Full Circle: Time to Start Respecting AAL

I don't think there's anything to understand, this is just my personal taste. I'd rather drink a mild, nearly watery beer than a beer that intensively tastes like something I don't like or even hate.

None of these beers are great but I enjoy the AALs and I never enjoyed the German beers I mentioned.

BTW: Where did you have currywurst? I love it but I don't like the ones they are offering in Bavaria. Berlin or Ruhr Area make the best currywurst!


Prost!

 

According to a 1958 article on the US beer market - so after Schmidt's purchase of Scheidt 4 years earlier- Prior Light and Dark were "...the only all-malt bottled beers made in the U.S.A...." at the time. (Both Michelob and Andeker, two notable and widely available all-malt beers, were still draught-only in '58).

Schmidt-brewed Prior Preferred in the mid-60s even followed the lead of Michelob and Andeker with an unusually-shaped, proprietary bottle with gold foil-covered crowns.

 

Makes sense. I'm sure I've never made note of the German beers that are your favorites, but since it took me a long time to realize the AALs I was drinking for so long didn't satisfy my palate, I guess I find it hard to understand people actually like the stuff.

Maybe we should trade homes for a holiday sometime?

Yep. Munich. An old friend who served in the USAF loved the stuff -- but I'm more a Bratwurst und Zenf guy myself.

 

Belgium



Prost!

 

In your prior (no pun intended) post you mentioned: "...were all-malt but eventually were adjunct-brewed after C. Schmidt bought Adam Scheidt in Norristown."

What year did Prior beer 'transition' from all-malt to being an adjunct lager?

Cheers!

 

Just come over here! I'd be delighted to serve beers and real currywurst!

 

It is challenging to keep up with a world-wide economy.

Permit me to tell you an old story about how I was in a London Pub and I casually asked the bartender if he had any beers that were stronger (my intention being stronger tasting) and he chose to walk away and pour me a pint of Budweiser. He proudly stated with a big grin: "That beer is 5% and it is brewed right here". I really did not want to drink a Bud whilst visiting England but I didn't have the heart to refuse it. Apparently you would have been happy in this situation.

Cheers!

 

I’ve drank enough of this to fill a swimming pool the past few summers. Good on you for mentioning it, Jack. Quality craft AAL at a fair price. Cheers.

 

No, not for individual brands (other than the ones that went from all-malt to adjunct like Michelob, Andeker and Matt's Premium) but obviously as the average malted barley "lbs per barrel" within the industry as a whole went steadily down in the post-WWII period, some brands had to adjust the ratio of the adjunct, along with, of course, the increase in Real Degree of Fermentation.


Most brewers, in ads were vague about adjunct percentages, using terms like "more malted barley than other brands" or "our regular beer". Circa 1980, Michelob was 80% malt as was Huber-brewed Augsburger,

 

Hmm, is that the quantity of the beer you consumed or the quantity of the after-effects!?!

Cheers!

 

Yes that stands to reason.

Would you have a guess as regards the financials/economics here? Were the breweries saving money when increasing the proportions of adjuncts in the brewing process? Or was it just something they needed to do to create a beer that is lighter in flavor (etc.)?

Cheers!

 

No, the Miller-brewed Lowenbrau was always adjunct-brewed, with the full agreement with the German brewery, according to a spokeman with Lowenbrau at the time who said that the Miller version was "sort of a light beer that has been tested and found good for American tastes."

AB's complaint to the Federal Trade Commision in 1977 sclaimed:

 

It's on the bucket list my friend! I've had the itch for too long -- and it's been too long since I've seen the old country.

But, can I request a Wurst Salat instead of the Currywurst? (yeah, I'm kidding!)

 

Bud brewed in Belgium, Stella brewed in St. Louis -- the world is too screwed up.

 

Definitely just not drinking beer if aal is all that's available.

Does being the most popular style in earth seem like a good enough place?

I don't like AAL. I don't think the style is tasty and I'd rather drink a number of other beverages. This extends to beers like founders solid gold. I've had plenty of good beers that use adjuncts in their grain bill, I think rice can do wonders in a west coast ipa. And I've also enjoyed some lagers brewed with rice or corn, usually some variety of rice or corn that adds some unique flavor of its own.

But i do have a hard time accepting the idea that the unchallenged best selling style for generations, which is also a style regularly praised by professional brewers and critics, is lacking respect

 

Ah, I think the latter - saving a few cents (times 1 million or more barrels) was just icing on the cake. Into the 1990s the industry breakdown average was ingredient costs were 4% of the price on beer. (Although competition was so tight, that pennies did matter).

But lighter was what sold (sure, one can debate why but that's not economics) and staying in business while all the older, often smaller or just stubborn lager brewers that stuck with heavier beers were folding left and right, was the biggest economic benefit.

 

I'm the son, grandson and great grandson of Prussian butchers! I can do whatever you want as long as it's meat <3

Make sure you can get Düsseldorf Löwensenf ("extra scharf"). Bavarians tend to serve their sweet mustard which is disgusting. You can have it with a Bavarian Weisswurst but that's all!

 

I always liked the fact that after Stroh bought the Schlitz portfolio, Old Milwaukee eventually became their largest selling brand (#5 in the US, +7M bbl) and was brewed all over the country in various Stroh breweries but not in Milwaukee.