It's OK to Drink BMC

It's OK for you to drink it... But not me.

Seriously, after having craft beer, I despise the taste of BMC. But that's me. I don't mind in the slightest if someone else like it. I have many craft beer friends, and I don't know any that are "switch hitters", but acknowledge that some people are. Although I doubt it's anywhere near 50%.

We can dislike like the taste of BMC, and we can dislike the heavy handed practices that they are rumored to espouse, but if you like their beer... Enjoy it! We don't have to all like the same things.

 

Why do people get so butthurt on what others drink? It's BeerAdvocate, not CraftAdvocate.

Sometimes I want complexity, sometimes I want easy drinking. I dont need to have my mind and palette blown every time I feel like having a beer. So some days its Miller Lite, some days its (insert your favorite IPA, Stout, Porter, etc.)

BMC and craft both have their place. It just may not be in your fridge.

On a side note, if you are strictly a craft drinker and enjoy any beverage from Dunkin Donuts, you have problems.....coffee accented dish water. My personal opinion of course.

 

I am not particularly a fan of the AAL beers brewed specifically by the BMC breweries.

Some AAL and AAAL (American Amber Adjunct Lager) beers that I enjoy drinking from time to time are: Genny Bock, Yuengling Oktoberfest, Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale, Shiner Bock, etc.

Cheers to @Eriktheipaman for this thread!

 

For me the only point I see of drinking BMC lagers is to get drunk on the cheap. If you like it you like but I frankly don't care for them. I don't really care to get dunk, I usually only drink 1 beer a night maybe 2 every now and then so there is no reason for me to drink their stuff.

 

One thing I don't understand is that many talk about craft brews as always being "heavy" or "hoppy," as if that is what makes them craft. Wheat beers, stouts, porters, and even lagers and pilsners are available from many craft brewers (certainly lagers). And, when I've been in the mood for a quality lager, I put up a few of my craft favorites against Milwaukee or St. Louis anytime, anyplace. Craft brewing usually means taking the time to *craft* the beer, not *fill it with hops and make it bitter as hell*. It just happens that many hop heads like myself get quite a few choices.

Didn't Miller Lite proclaim it was "triple hops brewed?" *cough, choke, ahem*

With that being said, people can do what they want. I have kids, so the occasional trip to McDonalds does occur, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't much prefer a much higher quality burger. If I'm at a concert, 4th of July event, or something like that and I really want a beer and all they have is BMC, I'll do it (although usually I'll just have a lemonade, lol). If they have Blue Moon, Amberbock, or something -- I'll at least do that. Or, if they have Guinness I'll definitely do that.

So I don't see any reason to demean someone's choice, but I just can't understand how anyone that truly loves beer can drink a Bud and think "yummy." They are not wrong for thinking a Bud is tasty, but I just can't understand it. So, I think most on here are probably in my camp -- just speculating, but I also don't think its right to begrudge someone for enjoying a mass produced beer, if that is what they like.

As I've said, the numbers speak for themselves. IN 1994, California had 84 breweries, or four shy of what existed in the entire country in 1984 (88 total breweries). Now, we are above 3,000. Hell, from 1970 to 1978, imports enjoyed 300% growth in sales compared to domestic which grew at 25%. I think it's pretty obvious that many clamored to get a better brew, and the results are obvious -- it's working. People still like things that taste good, and that's why it's a resounding success.

Remember, Busch won a world beer taste test (something like that) in Paris in, I think, the 1890s? [Edit: It was 1878.] There was a time when the current macro brews were craft brews..they were just trying to make it big. And, they did care about their taste. But then.....

Just my $.02 worth (if that).

 

I pretty much feel the same way, and I have definitely had some beers done in the AAL style by regional independent brewers that made me appreciate them for what they were. The big guys- I just don't get that feeling with their beers.

Maybe it would be fun to actually put it to the test one day- mix a few Straub, Naragansett, etc. in with actual B M and C in a blind taste test and see how I do.

ETA: since McD's was brought up I'll also add that I feel the same way about fast food. From a local independent it is usually so much better than from a chain, and I can definitely appreciate it on that level.

 

Drinking beer is not a requirement for me. If good beer is available I drink it. If BMC is all that is available, I drink water. I don't eat lousy food and I don't drink lousy beer. If you want to, that's ok by me.

 

Of my 240-plus reviews, Budweiser is my leader in rDev -- gave it a 3.59 which produces a +53.4% rDev.

What's that get me?

 

YOU ARE SO RIGHT! ALL of the BMC haters would bitch and whine if we said ONLY drink BMC. I believe BAs should drink what they like. Some BAs want everybody to know they are cool cause they would die before they drank that BMC shit! Not me!! Drink what you like and RESPECT (ALL) BEER BAs.

 

Ok you have some good thoughts, but you don't really drink Coor lite on purpose do you?

 

This had me laughing, but I also think it is a great analogy. Just because you don't wish to spend an hour or two sipping 3oz of espresso every morning doesn't mean you are "not a real coffee drinker" because you "only care about the caffeine."

 

No doubt about that. Remember the name of this site is Beer advocate not craft Beer advocate.

 

John,

My apologies in advance if I missed you commenting on this point but what I find most objectionable about craft beer drinkers is their less than charitable attitude that is sometimes evidenced in their opining about BMC type drinkers. The reality is that the vast majority of beer drinkers worldwide prefer light colored and light flavored beers. When a person (like a BA person) addresses this topic in a ‘holier than thou’ attitude, this is not beer advocacy. I personally prefer to recognize that the vast majority of beer drinkers prefer to drink beers very different from the types of beers that I personally prefer to drink without judgment. I fully recognize that some BAs will use terminology like “lowest common denominator” but I personally do not think it is appropriate to have an air of superiority here. I suspect that you and I have differing views on this aspect but I just wanted to register my viewpoint.

Cheers!

Jack

 

i'm drinking a goose island honkers ale right now its still one of my favorite beers. i drink a 40 oz of mickey's before every NIU football game because of a stupid tradition started in college. i'll always drink some bmc products along with craft

 

pretty weird to advocate for shit. i mean, you don't find a great workout and then advocate for eating pizza in bed, or invent the computer and advocate for the abacus.

BMC is weird, watery, slightly sour shit. more power to you if you like it, that's none of my business, but you're not going to hear me be like, "buy this great IPA! and also be on the lookout for this other shitty IPA! buy it too--IT'S OKAY!"

 

I don't drink BMC because I want other things instead. Why buy Budwieser when I can have Grain Belt? Same kind of beer, same price, more respect for Schell's than A-B.

 

I didn't see anyone mention it to you, but many of the worlds top IPA's are using GMO dextrose, AKA corn sugar, and many homebrewers are using it to bottle condition their beers. Hope you are not one of those IPA/DIPA crushing fools!

 

Would the same hypocrisy exist for one who drinks Goose Island, thus supporting AB-Inbev?