Labatt Blue
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.

Labatt BlueLabatt Blue
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Adjunct Lager
Ranked #214
ABV:
5%
Score:
63
Ranked #28,419
Avg:
2.69 | pDev: 24.54%
Reviews:
738
Ratings:
2,316
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 18, 2024
Added:
Aug 30, 2001
Wants:
  39
Gots:
  487
Labatt Blue is the best-selling Canadian beer in the world. Introduced in 1951 as Labatt Pilsener, it was named for the colour of its label by fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team. Blue was the first brand in Canada with a twist-off cap and won the silver medal in the International Lager category at the 1998 Brewing Industry International Awards. Labatt Blue, brewed using specially selected aromatic hops, is a well-balanced, fully matured, full-flavoured beer with a fruity character and a slightly sweet aftertaste.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by steveh:
Photo of steveh
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois

3.66/5  rDev +36.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Back in the late '70s and early to mid-'80s I used to vacation at our family home in Northern Michigan almost every summer. In those days good beer was hard to find in the wilderness and, more often than not, we'd pick up Canadian imports. Labatt Blue became a favorite and I'd even pick it up as a "change-of-pace" back home.

I honestly haven't tried it in about 30 years, so I had a rush of nostalgia. Going to rate it to the AAL spec's (1B. American Lager in the current BJCP Guidelines).

Couldn't find any discernible dating anywhere, so I took a chance on the $5 six-pack. Label calls this beer a "Canadian Pilsener," pretty sure it wasn't labeled as such in the '80s. Poured into my short Becher glass.

L -- Clear, very pale straw color with a sudsy, somewhat meager, white head.

S -- Surprisingly bready aroma up front with some lightly harsh grain back. Some light phenols with warmth.

T -- Grainy to lightly corny flavor up front with some mildly citrus and spicy bitterness and little to no aftertaste, but for some lingering corn* character.

F -- Body is light and crisp with a spritzy, thin mouthfeel.

O -- I honestly don't know if this is the beer I remember from the old days, but I wouldn't call it a Pilsner today. On the other hand, as an Adjunct Lager, this beer fits that bill quite well. You get what you expect and it's actually easy drinking and refreshing -- the epitome of a great lawnmower beer. I could see having this on hand for summer quaffing after particularly rigorous chores or just enjoying the patio.

*FWIW -- The Labatt web site claims barley only in this beer. This may be true, but there's a distinct corn sweetness in the finish of this beer -- maybe from the yeast strain?
Apr 28, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of BEER-NICK
Rated by BEER-NICK from Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
As good as Modelo as far as a European style Pilsener, and a lot cheaper. Overall, an underated product.
Feb 18, 2024
Photo of Averageperson
Reviewed by Averageperson from Canada (ON)

2.92/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
not bad I would rate it slightly less then a Corona but for the price you're really getting what you paid for. Foams up as you would expect but lacks any interesting or unique flavours.
Feb 14, 2024
 
Rated: 2.39 by biteme398 from New York

Jan 13, 2024
Photo of Nic2022
Reviewed by Nic2022 from Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +68.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
An affordable fruity pilsner. Way too often dismissed as "cheap." An all around good beer, which is perfect to sip while watching a game with friends.
Jan 10, 2024
 
Rated: 2.95 by DrewTheBrew from Ohio

Dec 31, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.18/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
340ml bottle. No dating information found.
Clear, pale gold colored body. Thin finger of white head reduces to an island and a thin ring. Tiny lacing spots.
Aroma of bready malts and minor fruity hops.
Taste is overall sweet, with malt flavors of bread and biscuit, and fruity hops (citrus and green apple). Slight mineral note.
Medium mouth feel. Crisp and clean finish. Slight tongue sting, but low bitterness. Good carbonation.
The sweetness throughout each sip does not linger, and instead results in a refreshing quencher.
Dec 16, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by Zachboyd3334 from Indiana

Dec 15, 2023
Photo of DaleHolmberg
Rated by DaleHolmberg from Ohio

3.34/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Good tasting beer. Only beer I drink when fishing in Canada. US import not as good but a good cheap beer.
Dec 10, 2023
 
Rated: 2.4 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 04, 2023
Photo of FreePal88
Reviewed by FreePal88

3/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Canadian corn water. The taste is a tiny bit more "interesting" to me than most other AAL style beers, including PBR (which is similar), although not necessarily much better. Goes down with a solventy twang; bitterness gives way to bready malts/corn/rice. Sometimes I just want cheap beer that has that warm grainy taste, and this delivers on that. I'd rank it alongside PBR and Modelo in terms of macro crap that I know isn't great but I'd still drink any time.
Nov 22, 2023
 
Rated: 2.5 by Dovers from Wisconsin

Oct 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.16 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Oct 15, 2023
 
Rated: 2.75 by AndyGG from California

Oct 02, 2023
 
Rated: 2.74 by MakerMachiav from England

Sep 16, 2023
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.43/5  rDev +27.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear yellow-gold with a short white head clinging in creamy doily lace.

A touch of banana or zucchini bread accents toasted cracker and a surprisingly grassy bitterness in the finish. There's maybe a ricey wax to it, but less so than other AALs.

Not nearly as bad as I thought this would be, having been ages, if ever, since I've had it.
Sep 13, 2023
 
Rated: 2.25 by 45colt from New Hampshire

Sep 10, 2023
 
Rated: 2.71 by stanale from Illinois

Aug 28, 2023
 
Rated: 3.1 by DentedArthur from Vermont

Aug 26, 2023
Photo of scott451
Reviewed by scott451 from Canada (ON)

2.85/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Poured a 473ml can onto a pint glass. A one finger bubbly white head on a clear pale yellow.the head diminishes to a thin layer.
You can smell the corn from about two feet away.
A bit soapy initially. a bit watery.
Light body and carbonation.
No major faults. Goes down easy.
Aug 25, 2023
Labatt Blue from Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.
Beer rating: 63 out of 100 with 2316 ratings