American Beer compared to others

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-05-30 02:07pm

I proudly drink Bud Light. Kiss my ass.

Anhaga · Post by **Anhaga** » 2004-05-30 03:38pm

Galvatron wrote:I proudly drink Bud Light. Kiss my ass.

The sad thing is, it'd probably taste better than Bud Light

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2004-05-30 04:03pm

Galvatron wrote:I proudly drink Bud Light. Kiss my ass.

It could be worse.

You could be drinking Corona.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2004-05-30 04:12pm

Well, I don't drink beer (only been legal for 30 days, haven't had the inclination to go drink rotted grain juice

). However, it's not Prohibition that made American beer suck. ~1950, there were still a few hundred breweries in the USA (300 or so, IIRC). My Industrial Organization class looked at the beer market as an example of the growing concentration in American industry, which is why I know that.

And as far as brand loyalty goes (Miller, Bud, Coors, etc) - repeated blind taste tests with "habitual beer drinkers" have consistently shown a complete inability for beer drinkers, whether they buy multiple brands or only drink one particular brand, to tell the major breweries apart. In other words, they all taste pretty much the same.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2004-05-30 04:26pm

That's true.

Miller, Bud, and Coors all taste about the same because they're all brewed the same way with cheaper grains added to the barley malt and lightly hopped.

I can tell a 'lite' beer from a regular Miller, Bud, or Coors because it's even more tasteless than the major brewers' standard beers.

Michelob does taste different than Bud, however. That's because of the hops used, though. It's not because it's brewed with pure barley malt the way beer is supposed to be brewed.

The best Michelob is the Amber Bock.

Anhaga · Post by **Anhaga** » 2004-05-31 02:27am

Glocksman wrote: It could be worse.

You could be drinking Corona.

I remember a beer joke.

The Presidents of Budweiser, Coors, Corona and Guiness decide to meet up for a drink.

The guy from Corona sits down and says, "I would like the
world's best beer, a Corona." The bartender gives him one.

The guy from Budweiser says, "I'd like the best beer in the
world, give me 'The King Of Beers,' a Budweiser." The bartender
gives him one.

The guy from Coors says, "I'd like the only beer made with Rocky
Mountain spring water, give me a Coors." He gets it.

The guy from Guiness sits down and says, "Give me a Coke." The
bartender is a little taken aback, but gives him what he ordered.

The other brewery presidents look over at him and ask, "Why
aren't you drinking a Guiness?" and the Guiness President replies
"Well, since you guys aren't drinking beer, neither will I."

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-06-01 12:36am

When I was visiting a friend in Omaha I bought a six-pack of Coors Lite (after I was denied some apparently-better beer in a supermarket because apparently buying beer while being in close proximity of somebody under 18 is Illegal in the US

). I drank two or three, and not only it tasted kinda lame but the third one gave me this fucking ugly headache, that I simply couldn't finish it and threw it away. A few days after I tried another one and instantly I got the same splitting headache and threw almost the entire contents. Never tried that shit again. Blearch.

I find that the local "megabrands" are great (considering that it's only one company that owns all three!), and even Heineken isn't half bad.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-06-01 03:13am

Glocksman wrote:
Galvatron wrote:I proudly drink Bud Light. Kiss my ass.
It could be worse.

You could be drinking Corona.

As an ASU student, I believe I am required by law to tell you to kiss my ass

Slobby wrote:I find that the local "megabrands" are great (considering that it's only one company that owns all three!), and even Heineken isn't half bad.

Heineken is pretty dang good as far as I'm concerned.

DocHorror · Post by **DocHorror** » 2004-06-01 07:20am

I've tried many beers from many places, here are my findings.

Bud: Tastes like piss, sorry but it does...
Corona: Nice with a wedge of lime in the neck of the bottle
Miller: Good stuff
Stella: Tastes like beefy feet.
Heineken: Smells like beer, tastes like beer. Generic beer
Calsberg: fizzy, nice aftertaste
Guinness: good for you. Not Guinness unless you get it in Ireland.
Erdinger: like a meal in a glass
Tiger: fizzy, generic
Coors lite: easy to drink, nice after work as its not too heavy
Tennents: piss
Dutch Gold: the students choice, can't beat el dutche if your broke
Bass: its just eh...
Murphys: like the nemesis of guinness, nice, but not my cup of tea
Carling Black Label: ok when chilled, again generic
Amstel: el dutche's evil brother

Can't think of any more at the moment...

Tolya · Post by **Tolya** » 2004-06-01 08:18am

Never drank American Beer, but Im not surprised since your country is home of McCrap and Kentucky Roadkill Chicken. No offense meant, mass market = mass production. And I admit that I do occasionally eat there...

Our own Polish beers are actually very good, but the real bliss is when you cross the border to Czech Republic.

Also I heard of a german guy running one of the last natural breweries in Poland, but I can't scope out the name of the beer...or it's very difficult to find. I'll have to research.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-01 08:23am

ahhh yes, i am quite an expert in this field.

The Colonels Approved List of American Beer:

Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat (Lager)
Samuel Adams Golden Pilsner
Harpoon IPA
Sierra Nevada IPA
Pete's Wicked Ale
Honey Brown
Newport Storm Hurricane Amber

The Colonels's Approved List of Canadian Beer:

Molson Hi-Dry (if you're looking to get piss drunk)
Molson XXX (If your life is like a country-western song and you want to drink it all away)

The Colonel's Approved List of European Beer:

Guiness Stout (Ireland)
Newcastle Brown Ale (UK)
Bass Ale (UK)
Pilsner Urquell (Chech. Rep.)
Beck's Oktoberfest (Germany)

i'm also quite spoiled because there are several very good brew pubs that serve their own house brews nearby.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-06-01 08:35am

2000AD wrote:IMO american beer is just like any other beer - awful. A number of people have said things like "it's an aquired taste" or "You need to drink a lot of it before you start to like it.". Why the fuck do i want to drink a lot of something that tastes like crap?
Just give me a vodka and coke and i'm happy.

surely you havnt tasted enough kinds of beers to say that.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-06-01 10:33am

Frankly, it's a lot more expensive to make high-quality beers than it is to make low-quality ones, and in the United States there are very few people who simply demand to have high-quality beers.

Also, though, there is a real aversion to marketing for high-quality beer-drinkers. I specifically recall a small-scale brewing company that had cultivated a loyal group of customers for years by making superb beers and asking premium prices. It had a regular distribution chain and everything. Then the owner died and passed the company on to his son, who immediately changed the brewing process and came on with a set of advertisements as follows: "Some beers are made for the discriminating palate. They use top-quality ingredients, hand-selected by master brewers to deliver the ultimate experience to drinkers. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM." They went out of business within months.

Anhaga · Post by **Anhaga** » 2004-06-01 11:10am

I don't understand why someone would do that. Especially in a family owned firm. And with an advertising slogan like that. Was the guy an idiot? He had a loyal customer base and decided to change the beer to something no different than mass market beer?
Didn't he realise that if people wanted mass market beer they'd buy a generic brand instead of paying more for the same thing from a small firm?

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-06-01 12:05pm

Howedar wrote:
Slobby wrote:I find that the local "megabrands" are great (considering that it's only one company that owns all three!), and even Heineken isn't half bad.
Heineken is pretty dang good as far as I'm concerned.

Good, yes, but not as good as the locals I'm used to drink.
What's with "slobby" anyway?

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2004-06-02 04:22am

Heineken "good"?

My god with what are you comparing it then?

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2004-06-02 04:54am

According to my girlfriend, Greek beer is pretty good (at least compared to American, but then pretty much anything is good compared to American).

I've never tried it myself, though. Ouzo I have, if only a couple sips (late at night, had to drive home). It rather reminded me of vodka with licorice flavoring. Seemed pretty good actually.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-06-02 09:49am

MGD is probably the most underrated American beer, but that's just me. I hate lagers, so by extension, I hate a lot of imported stuff (though I like Heineken). I guess that makes me "unsophisticated" or something, but a lot of imports frankly taste like cold, carbonated coffee, which is to say disgusting. And Sam Adams, which is supposed to be one of the better American beers, tastes like shit.

Anhaga · Post by **Anhaga** » 2004-06-02 10:10am

So you hate lagers but you like Heineken?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you hate bad lagers and like decent ones like Heineken?

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-06-02 10:17am

When I want to be sophisticated, I drink Amstel Light. When I want to be ghetto, I drink King Cobra. When I just want something that's cold, cheap, and available; gimme a Bud Light.

I don't buy the hype about "taste." Y'all sound like a bunch of wine tasters.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2004-06-02 10:35am

Crayz9000 wrote:According to my girlfriend, Greek beer is pretty good (at least compared to American, but then pretty much anything is good compared to American).

I've never tried it myself, though. Ouzo I have, if only a couple sips (late at night, had to drive home). It rather reminded me of vodka with licorice flavoring. Seemed pretty good actually.

crazy thing about ouzo is... mix it with water and you'll be on the floor.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-06-02 10:48am

Zac Naloen wrote:
Crayz9000 wrote:According to my girlfriend, Greek beer is pretty good (at least compared to American, but then pretty much anything is good compared to American).

I've never tried it myself, though. Ouzo I have, if only a couple sips (late at night, had to drive home). It rather reminded me of vodka with licorice flavoring. Seemed pretty good actually.

crazy thing about ouzo is... mix it with water and you'll be on the floor.

My bro drank a litre of the stuff in orange cordial when we were at a beach BBQ in Corfu once. He was about 12 at the time and didn't even show signs of drunkenness.

Personally, most alcohol tastes like shite anyway. I'm not one to get pissed at all, even for the fun of it unless I've had the mother of all fucked up days. I do like drinking the odd lager or beer maybe if in the mood, but it's not really something I do as I prefer vodka and so on. I have a love for cider (stop laughing!) and Jack Daniels or any Scotch too. No idea why, it's probably a subconcious "I can drink this and my parents/friends can't handle it" thing.

I've never been completely ratarsed. I can't because it's too expensive since my metabolism means alcohol in the bloodstream hasn't time to infect my brain and get me to make an ass of myself.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-06-02 10:56am

Anhaga wrote:So you hate lagers but you like Heineken?

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you hate bad lagers and like decent ones like Heineken?

Heineken is Dutch Budweiser with extra horse piss.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-06-02 11:06am

wautd wrote:
2000AD wrote:IMO american beer is just like any other beer - awful. A number of people have said things like "it's an aquired taste" or "You need to drink a lot of it before you start to like it.". Why the fuck do i want to drink a lot of something that tastes like crap?
Just give me a vodka and coke and i'm happy.
surely you haven't tasted enough kinds of beers to say that.

To me, every beer (by beer i mean beers, ales, lagers,etc) i have tasted tasted pretty much the same, with little variation. I've tasted british, american, italian, greek, kenyan and various others and they all share the same standard taste.
It's like the difference between Coke, Pepsi, virgin cola, etc. There is a difference, but the overall all taste is the same and if you don't like that taste then you wont like the drink, like my dad doesn't like any form of Cola.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-06-02 11:17am

2000AD wrote:
wautd wrote:
2000AD wrote:IMO american beer is just like any other beer - awful. A number of people have said things like "it's an aquired taste" or "You need to drink a lot of it before you start to like it.". Why the fuck do i want to drink a lot of something that tastes like crap?
Just give me a vodka and coke and i'm happy.
surely you haven't tasted enough kinds of beers to say that.
To me, every beer (by beer i mean beers, ales, lagers,etc) i have tasted tasted pretty much the same, with little variation. I've tasted british, american, italian, greek, kenyan and various others and they all share the same standard taste.
It's like the difference between Coke, Pepsi, virgin cola, etc. There is a difference, but the overall all taste is the same and if you don't like that taste then you wont like the drink, like my dad doesn't like any form of Cola.

I think that about sums up my view too.