Beer Sampling

So I took a little trip to Marcello's after work to see if they carried Sokol Blosser's Evolution, which is a white wine blend that Ally and I have enjoyed in the past. (Finally, I've found someone who carries it, as they never had it in 3 prior visits) I couldn't help but to go into the beer section to see what unique lager I could try. As usual, I was in there for around 30 minutes. So I decided, get a 6 pack with 6 different beers that sound interesting and samp those.
With LSU vs. Vandy and USC vs. Ohio State on the tube, I had good reason to "samp the ale". So I did, and let me tell you, if or when any of you attempt to do this, expect the unexpected.
1) I opened Lowenbrau first, which I've actually had before but sort of forgot if I liked it or not. (Unfortunately for me, this turned out to be my favorite of the 6) It was light enough for the average beer drinker to enjoy but had a lot of flavor, unlike the domestic crap that we're all guilty of consuming on a regular basis. I recommend Lowenbrau anytime any of you would like a change.
2) Then I cracked open the Konig Pilsener. Yuck. Tasted like wet dog. Not that I've ever tasted a wet dog before, but if I did, it would probably taste like this. The first 3 swigs were the worst, but it actually got better the more I got used to it. Too overpowering in my opinion, and I'm no sissy when it comes to strong flavored beer. This one just didn't do it for me, stay away from this one.
3) The first 2 brews I tried were German, so I threw a real curveball and went with a Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale. The brewery is based out of Mississippi and since our friends at Abita have been semi-successful at the flavored ales, I thought why not? Now I've never had Abita's Pecan Ale yet, but if it tastes like this one, I don't know if I want to. It wasn't as horrible as the Konig, but it definitely was not for me.
4) So now I'm starting to get a little discouraged. I try what I think will be the safe bet of the remaining 3. The Kirin Ichiban. I'm guessing it's Japanese? It was definitely better than the last 2, but not something I'd want to buy a six pack of. Have you ever had Tsingtao? Somewhat comparible. Not bad but not great.
5) At this point, I'm actually starting to feel a little good. I think it had a lot to do with the lack of sleep I've had the past 4 days because I'm usually good for at least an 18 pack. I grab the LaRossa, which is an Italian beer. I look at the bottom left of the bottle to see it's 7.2% alcohol, so I'm expecting a bit of a punch, heavy flavor. And I wasn't disappointed. I liked this one, could actually be my 2nd favorite of the bunch. Now if you're the type of person who will only drink Miller Lite and next to nothing else (like my lovely girlfriend, love ya babe!), you won't like this one. But if you can pound back an Andygator or any dark lager every once in a while, I suggest at least giving this one a try. I've had pretty good success with Italian beers, they're usually pretty good.
6) I finished off my 6 pack mix with McSorley's, an Irish Black Lager that I figured would be solid. I'm a fan of Killian's so I figured this would be a winner. And I was right. Dark beers are usually hit or miss, but the Irish usually do it right. I enjoyed this one, but then again I was comparing it to some pretty strong flavors that I have had up to that point.

How they ranked (from best to worst)
1) Lowenbrau
2) LaRossa
3) McSorley's
4) Kirin Ichiban
5) Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale
6) Konig Pilsener


GEAUX SAINTS!