Welcome to my new series "New Beer Drinker 6 Pack" Series! I will go into different styles of beers and talk about beers that would be good for new beer drinkers to try and enjoy the craft beer world properly. I also tried to pair them with a type of food so you can enjoy the full experience! I firmly believe there is a beer for everyone!
This is the opinion of The Beerded Brotha but feel to share your opinions in the comments!
New to Beer?
Don’t worry, I got you! Beer can be a vast place without the right guidance. There’s sours, Lambics, stouts, gluten free, and many others to choose from! How do you choose?! I hope this article will give you a good starting point!
The weather is starting to warm up here in Nashville so that means some of my favorite styles are starting to come to full brew; Kolsches, Pilsners and Lagers! The bready crispness of a Pilsner on your favorite patio or balcony just reeks of spring time magic! The sweet malt in a Lager can really give your evenings the good night kiss you need. There are even some Kolsches that can make your day time ratchetivities that more hoppy(😂😉). These styles really shine during the warmer months in the year!
Even though they are great beers for the warmer months, they are the perfect beer to start your craft beer journey! In this article you will find some great local Kolsches, Lagers, and Pilsners to try as you start your craft beer journey! Feel free to venture past these options at the breweries!
When this brewery opened back up after being slammed with the 2020 tornado and COVID a week later, I was beyond ecstatic! I was creeping their social media HARD waiting for that glorious day!
They run the Lager and Pilsner game in Nashville! The “Big Night Italian Pilsner” very much proves that point! It is a German Pilsner with attitude. It has a slight hop character to it so it has a slight bitter bite on the finish. It still fits the bill of a traditional Pilsner in being dry and crisp so it’s great for a bbq (socially distant of course!) or eating your hot wings from your favorite restaurant or homemade. The Lemon and herbal aromas definitely remind you of spring or summer sunshine! This is a very approachable beer and great first step in your beer journey!
Living Waters will drop a fire IPA or some sort of non coffee Stout beer that is absolute fire. In this case, they just dropped a delicious German Pilsner just in time for the warm Nashville weather!
This has a malt and hop profile that will generate a floral yet tropical flavor and an aroma profile that’s light but fragrant. It has a very subtle bitter bite to it but it takes a very far back seat to the sweet crispness of the malts.This pilsner is great for any patio sitting right when you clock out from work and as the sun is setting. It’s very well balanced. Even though it pours a little cloudy, it still tastes and feels like a Pilsner. I would drink this with a savory burger and Cajun fries giving you that balanced flavor experience in your meal. Thank me later.
Bursting onto the scene right around the Tornado, Crazy Gnome brewery brought some European styles with them. I am glad they brought a Kolsch to town. Kolsches are crisp with a slight fruitfulness that leaves you wanting more. Sometimes they can have a slight hop profile like the Crooked Smile from Crazy Gnome.
Crooked Smile is a dry and crisp Kolsch that has a Noble Hop aroma which gives it a balanced aroma and low bitterness in the taste. It’s thirst quenching for those hot Nashville summers, ya know before the panorama?! Anyway you can definitely pair this with a nice pear salad to keep the flavors subtle but fruity. Drink up!
This lager is from a Nashville OG brewery Tailgate so they have a remixed homey-ness to them and their flagship beers. This isn’t considered a lager technically due it not being clarified. It has a slight cloudiness compared to traditional lagers that appear clean. It’s still considered a lager due to the yeast but I can nerd out later!
Tailgate Lager is a golden elixir that can counter your favorite spicy food(s) like their hot honey pizza ( thank you for making it a permanent pizza!) or hot bone in wings because we all know boneless wings are just big ass nuggets! As the sweet maltiness glides over the front end of your palate you can sit back at Tailgate or favorite spot that serves this and know you will enjoy your meal. Cheers!
A beer with electrolytes?! You can get hydrated and lit at the same time! I don’t know about the hydrated part but this beer does have electrolytes from Celtic Flower of the Ocean and a famous orange powder. This Kolsch is an orange hydration station with a tinge of salt. Perfect after sweat fueled work out!
This Kveik yeast Kolsch is perfect for a hot day on their patio with their white pizza which creates a great balance between mild yet flavorful experience. The famous orange powder adds a subtle sweetness and a refreshing finish that will go great with a spicy hummus if you want to keep it light!
They say they don’t have flagship beers but Southern Grist should definitely consider their “Southern Crisp” as a flagship! This beer is delicious with the crisp Chardonnay finish as it is nicely hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops which provide that delicate hopped flavor throughout your sip(s). This is something white wine drinkers can enjoy!
The Nelson hops add a whole different dimension to the Pilsner beyond it being unfiltered making it slightly hazy! Pretty astringent, dry, so you do want to have some food that is juicy like shrimp as the mild flavors balance each other well. Head to your local Juicy Seafood with “Southern Crisp” in your right hand and a juicy crab leg in your left hand. Definitely ask if you can bring outside beer in, though! Drink up!
Thank you for reading! I hope you are able to enjoy some of these beers! If you do, let me know which beer(s) you tried and enjoyed! Did the pairings work? What would you pair these beers with? Let me know!