuggy]

Or, possibly, stop drinking it until you're old enough. According to your profile, you're only sixteen.

This. You obviously don't do it for the taste, so you either do it because it makes you feel good (including thinking it's fun), your friends are doing it, or you think it makes you look cool. I don't mean to get all preachy, but it's not worth it.

This.

I didn't like beer when I was sixteen either. It grew on me when I got older. Don't try to be an adult until you have to.

 

[Spacelord]

Wish I had your 'problem', OP

That said, even though it's not a big deal if you don't drink beer (you'll just have to deal with your friends' ribbing!), the wonderful world of beer can truly be life enriching.

One of the ways of getting into beer is mixing it with coke - this actually has a name but I can't think of it. People do it a lot in Germany I think. Anyway, half coke/half beer tastes a lot sweeter, is less alcoholic and generally a lot more pleasant for the novice drinker.

Alternately, you could try mixed beers or beers that are generally a lot sweeter - after all, it appears the bitterness it what most people dislike. For instance, kriek beer is a subtype of a regionally brewed beer from Belgium prepared with cherries. Alternately, Belgian beer Palm is also significantly sweeter. Also weissbeers (whitebeers? Iunno translation) like Hoegaarden or Schneiderweize taste significantly different from what you'd normally expect from beer. Last but not least: a lot of special beers like double or tripel beers have added sugar for higher alcohol content and flavor. They can be very smooth and tasty. But be careful - they'll fuck you up harder than you'd expect.

I'm not sure where you're from, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that you're from the States, in which case I can't really recommend anything specific since I don't quite know what beers are popular there. I do know Budweiser is fairly popular, but that it tastes like ass. But I also know Hoegaarden is getting more and more popular abroad, so if I'd have to recommend one 'novice' beer it'd be that one. It also has a rosé (= with cherries) version, so that's good too.

Lastly and most importantly: make sure it's poured properly. Nothing ruins the joy of beer more than shitty serving. The beer has to be cold, and ideally, the glass too. The glass has to be clean - any fatty residue and it'll transform any beer into stale piss in seconds. If you get it from a draft, smell it first - if it smells 'off', that means bacteria and that they never clean their taps and you need to get the hell out of there, because that beer's ruined. It has to be drafted in a single pour. And for the love of god don't drink from a pitcher, it'll be flat in minutes.

TL;DR Try out different beers, and don't let anyone sell you sub-par beer Most importantly: enjoy!

edit: holy fuck that's a long post

 

[Kargathia]

Or, possibly, stop drinking it until you're old enough. According to your profile, you're only sixteen.

As it doesn't give any specifics in his profile I'll just have to point out that in good parts of Europe you're allowed to drink beer at 16.

OT: I'd advise slowly trying out every kind of beer you can find until you find one you do like. Personal recommendation would be to first try lager and darker beers, as they seem to be nicer on the uninitiated.

 

[BarbaricGoose]

Why push yourself to enjoy something that has very minimal benefits, and many detrimental effects? If you don't enjoy it, I'd suggest not drinking it. I'd consider it a stroke of good luck that you don't like it.

I know that doesn't answer your question, but I'm failing to see any logic in what you're doing.

 

[Eri]

People have the right to do things like drink.

Uh, No? I'm pretty sure there's no law or written item that says you have the right to drink anything. Especially when it is already illegal for being underage.

 

[Matthewmagic]

The only real solution is to switch to hard liquor. I usually find after two or three shots I stop noticing the taste of beer. You can also try one of the other fabulous drugs available from your local dealer. I recommend marijuana or LSD. Good luck friend .

 

[warprincenataku]

Try liquor, wine or some other type of alcohol or, just not drink. I am not a big fan of beer, but will have the occassional one at a restaurant I love that brews their own.

 

[DirgeNovak]

It's a palate thing. You have to let it fully develop. I didn't like beer until I was 19, and wine until I was 21.

 

[Craorach]

Beer is apparently an "aquired taste". I have never and will never understand the concept of an aquired taste.

If it tastes bad, do not consume it. Nobody is holding a gun to your head and telling you to drink beer.

If you want to drink alcohol, try things until you find something you do like. If you do not find something you like, don't worry, unlike what society wants you to believe it is not required for living.

 

[Matthewmagic]

People have the right to do things like drink.

Uh, No? I'm pretty sure there's no law or written item that says you have the right to drink anything. Especially when it is already illegal for being underage.

Well, whether or not it is legal or illegal, people are still doing it. It is the abstinence only education argument, we can just say no, so people do it behind there parents backs and end up getting raped at parties, or we can make it an acceptable practice and proved a safe and honest environment in which it can be practices. Making it legal simply ignores the reality that drinking only causes further harm under prohibition of any kind, and before you raise a stupid arguement, yes the same is true for every drug.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Each brand has a different taste. Try different brands until you find the right one. That's what I did and you don't see me complaining.

 

[strobe]

Snip
Just remember that one beer is the equivalent alcohol as one mixed drink, one glass of wine or one shot. So you don't have to like or drink beer to go out drinking with friends. Just keep it to when you actually can drink legally. Sixteen is too young.

This is wrong. As a British person (and therefore vastly experienced in drink) I feel the need to correct you.

1 shot of a normal spirit is 1 unit.
1 beer, a pint of lager, is normally about 2.2 units or so. You might be talking about an "American beer" here -is that a bottle?- but a beer is a pint.
1 glass of wine is probably about 2 units but I'm not too sure on the sizes of glasses.
Beer's normally a bit weaker than lager.
A pint of cider is normally a bit stronger than lager but whatever.

OT: My advice is to just keep drinking it to condition yourself. Americans normally call lager beer, I think but that's what you want to be drinking. Light lagers are probably the best to start on.

Maybe start having your lager with a straight navy rum chaser because after that the lager'll taste good.

 

[Natasha_LB]

I have exactly the same problem, can't stand the taste of beer. There's an easy solution though, Cider!!! Lots and lots of cider! It tastes much better, and as it's still a pint, you can still keep up with rounds, and play drinking games etc. Guys never seem to have a problem with me drinking it, and if they do I ask them how on earth they can drink beer, as it's so disgusting; I act like there the weird ones. It helps a lot if you can out drink them: I may not be able to stand the taste of beer, but if we do straight shots, I'll drink 'em under the table!!!

So, drink cider, mock beer, and if you get called out for "not being manly enough" them take em on in a shot contest!! Easy.

 

[Harlief]

Drink something nice, instead of cheap piss. I'd recommend Hoegaarden, a German wheat beer.
You get what you pay for.

 

[Ashcrexl]

beer is actually my favorite alcohol. i love almost every beer, but i really like mike's hard lemonade. nothing like roaming the wastelands of new vegas while enjoying a cold one.

 

[Woodsey]

Don't be a pussy. And try different beer. And no, they don't all taste the same.

Honestly, I was hoping this would be the old "24-hour drinking... its not enough!" joke.

 

[Thaliur]

So, like many not-manly men, I'm cursed with the inability to get past the taste of beer. I've never made it past half a bottle on my own. I'm normally able to take a good first drink, but after that the taste limits me to just sips at a time. Between me and friends, we normally just have beer.
Any suggestion on how to get past the taste, or condition myself to like.

First of all, you should not force yourself to like something you don't like. Maybe beer just isn't "your" drink, and if you live in the US, I'm completely on your side there.
Unfortunately, proper beer is almost exclusively European import brands over there, so probably quite expensive.

Maybe you just need to find a drink you like. I didn't drink any alcohol at all until I was 19 because every alcoholic drink I tried up to then tasted disgusting to me. As far as I remember, these were a few certain brands of beer, several kinds of "you won't taste any alcohol at all" cocktails (using vodka, a drink with a taste that's almost exclusively based on alcohol...), and (ugh) schnaps.

Then a friend of mine brought mead to a gaming night, and everything changed.

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

maybe he wants to experience the bonding that goes on between friends who share a beer or three? It can be good times.

the wonderful world of beer can truly be life enriching.

I would love for someone to explain this to me. As much as I can see the "bonding" and "life enriching" factors of alcohol, to me the "activity" of drinking is no different than any other possible form of group interaction, albeit with the side effects of slowly poisoning your body, hindering your ability to make sensible decisions whilst imbibing, and after certain quantities turning the imbibers into slobbering morons screeching like banshees and/or requiring a level of managed care to rival that of defusing a time bomb.