Founders announces Solid Gold Lager

That works out good for you then - 'cause Founders isn't "Craft" according to the Brewers Association.

 

*I should have just said non-BMC, Corona-like imports, etc

 

I think I get your point, but it’s difficult to look at everything in such a black and white way. Founders is partially owned by a company that some would call the “BMC” of Spain (to use your term), and this certainly has an impact on their sales.

 

I'm surprised that no one brought up Minnesota Gold and/or Minnesota Gold Light at all in this entire thread... Those beers immediately came to mind when considering the "cheap yellow lager beer from a craft brewery".

This isn't new at all- craft breweries creating paler, and paler, lager beers; The trend started a few years ago with pilsner beers and the like, and then a number of "Mexican-style" lager beers popped out of nowhere. Umm... Surly 'Merica, anyone? Hell, some brewers are using corn, of all unholy things (fucking A, I like corn in my beer. In fact, I like it better than rice...), in their "Classic American Pilsners".

This beer coming from Founders is simply the logical outcome of all this. AAL's don't sell because they're cheap. They're cheap because they sell. And the grand majority of beers drinkers enjoy AAL's- even those that drink Founders' beer do too.

Long story short: The market demands a well-made, tasty, fizzy, yellow barley/corn pop from a regional brewery, and one that doesn't cost $15-20 a 12 pack. Brewers will either adapt and supply, or die out over time.

Speaking of regional breweries... I guess Grain Belt is kind of in it's own class, as far as AAL's made by craft breweries go?

 

I can't wait to give this a try, as I, too, have recently and strangely become wistful for the mindset of your average beer drinker. I've been weirdly jealous of your average blue collar worker who comes home and crushes a six pack of ice cold cheap swill from the can and doesn't think about it. It feels so hypocritical of me, as at the same time my collection of expensive NEIPAs and fancy glassware grows. My only stipulations are that I demand that my cheap crushable swill still taste decent and be made with integrity from ethical people. Maybe, hopefully, Solid Gold will become that beer.

 

Quite a few AAL's brewed by what the B.A. considers "craft" brewers: Schell's own Deer Brand, Utica Club Pilsener, Yuengling Premium, Straub Lager, Point Special, Shiner Premium, and contract-brewed brands like Narragansett Lager as well Iron City, Stoney's and the others coming out of City's Latrobe and other contract breweries. Also, Minhas is considered "craft", so all their AAL's, as well. I take it some of the new brands coming out of Cold Spring are AAL's, too.

For that matter, while no one talks about it, American-owned Pabst and their 2 dozen or so brands, mostly AAL's, now sell under the B.A.'s "6 million barrels of beer or less" Craft Brewer definition, so they're no different from a Narragansett - contract-brewed AAL brewed by a non-craft brewer.

Unless you mean Grain Belt is in its "own class" due to its superiority, in which case I don't know - I don't think I've had one since it was a Heileman brand - but I trust Schell knows what they're doing.

 

I picked up a 15 pack of this this weekend, without actually having heard of the release beforehand. $12.99 for a 15 pack in Northern KY, plus being a lager lover this was a no-brainer.

This is a very good beer, especially compared to the typical BMC. At this price point and this quality I think Founder's hit a home run. It will be interesting to see how sales end up, as I see this beer appealing to both the craft lager crowd and the adventurous BMC drinker.

 

Have you had Hamm's? If so, how would you compare these two beers?

Cheers!

 

I have had Hamm's. Hamm's to me is very similar to PBR, just a little "smoother" and maybe a slight bit more hop character. Founder's is more malty and has a much stronger hop character.

 

TW Orlando/Colonial shows in stock at $19.99/15. Sorry, too high for a 4% AAL.

 

I have yet to see 15-packs at my local beer retailers but I suspect that what you are communicating here will resonate with others. If Founders does not make this beer cost competitive with other available AALs there will likely be diminished sales. I previously posted a comparison of a Hamm's 30 pack being less than 15 bucks at my local beer store.

Cheers!

 

There 15 packs in my area are usually 16-18 dollars depending on where they are at. That's a solid deal in my book. Not hamms level cheap but I'll be trying it out.

 

I doubt it'll replace Narragansett for me. Fairly high quality AAL for $15 a 30 pack is pretty hard to beat. I'll certainly give it a try though.

 

$7.99/sixers here, may give it a try but unless it's significantly better than other AAL options it'll be a one time purchase for me.

 

Now yer talkin'. At the same time as the $20 AAL is being offered, Founders PC Pils is selling $2 less for 15. How can that figure?

 

$14.99 at Wegmans in Dickson City, PA.

 

Is the PC Pils from 2017? If so, maybe discounted since it's like a year old.

 

So, basically the Founders Lager is around a buck a beer vs. Hamm's at less than 50 cents a beer.

I suppose we will have to see how the market responds here.

Cheers!

@Giantspace

 

My fridge is stocked with Crisp. The best pilsner type ever!

 

For a Chicagoland price check, Binny's has 15 pks priced @ 13.99. 7.99 for a sixer.