Summer time: Pilsner Urquell or Czechvar are my 1st choice. There is a warm harvest grain flavor about them that reminds me of the fields as a kid. 2nd choice would be an India pale ale.

Winter time: A decent Scotch ale, or a wee heavy, a barley wine, a Trappist ale like Chimay, or even a Guinness.

Anytime: Some nice cava, Cristalino. Hey, I love French champagne, but the cava I like costs 1/3rd to 1/6th as much in the States, has more consistent flavor, and actually tastes as good as many of the French champagnes I like. A good bottle of French champagne is hard to beat though if money is no object...and if I happen to get a good bottle by the luck of the draw. I have been disappointed with the wide bottle-to-bottle variability of the flavor of French champagnes so it is a crapshoot every time I buy one. One time I get a terrific bottle with a very clean smooth flavor that is fantastic. The next time I get one that is corked, or that is too clean with very dilute flavor, or it has some other off taste or acidity that would be fine in an inexpensive sparkling wine, but won't do for something from Champagne and the associated sticker.