In Reply To #1 I have an easier answer for all of your needs. First on my list would be a couple of Brown Ales... Newcastle Brown Ale if you dont want to break the bank, and Samuel Smiths Nut Brown Ale if you recently got a raise. If this doent help, I know one thing, it wont hurt. Those are two of my favorites, and soon they could be yours too. Good Luck! Kissmybass

In Reply To #3 From looking at your list, it's safe to say that there are a large amount of different styles that you have to explore! I only saw a few ales on there and 90% of the rest of those beers are nearly identical in style. I would follow Cottrell's advice and see what you think about a good american pale ale and a brown ale. Considering your list of beers, you'd probably find a barleywine a bit shocking. You say you like the taste of beer too much to sacrifice volume. I agree with the first part, but differ on the second. Because I enjoy the taste so much I tend to drink very slowly and rarely more than 3 beers in a night. When I drink in volume I don't get to taste it as much because I'm gulping it down and typically those types of beer (for swilling) have much less flavor. I think the most important advice I can give is try, try, try. Chances are you won't like many of the different styles available at first, but over time you'll learn to love them. I hated hoppy, bitter beer years ago and now they're some of my favorites! If you can, buy single bottles or six packs of different beers and never buy the same thing twice until you are familiar with more of the styles.

In Reply To #3 Homebrewing is a blast, but can get expensive quick. No, not every beer you homebrew has a high abv%. I recently tried a friend's homebrewed mild which was 3.5%. I've brewed several beers under 5%. Sometimes though, it's just fun to brew higher alcohol beverages because of the more in depth process. Brown ales are great, and Sam Smith's Nut Brown is a good place to start. You may also want to check out some local beers. Saint Arnold Brewing Company is based in Texas, and brews a Brown ale. http://www.saintarnold.com/products/profiles/index.html Earlier you said no beers with wheat, but I think you may want to reconsider. The only wheat beer on that list is an American Wheat, which isn't a style I like a whole lot. Try some Witbiers and Hefeweizens. They have a wheat flavor, but most of the wheat flavor is balanced with spices or yeast. Hoegaarden Witbier and Paulaner Hefeweizen should be easy to find in any area. These beers typically have about 5% abv, which is around the same as most of the beers on your list. You have a lot of Mexican beers on your list, have you seen Casta in your area? They are my favorite Mexican brewery, and they brew a Scottish Ale you might like. It's called Casta Morena Dark, and comes in four packs. I'm not sure what the availability is like for this beer, but you may be able to find it. Flash was dead on though. Keep trying everything you see. You will slowly learn which beers you like, and which you don't. Along the way you may even gain a taste for certain beers.

It sounds like you haven't tried any of the more expensive, but much better tasting beer that there is out there. However, this probably just means that you aren't shopping at the right places. There are some great smaller breweries in the USA and abroad that provide some quality beers. Some of them might even be what you thought you didn't like, but are done right. Look up Samuel Smith, Fuller's, Stone and maybe some New Belgium. If you want some really dank beers, check the top 25 list on this site and try and get your hands on some. I can personally recommend the Chimay (Blue), Corsendank, and Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter. If you want to know what a bitter should be, definitely go get that Sierra Nevada that Cottrell suggested. If you want another spectrum, check out Stone IPA (or Stone Ruination IPA which is stronger). These beers we all know are done right, so if you don't like them, we can be sure that it's not your type of beer.

In Reply To #1 KrazyKarl's post reminded me of Belgian Dubbels, which would fit your original 'ideal' beer. Chimay Blue or Corsendonk brown might be a good place to start.

I have one word...DOPPLEBOCK.

In Reply To #9 I thought of that too, but then thought chocolate malts... coffee flavors... I've had em both in a doppelbock.

Okay just got off work and picked up a 6-er of the Newcastle Brown Ale. Is the bottle clear because it has chemically treated hops in it like Miller Genuine Draft? Anyway, I kinda like it. It has a nice caramelly flavor to it like Cottrell said. It wasn't paricularly what I had in mind, but I still like it. At over 8$ for 6, though, I don't know how many more I'll be buying! I'm not used to paying so much! I know Tecate is kinda looked down upon, but here where I live, 12 bottles are only 9$, which is primarily why my buddies and I drink so much of it. I could not find Sierra Nevada or Samuel Smiths Nut Brown Ale at the liquor store I go to. (Don't hate me! There is only one liquor store I'm comfortable going to, as I'm not quite 21, so I have to use a fake.. My gf will be 21 very very soon fortunately though) Flashpro, you make a very good point on the volume thing. I have thought about that before, but I was more concerned that a beer so high in ABV would have a taste too strong in alcohol, almost whiskey like even. Beer is really the only alcoholic beverage I particularly like outside of a few damn good aged rums that I've had a few times. I too, rarely drink more than 3 beers on any given evening including weekends, as I'm not fond of feeling inebriated, though a light beer buzz always makes for a pleasant evening. But like everyone suggested, I will keep trying more styles, and hope I come across some that will make me drool just thinking about!

In Reply To #1 It won't meet the bitterness quotient, but a good dark, slightly heavy brew with medium to low carbonation with no roasted or coffee taste? My choice, Rogue Hazlenut Brown. It's not bitter by any stretch of the imagination, but is a good dark, slightly chewy beer.

In Reply To #11 I've posted once, but feel it's pertinent to post again. Yes, Sam Smith's Nut Brown is a good brew, however, as stated earlier, I think Rogue's Hazlenut is better JMO. Corsendonk is a wonderful brew (one of my highest rated.) It's one of the most complex, perplexing brews I've ever had. If you think $8 is too much for a sixer, you're in for sticker shock. I've paid more than eight dollars for ONE BREW (it was at least a 750 ml. bottle). I'm sure many on here have. Experience the joy of brews, and when you're ready, the joy of homebrewing. I've done a few homebrews, many on here have done lots more. I'm now searching for an abbey to do at home, which is a step up from doing clone brews. If it's an affordable option, I'd suggest you keep trying to find your perfect brew, but start making your own. That way, when you find it, it's always in some stage of fermentation and always in the bottle.