Budweiser's Reserve Black Lager

Discussion in 'Beer Releases' started by M-Fox24, Sep 23, 2019.

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  1. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    When I visit family in rural AL I'm often stuck with whatever AB's best beers are. I buy these in most cases.

    Both the Amber and the Copper were decent. Both were on the sweet side, but they do actually have some flavor. The copper was the previous Jim Beam one. I don't think I would have ever have picked it out as a Jim Beam collaboration in a blind tasting. You can pick it out if you know it's there, but it's not a strong note.
     
  2. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
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    No, I meant lagers aren't typically aged in barrels (either in the traditional sense or in craft)?
     
  3. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,245) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Stronger dark lagers certainly have been.

    Jack's Abby does barrel aged versions of their Baltic Porter:
    https://jacksabby.com/beers/barrel-aged-framinghammer/

    Troegs has released barrel aged versions of their Doppelbock
    https://troegs.com/beer/barrel-aged-troegenator/

    Stoudts has done barrel aged "Imperial Schwarzbier" which at 7.6% abv is close to the beer Budweiser is releasing
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/394/259859/
     
  4. spicoli00

    spicoli00 Pooh-Bah (2,231) Jul 6, 2005 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The Copper Lager was in 6 packs, but the Black Lager looks like it has a higher abv at 7.1% (vs 6.1% for the copper lager) so maybe they pivoted to 4 packs?

    FWIW, i like the copper lager. YMMV.
     
  5. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You know that was basically the regular Mich with dark coloring, right? :wink:
     
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  6. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I'll play devil's advocate on this one.

    If over the years you had tried 15 or 20 different beers from a particular brewery, and with the exception of one or two offerings found every one of them to be pretty much awful, would you continue to try other new beers from that brewery, with an "open mind" as you put it? Or would you recall that the definition of insanity is try to do the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different result?

    Over the years, I've reviewed 13 different beers from Inbev-AB, only two of which have received a score over 3 (the bud chelada [3.1] and their American Ale [3.28]). Some of the lowest scores I've given on BA have been for AB beers (the ever delightful Natural Light [1] and the equally charming Bud Select 55 [1.12]).

    Given that experience, why in the world would I want to try this latest offering from AB? Might I possibly be missing out on a good solid beer, that is bold in taste and full of lovely bourbon flavor? Sure, it's possible, but given my experience with AB stuff, I think the likelihood is vanishingly small, and so why should I bother?

    There are a lot of good solid breweries throughout the country that have a proven track record whose new beers I would be only too happy to sample (with any sort of mind you might recommend). Inbev-AB is not one of those breweries.
     
  7. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yes, but I'm not trying Bud Light over and over -- I've tried Bud Light and know it's not worth another try, but maybe this new one was dreamed up by someone with a better understanding of good beer than the father of Bud Light? Thereby, not the "same thing."

    I like Mexican and Chinese food... but not all Mexican and Chinese foods.

    That said, I completely see your overall point -- fool me once and all.
     
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  8. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I was referring to the experience of trying yet another new (to me) product from AB. That's the "over and over" experience I was referring to.

    There is no doubt that I will never try another glass of Natural Light or Bud select 55, or even regular bud light for that matter. Once was far, far more than enough.
     
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  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Completely understood, but something like this new "Black Beer" is intriguing (at least up to that first swallow) and I'd give it a chance.

    Then again, I didn't look twice at the Copper Lager. As said, fool me once... there's just too much beer on shelves to chance being stung.
     
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  10. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,772) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I thought that the 1933 Repeal Reserve Amber was a very good effort.
     
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  11. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,161) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    That one was good. I also quite enjoyed the Freedom Reserve Red Lager.
     
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  12. MNAle

    MNAle Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2011 Minnesota

    First, I didn't say "open mind", but I did agree that it is sad so many people have an automatic negative bias for anything from AB-Inbev.

    So, what are you saying? You won't try another AB-Inbev beer at all? Or, you will always consume them with your mind made up ahead of time?
     
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  13. Tilley4

    Tilley4 Pooh-Bah (2,667) Nov 13, 2007 Tennessee
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Same...I was surprised at how much I liked it
     
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  14. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    No shit right, JK Got a a degree in Beer History, and I most definitely appreciate it. Just a wealth of knowledge.
     
  15. Giantspace

    Giantspace Pooh-Bah (2,879) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I had the other JB beer last fall. It was $6 and change for six. Nothing to write home about but nothing bad. I did not feel the need to buy it again.

    Enjoy
     
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  16. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I assume you're just poking fun. The former of course... Just in case you're not.

    And you're right... Based on my repeated experience of trying bad beer after bad beer from AB, I have reached the conclusion that they're likely incapable of making a beer I'll enjoy. So no need to keep on trying over and over again, just in case they might get lucky, or I find I've simply misjudged them after all these years.
     
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  17. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'm in @John_M 's camp, but perhaps for slightly different reasons.

    There's over 7000 breweries in the country, and my shelves are LOADED with options. I sometimes have to skip on breweries I actually DO like because there's so many new beers.

    So I'm not going to take a flyer on a new AB-InBev product. However, we do have these lovely forums which I participate in often. And people are quite vocal about how they feel about a product. If there's overwhelming praise for one of their new beers, sure, I'll take a flyer on that one.
     
  18. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    You know, this got me thinking - what sort claims did AB make for Michelob Classic Dark? The bottled version appears to have been released only around 1983 (Calif. test market) and nationally in 1984, previously it has been draught-only. Some ads during the bottle release period claimed the draught MCD dated from only 1981, but ads for "Classic Dark" appear as early as 1976. (I'm thinking that there might have been a draught beer that predated it called something like "Anheuser-Busch Classic Dark" maybe? * )

    Anyway, yeah - not much actual brewing info on the beer at all, just typical vague PR lingo like it having the "rare combination of the robust flavor of dark beer and the classic smooth and mellow taste of Michelob.”

    Geez, in the 1890s they at least noted that their "Erlanger...gets its color from the malt, which is kiln dried to a much darker degree than for other brands" and that their "Burgundy...is somewhat lighter than Erlanger...while having the same ingredients...it differs very much in taste, the malt is not dried to nearly do great a degree as in the other."

    Anyway, I did find this circa 1984 photo in an AB promo booklet on their draught line-up. Sure, strange lighting but, damn, that's one pretty light-colored "dark" beer.
    [​IMG]

    * Yeah, that's what it was. No idea if the two AB "Classic Darks" were the same beer, though.
    [​IMG]
     
  19. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
    Deactivated

    I'm still curious what made them decide to go this route. Its pretty out the left field, unique even. Were they just doing their typical experimenting and hit on something mildly appealing?
     
  20. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
    Deactivated

    Iono... regular Makers Mark is "meh", but I absolutely loved their Makers 46, which feature French oak staves. If it can have that much impact on a stronger spirit, how much more on a lager?
     
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