No love for American Adjunct Lagers?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by JackHorzempa, Jul 13, 2015.

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  1. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, there's this one, too:
    http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/880/87766/?ba=Premo88
    :slight_smile:

    I hope that it gets enough of a name one day to be sold on its own, rather than in just the sampler packs. Definitely one of the best 'AAls' I've had in a while (depending on how broad you want to be with the term, I suppose).
     
    #101 TongoRad, Jul 16, 2015
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  2. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Slight aside- if you want to talk value, try DAB in cans. A sixer of 16 oz. cans goes for $7, and it's a damn tasty beer at any price.
     
    #102 TongoRad, Jul 16, 2015
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  3. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,815) Aug 25, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I personally don't have any love for the AALs, but a Corona (with a lime wedge) isn't the worst thing to drink.
     
    #103 Greywulfken, Jul 16, 2015
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  4. Das_Reh

    Das_Reh Initiate (0) Mar 25, 2013 Florida

    They are far from my favorite style.

    That being said, nothing wrong with hot pizza and cold Budweiser, Sapporo and sushi, Modello and Mexican, etc
     
    #104 Das_Reh, Jul 16, 2015
  5. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,922) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    It isn't made with adjuncts, but Jack's Abby's "Framingham Lager" seems to be explicitly aimed at that taste profile and is priced cheaper than the rest of their beers. Not as cheap as BMC, but cheap for craft. I think it's only available in MA but it seems to have gone over well enough for them to bring it back again this year.

    Might count as a successful example of a craft AAL style beer?
     
    #105 meefmoff, Jul 16, 2015
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  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Below is from the Jack’s Abby website:

    “Framingham Lager

    American Lager
    June Release
    MA

    We’ve been honored and humbled by the tremendous support the community has shown us over the past four years. To celebrate our fourth anniversary, we’re bringing back last year’s special release in appreciation of all our supporters and the Town of Framingham. This is a traditional American style lager brewed to our highest standards. We used 100% high quality, 2-row malt and 100% real hops. A portion of proceeds benefit the Framingham Downtown Renaissance, our partner in giving back to the community.”

    It is certainly true that this is not an American Adjunct Lager but an American Pale Lager along the lines of Anchor California Lager.

    Do you happen to know what hops are used the brew this beer?

    Cheers!
     
    #106 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
  7. Vestlake

    Vestlake Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2013 Alabama

    I drink PBR on a regular basis. I think it tastes good and the price is right.
     
    #107 Vestlake, Jul 16, 2015
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  8. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There's a guy who has worked at a couple different breweries in my town, and at each stop, he's convinced the brewery to let him brew his version of an AAL. So, if you're ever in Bellingham, WA, ask where you can get Beer's Light Beer, developed by my buddy, Andy Beer. Currently available at Aslan Brewing. Tasty stuff.
     
    #108 BBThunderbolt, Jul 16, 2015
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  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    I am assuming that you have tasted Beer's Light Beer (from multiple breweries?).

    Care to share your impressions of this beer?

    Cheers!
     
    #109 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
  10. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
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    He nails it. Crisp, light, smooth, easy drinking, but with enough flavor and body to be interesting to someone like me. I rarely order it, there's generally some other shiny object grabbing my attention, but he makes sure I try some from each batch. Good stuff.
     
    #110 BBThunderbolt, Jul 16, 2015
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  11. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Great name. (brewer and beer)
     
    #111 zid, Jul 16, 2015
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  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    It sure looks tasty:

    [​IMG]
     
    #112 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
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  13. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,922) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't, but if no one else steps up with the info I'll ask next time I'm at the brewery.

    Is there a meaningful taste difference (at least in theory) between an AAL and an American Pale Lager? Or is it just a question of which route, adjuncts or pure barley, one takes to get to the same intended flavor profile?
     
    #113 meefmoff, Jul 16, 2015
  14. creepinjeeper

    creepinjeeper Initiate (0) Nov 8, 2012 Missouri

    I'll admit, I have been hesitant to explore this style. In the past, it seemed like a lot of the same old same old mundane. I tend to associate AAL's with that past. BA has since opened the door to locals/regional brews that have changed all of that. Examples I have been fortunate to try are Yuengling and Straub. Both are quite good and better than the BMC fare. (I am looking forward to Pabst becoming "legit" with an honest to goodness brewery.) I know there are more I hope I get to try soon. Thanks OP for starting this thread. I check it regularly for brews to try. It's a style that, in the right hands, can only get better.
     
    #114 creepinjeeper, Jul 16, 2015
  15. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    There are multiple things going on here so it is easy to confuse/conflate things.

    Malt Backbone

    There is no denying that 100% barley malt will generally provide more malt flavor than a mix of malt and adjunct. A modern day AAL like Bud Light uses a lot of adjunct (I would guess 40% of the grain bill) and in addition it uses rice as the adjunct. Rice provides practically zero grain flavor. An historical AAL (i.e., a Classic American Pilsner) would use less adjunct (e.g., 20% of the grain bill). Also, if corn (i.e., corn grits, flaked corn) is used for the adjunct there is a subtle but noticeable flavor contribution.

    In a spectrum of more malt backbone to lesser malt backbone:

    1. 100% malt

    2. 80% malt and 20% corn

    3. 80% malt and 20% rice

    4. 60% malt and 40% corn

    5. 60% malt and 40% rice

    The type of malt used will also influence things but I think the above discussion provides the general idea.

    Hops – Amount & how they are used

    Contemporary AALs use very little in the way of hops in all three phases: bitterness, flavor and aroma. One of the advertising campaigns for Miller Lite is that it is triple hopped (bitterness, flavor and aroma additions). While it is likely technically true that Miller Lite is triple hopped, so little hops are used the reality is that hops plays a very, very minor role in that beer.

    American Pale Lagers like Anchor California Lager are typically well hoped so that craft beer drinkers would consider drinking them; craft beer drinkers desire to drink beers with some flavor.

    An AAL could be brewed with substantial hop presence and a perfect example is a Classic American Pilsner. A CAP should have very noticeable bitterness (e.g., 30-40 IBUs) and also substantial hop flavor/aroma.



    I have not had the pleasure of drinking Framingham Lager but I would be willing to bet that is noticeably/substantially hopped vs. a contemporary AAL beer. I would indeed be curious to know which variety(s) of hops were used. I would also be curious on what the IBU level is of this beer.

    I hope that this post is useful to you.

    Cheers!
     
    #115 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
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  16. JacksAbbyBrewing

    JacksAbbyBrewing Zealot (563) Jul 19, 2011 Massachusetts

    We used 100% 2-row malt and a small mount of Magnum hops for bittering. The beer was designed to be an all malt craft version of an aal. Since there are no adjuncts it would be fair to classify it as an American Pale Lager.
     
    #116 JacksAbbyBrewing, Jul 16, 2015
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  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for that input!

    How many IBUs is Framingham Lager?

    Cheers!
     
    #117 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
  18. JacksAbbyBrewing

    JacksAbbyBrewing Zealot (563) Jul 19, 2011 Massachusetts

    Just asked one of the brewers and they said around 10-12.
     
    #118 JacksAbbyBrewing, Jul 16, 2015
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  19. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Interesting. That bittering level is comparable to BMC type AAL beers. I must confess that I was not expecting that.

    Thank you for participating in this discussion.

    Cheers!
     
    #119 JackHorzempa, Jul 16, 2015
  20. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,922) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the super informative reply as always @JackHorzempa and thanks to JA for chiming in.

    I'm glad to know that they were in fact aiming for "craft AAL" because when I had one last year my first thought was "ah, I get it. Craft Budweiser." :slight_smile:

    ETA: I felt that I liked it somewhat more than a BMC at the time, but I'm now definitely interested in doing a blind taste test to see if that impression holds up.
     
    #120 meefmoff, Jul 16, 2015
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