What is your favourite beer - - - ?

Kaiser Bier -Austria! ;-))
But, no kidding:
the best beers are from Bohemia (Budweiser, but not the American kind!) and Bavaria.
Belgian beers are non par!
with warm greetings from wine country Wachau :-))

beer, schmeer. Nothing but British cider for this lass :-)

In response to Amy, I can verify through experience that the setting and the circumstance greatly enhances the taste of food and drink. I have never had a bad beer while sitting on a beach watching the waves roll in.
As for Bavarian beers, there are many great examples of wonderful classic lagers, I enjoy them, but tradition (Purity laws) has stifled some creativity and except for some of the Dunkels and Weisses, many of the beers have a certain sameness to them. (But hey, good tasting sameness ain't bad!)

Paul. I love your categories ! For me Best Beer Country: toss between Britian/Germany (haven't been to Belgium yet), Best Pub atmosphere: Friday Street in southern England. I still have this memory from 1986 driving down into a creek-side, small, cozy, thatched roof pub that was surrounded by large deciduous trees, low hanging clouds from a rainy day, and the warm fire inside, Best Brewery Tour: I like your suggestion, Best Beer Moment: A nice cold beer, anywhere, after a long alpine hike -- yum !

I refuse to pick just one, beer is a real passion for me, I make a point of trying any different one I can find. That said, here are some favorite generalities:
Best Beer Country: No contest, Belgium. Fantastic variety from middle of the road, to malty, to fruity, to rich thick dubbels and trippels.
Best Bar atmosphere: A good 200 year old English Pub with a real cask ale pulled up from the cellar.
Best Brewery Tour: Theakston Brewery in Masham, County York, England. An 1890s brewery still brewing, still using much of the original equipment. Still brewing cask ales.
Best Beer Moment: Drinking flutes of Kolsh at a sidewalk cafe in Koln on an early sunny summer afternoon.
There are many, many more moments. Unfortunately most of my latest travels have been to Italy and Greece, not great beer countries, but then I get to indulge my wine side.

I had this beer in the US, but it's Belgian:
HoeGaarden a white beer, unbelievably good.

I have a couple entries, but don't pick on me if they are not up to snuff because I am no expert :). In Germany, I really loved Lowenbrau Dunkel. I have not found it in the US. Also, at Oktoberfest, mixing the Lemon soda with the beer - quite tasty. My last entry - if anyone can help me identify - it is a Swiss beer. We had it at a restaurant after taking the Kleine Schlidig hike. It is in a bottle similar looking to Red Stripe, except taller. YUM! But maybe we were needing a beer after taking a hike in the rain and where chilled. I am never been to Belgium or Czech Rep, but plan to keep on tasting my way thru Europe.

In my opinion, nothing beats Gambrinus (Czech).

I used to think of Germany as the world's most perfect beer paradise, but eventually, Belgium conquered Germany in this category (unlike 20th century history...). And I formed that opinion before I met my wife, who as luck would have it, is Belgian. One of the absolute best, in my opinion, is Chimay Grand Reserve, which is available in the US. Another, which I have not seen in the US, is Hoegaarden Grand Cru (different from their more well-known and also excellent white ale). A true tragedy occured when a friend of mine returned from Belgium unimpressed with it's beers... mainly because she only tried the widely-available Stella Artois, Cristal and Jupiler, which are the Belgian equivalents to Bud, Miller and Coors.

it is easier for me to pick my favourite chocolate (Milka Happy Cows or Trikolade) than to limit myself to one single beer. Beer is so regional and the tastes fits with the region. And your mood. Beer mixed with lemon pop during a hot day in Munich sitting in a Biergarten is perfect. But when I'm im Muenster and it's raining outside than I order an Altbierbowle (more like an Ale with strawberries and/or peach slices mixed in). My student years are forever linked with the taste of Veltins. But when I'm at my uncle's home I have to have a Pott's Landbier. That's one I could probably drink anywhere or any time - however, it's a very natural beer that's not been sold beyond about 50-100 km from the brewery: http://www.potts.de/Content/index.asp

And yes, the best Pilsner comes from Czech. Budweis is great but we also had a few others I love equally as well but just can't remember their names. And NO, I do not care for Belgium beer at all. Most of them have too many additives for my taste and I end up with some form of headache after only a glass. That's the German in me who thinks every beer should be brewed with the Reinheitsgebot firmly entranched ;-)

Real Ale--drawn perfectly and served at the right temperature (cellar). No cans. No bottles.

A little slack here, as I'm not a beer drinker at all. That said, on vacation in Bavaria or Austria, I do enjoy a Radler, the beer mixed with lemon-lime soda.

Paul

A McEwans on a sunny day at the Castle Tavern in Inverness. A Dinkelacker at the Wolf in Eningen uA south of Stuttgart. And if I'm home, a Scotch Ale or the IPA at the Great Dane.

My favorite is the one that's on the table in front of me, especially if the table is on a terrace overlooking a stunning Alpine vista.

What a great topic! Tom from DC-I tried a Chimay the other day and it was great!

I have mostly been a lager type person here in the US, but on our trip to Europe this summer (our first one) I fell in love with the Belgian "bruin" beers. Our favorite place for drinks the entire trip was the 't Brugs Beertje Pub in Bruges. Over 300 different beers! My favorites there were the beer named after the pub brewed for them, and then the Kasteel bier that I followed that up with. Both were a bit strong with the alcohol, but loved the taste of both!

We also had plenty of great beers in Germany, but I think my eyes were definitely open in Belgium.

I have so many favorite beers and it always changes with every new atmosphere I am in! I fell in love with Kwak in Belgium this summer but I think because it was in such a cool glass! I was so excited when I was in Ottawa a few weeks ago that a bar served Kwak in its special glass. I love the German lagers especially when it is served in a huge glass! The first time I was in Munich at the Hofbrau haus I felt like I was in adult Disneyland when they plopped down my beer in front of me!! I am looking forward to this summer when I plan on travelling throughout Germany, Czech Republic and Poland and experience more!

Ron- your description reminds me of a place called Union Jack's in Bethesda Maryland. It has a large Union Jack flying from the wall, a red phone booth, and Bass Ale on tap. And with that, the similarities to a real British pub end.

I realize I am alone on this island, BUT I believe an ice cold Peroni alla spina (on draft), in Italy, is about the best beer I've ever had. Perhaps I'm the only one in the world who goes to Italy and doesn't drink vino, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Hello Gio : I never heard of any person drinking beer in ITALY. But yes, PERONI is good beer. PERONI beer (made in Italy) is served in an Italian restaurant in my town here in Missouri. The PERONI beer served here has a dry flavor (like a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc), thus people like to eat pasta with the Peroni beer. I guess it is similar to the experience of drinking Sauvignon Blanc wine with pasta.

In Britian, I prefer London Pride or Guiness. On the Continent, my favorite is still Andechs Weisbier (wheat), available only at the monastery or their small biergarten behind the Frauenkirsch. Both Brugge and Prague have some great little beer bars - I like Brugge for the selection and Prague for the fun atmosphere.

From Today's New York Times:

Savoring Italy, One Beer At a Time

We found the Hoegaarden from Belgium at Trader Joes yesterday. Almost $10 for a six pack, but we bought some and each had one last night. Great memories of Bruges with that one!

Jupiler (for sentimental reasons)

Whatever is local and on tap is my favorite. I'll drink Helles or Dunkels, Pilsner or Kolsch. I'm rarely disappointed with the local specialty.

The best beer I've tasted to date is Guiness served in Ireland. I don't really like Guiness here (or even in Britain), it doesn't seem to travel well. A pint of Guiness in Ireland is like drinking a cream soda. Amazingly good!

Least favorite is flavored beers. I'm not a fan of colored or flavored beers.

Belgian, Belgian, Belgian. I'd drop everything now to go to Belgium for the beer and food (and chocolate). But I did fall in love with Smithwicks in Ireland, and am SOOO happy that they sell it in the stores here now. And, now that I mention it, I'm also super glad that Georgia changed their laws a couple of years ago about the legal alcohol content for beer so that we can buy Belgian beers here now.

My favorite beer is Andechs in Germany. The area is beautiful and the Beer is the Best that I have had. I also enjoyed the Beer in Prague. I am traveling to France and Belgium this April so I am excited about trying some of their beers. The Cherry beer sounds interesting. Cheers!

I'm with Maureen. Almost anything Belgian. But I do draw the line at Stella Artois. It's too much like Budweiser. And I don't mean the good Czech Budweiser. St. Bernardus Abt 12 is an awesome Abby Dubbel. Leffe Bruin is excellent. And pretty much any Belgian Christmas (Noel in French) beer is just fantastic. I'd also like to toss in a vote for Unibroue, a brewery just outside of Montreal. They make Belgian-style beers. The brewmaster there used to be the brewmaster at Chimay. Thus, he's learned from some of the best. My favorite is the Maudite, an excellent red ale. But the yearly, one-time-only, batches that come out shortly before Christmas are not to be missed. They have only a number as the name. 17 came out in 2008. I can't wait to try 18.

Belgium has the best selection. I loved drinking my way through the country. Leffe was very good and so was Chimay.
But nothing beats drinking a German lager at Oktoberfest with a few thousand other enthusiasts! Most Munich natives like Augustiner best and I can't disagree with them.

OK I'm biased as I'm a Brit. Belgian beer is excellent as is German beer BUT British Real Ale, served in a pub that knows how to serve it properly, with the foam coming over the top of the glass IS the best!

By the way 200 years is 'new' for a British pub. Lots of pubs are 400 years old and if you really want to go 'old' then try something like 700 years such as 'Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Olde_Trip_To_Jerusalem

Cheers (clinks glass)
Steve.

Canned Pabst.

Belgian Framboise.