Grain Belt Premium
August Schell Brewing Company

Grain Belt PremiumGrain Belt Premium
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From:
August Schell Brewing Company
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
American Adjunct Lager
Ranked #74
ABV:
4.7%
Score:
75
Ranked #27,519
Avg:
3.27 | pDev: 19.27%
Reviews:
240
Ratings:
647
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sunday at 06:53 PM
Added:
Jul 04, 2003
Wants:
  40
Gots:
  121
Although the Grain Belt Premium recipe has changed hands over the years, one thing has remained the same–its legendary unique taste. And now that Premium is in the capable hands of a brewery with an even longer tradition than Grain Belt–the August Schell Brewery–may you rest assured that the flavor and heritage of Premium will live on forever.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Turbo:
Photo of Turbo
Rated by Turbo from Minnesota

2/5  rDev -38.8%

Nov 03, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by ssimpson89 from Illinois

Sunday at 06:53 PM
Photo of T_M
Reviewed by T_M

3.41/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
If I'm back home in the northern midwest it's a go to domestic low cost beer. It isn't the best beer on Earth, but it is better than decent, and for the price I can't complain.
Mar 06, 2024
Photo of Caldwan123
Reviewed by Caldwan123 from Iowa

2.25/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
With due respect to it being a domestic premium lager It is not a bad mass produced beer would not blame anyone for drinking it. But it is definitely a budget premium taste. Similar to Miller High Life however I enjoy high life quite a bit more.
Mar 05, 2024
Photo of blkgeorge
Reviewed by blkgeorge

2.5/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Tastes like bananas and blueberries mixed with simple syrup. An outdated Midwestern attempt to compete with the big guys that's a clusterfuck of a beer. Only beer, whether I drink 2 or 5, is a hangover in a can. I always buy this beer out of nostalgia and am always reminded how disgusting it is.
Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 3.63 by MatthewJW from Wisconsin

Dec 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.34 by creedcanns from Minnesota

Nov 09, 2023
Photo of HoppyBastard
Reviewed by HoppyBastard from Nebraska

2.99/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Shaker pint glass, date on bottle is "102523".

APPEARANCE: pours a clear, light golden color with one-finger white head that quickly dissipated until a thin, broken layer of small bubbles remained, there is light lacing on the glass and medium carbonation.

SMELL: faint sweet corn, not much else going on here.

TASTE: initially very sweet and then corn, the hops are perceptible but faint.

PALATE: light body and medium carbonation.

OVERALL: this is an average AAL, maybe a little too sweet for my liking and light on the hops, a good lawnmower beer for sure but nothing more.
Jul 27, 2023
Photo of Linolakesbeer
Reviewed by Linolakesbeer

3.97/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Grain Belt Premium is my beer of choice. Despite it being slightly sweet, it doesn’t have a sweet aftertaste. It has nice carbonation, color and doesn’t result in a headache, like many American Adjuncts due to mass production. Locals refer to Premium as “Premo” and I haven’t found a better American Lager despite a long search. The 16 oz 24 packs offer excellent value.
Jul 03, 2023
 
Rated: 3.22 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Jul 02, 2023
Photo of Papercut4
Reviewed by Papercut4 from Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours out of the bottle a very light crystal clear gold. An initial rough pour yields a tall fizzy head that dissipates in about a minute with very light lacing. Smells like sweet corn and malts. The taste follows, extra crisp and clean tasting. Truly a refreshing beer. Probably the best adjunct to be honest.
Jan 23, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by RuffReader from Ohio

Jan 20, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Stamped on bottle neck is best by date of '020623'.
Clear, straw colored body. Thin white head, with an active rising bubble show. Leaves a speckled pattern of lacing.
Aroma is sweet malts and floral hops.
Taste is sweet grain malts and floral hops. It does have an allusion to blueberry fruit. No skunky or metallic flavors. Gradual tapering into the aftertaste.
Medium mouth feel. Crisp and clean finish. Excellent carbonation.
Takes me back to my American lager drinking days of the '70s and early '80s. Very good for style.
Jan 07, 2023
Photo of pheasantpete
Reviewed by pheasantpete from Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +42.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This my go to American Larger & now made by the second oldest brewery in America, August Schell. The hops have a distinct blueberry flavor that really sets this larger apart from the domestics. It costs a lottle more than big players offerings but it is well worth it.

It is truly a refreshing beer after doing some time outdoors, especially in the cold. The color is a straw yellow. The aroma smells like a sweet lager which it is, not overly so but a nice sweet grain flavor.

Being from Minnesota they have access to some choice grains from MN and the Dakotas as the name alludes to. New Ulm MN is a small town at the edge of the prairie that prides itself on it's German settlers heritage and making quality beer. This is now Schell's best seller and for good reason, it is an example of a great American larger. I highly recommend it if you get the chance.
Jan 06, 2023
Photo of Lucular
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland

2.93/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Had on draft. Pours an effervescent light golden straw color. Aroma and flavor feature sweet corn, light grain, and just a kiss of hops. A bit sweet for me but definitely more flavorful than the average AAL. Solid.
Sep 13, 2022
 
Rated: 3.57 by adosen01 from Minnesota

Sep 02, 2022
Photo of ThisWangsChung
Reviewed by ThisWangsChung from Maryland

3.32/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Pours a golden straw color. There are over two fingers worth of white-colored head, with excellent duration for a cheap adjunct lager. The aroma is very...beery, for lack of a better term. While it has notes of sweet crackery malts and cereal grain, there's a bit more hoppiness compared to *AHEM* others in the style, LOOKING AT YOU BUDWEISER. The taste is everything I expected - a no-nonsense blend of crackery malts and some corn, with a subtly hoppy finish. Very subtle, but it's there. While it doesn't seem special from the onset, its overall structure, balance, and harmony are a step or two above the usual cheap lager suspects. It goes down crisply with little fanfare, as the dry finish and decent (but not oppressive) carbonation keep it nice and clean. As far as cheap lagers go, this is close to the top of the heap. It has more flavor AND more balance than something like Budweiser, Miller, or Coors. I'd even say it's even better than Hamm's (my go-to adjunct lager). Too bad I can't find it in the Mid-Atlantic region, because I'd buy and drink this like crazy...
Aug 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.39 by LunchMoney from Minnesota

Aug 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.8 by _Adam_ from Maryland

Jul 16, 2022
 
Rated: 3 by Dovers from Wisconsin

May 14, 2022
Grain Belt Premium from August Schell Brewing Company
Beer rating: 75 out of 100 with 647 ratings