"Party Beer"

When choosing which "party beer" to buy, I think there are a lot more factors than are usually consciously acknowledged.  Whether you're bringing a six pack to a byob party, or stocking a fridge for a house party, what you pick out matters. 
A few years ago, as I hosted weekly pre-party power hours, one week I had forgotten to get the drinks for the girls who weren't drinking beer with everyone else.  I called a friend and begged him to stop by the distributor and pick up a case of Boone's Farm.  After pleading, and promising never to make him get it again, he did.  Rather than letting him carry it out, the clerk carted it out for him and loaded it into the car.  My friend couldn't show his face there for months without getting laughed at. 




I mention this story for several reasons:  Even when hosting a power hour, most of your guests have strong preferences on what they drink.  If you want them to come next time, you have to ensure they're happy, even if their drink of choice is... ...gross.  Secondly, the brand of booze favored varies among groups of friends, and over time.  Rarely are brands set in stone, but no matter what amount of beer you're buying, you'll make a better choice if you think about the size, type, and purpose of the party.

Personally, I have no go-to beer.  I drink or bring Lion's Head whenever I can with people from college, as it's a local beer in PA.  I drink or choose PBR quite often as well.  What's your go-to, and for what kind of gathering?