Taste in beer is such an individual thing, everybody has their own unique preferences. It is nearly impossible for somebody else to predict what your flavor preferences might be. You really need to experiment on yourself to search out your niche. Almost all beer is made from the same 4 ingredients(water, malted barley,hops, yeast). Nevertheless, the proportions and types of those ingredients coupled with different brewing techniques produce a seemingly infinite plethora of flavor profiles, with new ones coming out all the time. Even life-long beer drinkers are constantly sampling new brands and varieties. Discovering new flavors and variations is one of the things that makes beer drinking enjoyable (at least it makes a good excuse for having "just one more").
The universe of brewed beverages is so vast, that it is somewhat overwhelming and difficult to navigate for newcomers. First, you should sample different styles of beer (pilsener, stout, porter, pale ale etc.). Then you need to obtain samples of different brands and interpretations of those styles. A store that allows you to mix six packs could be really helpful there. Better yet, I'll bet if you went into the Map Room on a slow weekday afternoon, and explained to the bartender that you are new to the world of malted beverages, and want to find out what flavors you might prefer, they will gladly let you sample different styles on draft (they have about 2 dozen). If they are not that busy, they will probably also help guide you through the process of narrowing your search by suggesting brews you might like. I have seen people do this there many times. The Map Room has some of the most beer knowledgeable employees (and customers) in the Midwest, and they love to talk beer.
Anyhow, it seems by your comments that you lean towards the more malty side of the flavor spectrum. There are two different families of malt, one that provides sugar for the yeast to digest, the other that contributes to the flavor and color of the brew. The first type determines both the alcohol content and the level of sweetness. The more sugar that is digested by the yeast, the more alcohol is produced and less residual sugars are left to sweeten the beer. The amount of alcohol that is produced and the amount of residual sugars that are left is largely determined by the strain of yeast and the temperature that the malt is steeped at. That is why Pale Ales tend to be high in alcohol but less sweet while stouts tend to be lower in alcohol but much sweeter. New brewing techniques and strains of yeast have made this rule less steadfast. In fact, up until recently, American brewers seemed to be in competition to produce the most alcoholic brew by breeding strains of super yeast. I don't like such potent brews, because you get too drunk too fast to enjoy your beer drinking session.
The second type of malt provides color and flavor to the brew, as well as texture. Colors and texture can range from pale yellow and watery to pitch black and molasses-like. These flavors can be candy-like and sweeter like chocolate and vanilla or have a roasted bitterness like coffee or burnt toast. There are even some smoked malts that impart a baconesque flavor.
There are also two families of hops, the types that make the beer bitter (like Columbus), and the types that give it its aroma (Like Kent Goldings). Some hops strains (like Cascade) can do both, depending on how long they are allowed to boil. Hops that are higher in Alpha-acid are more bitter, which is why 3 Floyd's Alpha King has its name. The longer hops is allowed to boil, the more Alpha-acid is released, making the beer more bitter. That is what Dogfish Head's 120 Minute Ale refers to. Like with the competition to produce the strongest beer, a while back there was a lot of competition among American brewers to produce the most hoppy and bitter beer. Some began adding additional hops to the beer after brewing, during the fermentation phase (called dry hopping). Some even added concentrated hop juice to the beer after it was brewed. Thankfully, craft brewers have matured lately, and are concentrating on other flavors beyond dish soap. Judging by your remarks, you would not like these hop-filled beers, but you do not need to steer clear of hops completely. Instead try beers that use less bittering hops and more aroma hops. Some aroma hops can impart a sweet and flowery bouquet to the beer, reminiscent of apple or peach blossoms. To simplify this part of your search, the bitterness of beer is actually measured using a scale called International Bittering Units (IBU). Here is a link to a chart of different styles and their IBU range:
http://www.islandbeerclub.com/ibuchart.htm .
Finally, beer can have additional ingredients that provide a unique flavor such as berries and other fruit (or grapefruit) or coffee and even pumpkin. Some beers have added spices, herbs and other plants like dandelions, cloves or juniper berries. A beer might also have added grains like wheat and rye (I really like rye beers but dislike wheat). Again, breweries seem to be currently competing to produce beer with the most bizarre adjunct flavors. Some of these, like a mole flavored beer I sampled (the sauce, not the animal) are truly awful. When it comes to adjunct ingredients, I prefer a lighter touch. Taking in all these flavor factors, I think you might like Bell's Cherry Stout which has a chocolatey and fruity flavor, but is not overly sweet or alcoholic (like me). It is a rich beer though, and you probably won't want more than one glass (it is nice with desert). On the lighter side, there is a Belgian wheat beer (whose name escapes me), that has lemon added. It is really light and refreshing without being diluted and watery tasting.
Sorry to prattle on. I didn't intend to be so pedantic, but I hope this helps a little. At any rate, have fun on your adventure, and make sure you have a ride home. Speaking of which, I don't know if it was mentioned earlier, but "Radler" means "wheeler" and refers to bicyclists who enjoy a refreshing mixture of cold beer and lemonade to cool off while bike-riding on hot summer days.
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