When you go out to eat, there is always that one food on the menu that you can order from anywhere that is guaranteed to be at least somewhat tasty. For me, nachos are pretty much delicious from anywhere. For my fiance, his guaranteed good food is chicken wings. We all have that one safe food choice, but I’ve also developed a couple safe beers.

The following beers are the ones that I can go-to when I’m at a restaurant with a limited draft selection, or when I’m late to a family BBQ (naturally) and I need to quickly grab a six pack.

Let’s start with the beer that has always been a go-to over the years – Stella Artois. Now, I hate a Stella commercial more than the next guy, and this has a record for being a terrible beer, but this is my favourite of the more “mainstream” beers. It’s a tad more expensive than your Canadian and Coors Light, but trust me, it tastes a heck of a lot better than those domestic brews. Stella is known for having a malt and bitter taste with a crisp finish, making it a great beer to enjoy casually.

Another one of my safe, yet tasty beers is Sapporo, a pale lager from Sapporo Breweries. I actually discovered Sapporo only a few months ago, but I’ve been a huge fan ever since. It may actually replace Stella as my most purchased beer pretty soon… It has a malty, bitter taste with a super smooth finish. Delicious. I’m finding that I will purchase Sapporo more often than Stella now, especially because it is now available at almost any store where beer is sold (including Wal-Mart, which is very important for a suburban child like me).

One of my top choices when I go out in the summertime is Shock Top, a Belgian White selection from Shock Top Brewery. This beer is my all-time favourite in the summertime because of how refreshing it is, due to it’s citrusy notes of orange, lemon, and lime. This is the beer you want to chug down after a long, hot day, because of it’s refreshing and smooth finish. Luckily, Shock Top is available at many bars and stores in the Toronto area year-round, making it one of my go-to beers. PS, this drink is much, much, much more refreshing and less sweet than a cider, so if you hate ciders because of their sweetness level, give this guy a try!

All three of these beers are available at The Beer Store, LCBO, most grocery stores, and most restaurants near you. I recommend trying them out!