What Beer Should I Try First?

Standing at the bar and freezing when you see a long tap list is more common than most people admit. If you’ve ever thought, what beer should I try, the good news is that you do not need to know every style, brewery or bit of beer jargon to order well. You just need a starting point that matches your taste, mood and the kind of night you want.

Beer is much easier to enjoy when you stop treating it like a test. The best choice is not the rarest pint, the strongest IPA or the one your mate insists you have to like. It is the beer that feels right for you in that moment - something refreshing after work, something bold late in the evening, or something easy to sip while you settle in with food and good company.

What beer should I try if I do not know where to start?

Start with what you already enjoy in other drinks. If you like crisp white wine, gin and tonic, or sparkling water with citrus, you will probably get on well with a clean lager, pilsner or a pale ale with bright, fresh notes. If you prefer coffee, dark chocolate or richer red wine, a porter or stout may be a better first move. If cocktails are more your thing, fruit-forward sours and saisons can be surprisingly approachable.

This matters because beer styles are less about rules and more about direction. Bitterness, sweetness, body, carbonation and aroma all shape the experience. Once you know which of those you naturally lean towards, choosing gets much easier.

A lot of people assume lager is the safest option, and sometimes it is. But “safe” can also mean forgettable if what you actually want is flavour. On the other hand, jumping straight into a very bitter double IPA because it sounds serious can backfire just as quickly. A good first beer sits in the middle of curiosity and comfort.

The easiest way to choose a beer you will actually enjoy

The quickest route is to think in terms of taste rather than style names. Ask yourself whether you want something crisp, hoppy, fruity, malty or dark. Those words are far more useful than trying to remember the difference between every sub-style on a menu.

If you want something crisp, go for lager, pilsner or a light blonde ale. These are refreshing, clean and ideal when you want a pint that does not ask too much of you. They work particularly well at the start of the evening or alongside salty food.

If you want something hoppy, look at pale ales and IPAs. These often bring citrus, pine, tropical fruit or floral notes. The trade-off is bitterness. Some people love that sharp, zesty edge straight away, while others need a gentler introduction. If you are IPA-curious but not ready for a hop overload, start with a session IPA or balanced pale ale.

If fruitiness appeals, wheat beers, saisons and sours are worth a look. Wheat beers tend to be soft, lightly spiced and easy-drinking. Saisons can be peppery, dry and lively. Sours vary the most - some are tart and refreshing, others are intensely sharp. They can be brilliant, but they are not always the safest first beer unless you already enjoy sour cocktails, natural wine or tart fruit flavours.

If you want something richer, amber ales, brown ales, porters and stouts bring more malt character. That means notes like biscuit, caramel, toffee, cocoa or coffee. Dark colour does not automatically mean heavy, though. A porter can be smooth and surprisingly easy to drink, while some pale beers can feel much more aggressive because of their bitterness.

What beer should I try based on my taste?

If you usually like clean, light drinks, try a pilsner. It is bright, refreshing and often has just enough bitterness to stay interesting. This is one of the best answers to what beer should I try if you want something uncomplicated but still well made.

If you like citrus and freshness, try a pale ale. It gives you aroma and flavour without necessarily pushing the bitterness too far. For many people, this is where beer starts to become genuinely exciting.

If you like bold flavours and do not mind bitterness, try an IPA. Done well, it can be packed with grapefruit, mango, pine or resinous notes. Done badly for your palate, it can taste like you are chewing on peel and herbs. It depends on your tolerance for bitterness.

If you like smooth, creamy flavours, try a stout. A good stout can bring roasted coffee, chocolate and a soft texture that feels more relaxed than challenging. It is especially good later in the evening or when the weather is leaning cold.

If you like a touch of sweetness, try an amber ale or brown ale. These styles are often underrated because they are not as fashionable as IPAs or sours, but they can be some of the most balanced and easy-to-love beers on a menu.

If you enjoy tart, lively drinks, try a sour. Just know what you are getting into. A lightly fruited sour can be playful and refreshing. A sharply acidic one can be brilliant for the right person and far too intense for the wrong moment.

Common mistakes people make when choosing beer

One mistake is ordering by strength alone. A stronger beer is not automatically better, more flavourful or more premium. In fact, high ABV can hide nuance if all you notice is the alcohol warmth. If you are there to relax and enjoy a few drinks, balance usually beats power.

Another mistake is assuming dark beer will be too heavy. Plenty of people avoid porters and stouts because they expect a thick, dessert-like pint, when some are actually dry, elegant and very drinkable. Colour tells you something, but not everything.

The reverse mistake happens with pale beers. A hazy IPA might look soft and juicy, but it can still carry plenty of bitterness or weight. Beer is full of these little surprises, which is exactly why trying something new can be fun when you choose with a bit of context.

Then there is the pressure to pick the most “craft” option. You do not win points for ordering the weirdest thing on the list. If a fresh pilsner suits your evening better than an 8 per cent barrel-aged experiment, that is the right call.

How to order with confidence at a craft beer bar

A good bar should make discovery feel easy, not intimidating. If you are unsure, say what flavours you normally like and what mood you are in. That is far more helpful than pretending you know exactly what you want. “I want something crisp and easy” or “I fancy something dark but not too heavy” gives enough direction for a strong recommendation.

It also helps to be honest about what you do not like. If bitterness puts you off, say so. If you hate anything too sweet, mention that. The fastest route to a great pint is clarity, not beer theatre.

At a place with a rotating tap list, such as The Banshee Riga, this approach works especially well because the best beer for you may not be the same next week. That is part of the appeal. You are not stuck with the same predictable options. You get the chance to find a new favourite depending on the season, the brewery and the pace of your night.

A simple way to think about beer pairings

Beer changes with food in a way many people overlook. Crisp lagers and pilsners work beautifully with salty snacks, fried food and lighter dishes because they refresh the palate. Pale ales and IPAs can handle spice well, especially if there is a bit of heat involved. Amber ales and brown ales suit grilled flavours and richer comfort food. Porters and stouts come into their own with smoky, roasted or chocolate-led dishes.

This does not mean you need to pair with precision. It just means the right beer can make the whole experience feel more complete. If you are settling in for the evening rather than just grabbing one quick pint, it is worth thinking about what is on your plate as well as what is in your glass.

If you are still asking what beer should I try, start with the flavour profile that feels closest to what you already love, then let yourself branch out by one step rather than five. That is usually where the best discoveries happen - not in forcing your way through a style because you think you should, but in following your palate with a bit of curiosity. The right beer is rarely the most obvious or the most talked-about one. More often, it is the one that makes you want another sip.