If you’re blessed with an eclectic beer distributor in the Western United States, look for these. Otherwise, go out and find the best beer you can possibly find in a can.
Mudshark Dry Heat Hefeweizen [alternatives: Pyramid Hefeweizen, Shiner Hefeweizen]
and
Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar Blues Brewing Co. [alternatives: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Three Floyd's Alpha King, any west-coast IPA]
If you haven’t divined the theme yet, think about the shelves lining the walls of your dad’s basement den.
Dale’s makes an incredible beer can chicken. But a 12 pack, marinate the chicken for a day in 4-5 cans, use a can during cooking and marinate your liver in the rest. Very yummy and it gives the chicken a nice herbal hoppiness to it.
Although I haven’t had a chance to acquire or taste any yet, I’ve just discovered a microbrewery out of Ashland Oregon, Caldera Brewing, has a pale ale available in cans. It’s bound to beat that nasty pale yellow stuff I take backpacking.