Blue Hill Tavern and base beers

We travelled around the block to the Blue Hill Tavern on Friday to grab a bite to eat. While they do not have a lot going for them beer wise (a good selection of micros, macros and imports, but nothing special), the food we had was delicious. I chose to drink a Pilsner Urquell to go with my pork tenderloin meal.

Many times I have commented on other people's blogs my feelings toward beers like Pilsner Urquell, DFH 60 min, Stone IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and a few others. These beers I consider base beers. There is nothing wrong with them, and they are quite good. But for me, they set a standard for their respective styles. Pilsner Urquell is what a pilsner should taste like. Yes, there are many beers that taste better, have more hops, etc. But when I think pilsner, PU is the base line. Any other pilsner beer should resemble it somehow, and find a way to improve upon it.

That is the same with the other beers above. 60 min. is my classic example of an East Coast IPA, Stone IPA is a great West Coast IPA. When I see 60 min, I know what I am going to get. I like 60 min and hit helped me get into IPAs, but there are much better IPAs from the east coast. (Weyerbacher Hop Infusion-and Double Simcoe, Victory Hop Devil, and Brooklyn IPA) Stone IPA is a classic West Coast IPA, but I think Green Flash WC IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5 and Avery Maharaja sky above Stone's offering.

I have found a base beer in almost every style that I have tried. Have you felt this way toward your beer? What is your base beer?