Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of beer. Enjoy yourself and find your favorite types of beer.
Try a Abita Purple Haze and a Brian Boru Old Irish Red.
If you want to describe beer to beer snobs. Learn ASTMO. Even if you don't give a crap, thinking it through will enhance beer drinking.
Appearance - Note the beer's color, carbonation, heaad and its retention. Is it clear or cloudy? Does it look lackluster and dull or alive and inviting?
Smell - Bring the beer to your nose. Note the beer's aromatic qualities. Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity? Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy? Yeast will also create aromas. You might get fruity or flowery aromas (esters) from ales and very clean aromas from lagers, which will allow the malt and hop subtleties to pull through.
Taste - Take a deep sip of the beer. Note any flavors, or interpretations of flavors, that you might discover. The descriptions will be similar to what you smell. Is the beer built-well? Is there a balance between the ingredients? Was the beer brewed with a specific dominance of character in mind? How does it fit the style?
Mouthfeel - Take another sip and let it wander. Note how the beer feels on the palate and its body. Light, heavy, chewy, thin / watery, smooth or coarse? Was the beer flat, over-carbonated?
Overall - Your overall impression of the beer.
http://beeradvocate.com/articles/637EDIT: Ah crap, wrong board. People are more laid back on beer at WNFF.