Let's Give Lagers Some Love (2024)

Yes, it could be an AAL

 

I see AAL as a starter beer. It's what most of us started with and drank by the gallon as kids. We eventually moved on to craft for ABV, flavor, and variety. I've left AAL behind, and usually only have one to review. I'll have other more flavorful lagers though.

 

Beer that tastes like beer!

Cheers!

 

To the mass-market consumer, you're correct. To us craft beer lovers, an AAL tastes like a light-flavored craft lager.

 

Victory makes a beer they brand as "Classic Lager". I discussed this beer in a past NBW thread:



https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-790.637518/#post-6865033

"Overall:

This beer is excellent. I really enjoyed the balance of bready Pilsner Malt and herbal/spicy hop flavors. This beer is indeed consistent with the Victory Brewing ‘claim’ of an Easy Drinkin' Lager."

Victory stopped canning this beer a few years ago. In the past I have purchased many 15 packs of this beer:


Cheers!

@jonphisher

 

And some AAL beers are quite tasty!



"Overall:

Within the context of an AAL beer this beer is a joy to drink. The highlights are the hop aroma and nice head retention. If you are looking for a nice thirst-quenching beer in these ‘Dog Days of Summer’ this is a good choice, a great lawnmower beer."

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...nct-lager-july-4-7.677763/page-4#post-8010400

Cheers to tasty beers!!

 

That’s an ale though isn’t it?

 

It is produced using lager yeast.

Cheers to lagers!!

 

Um... speak for yourself. All of the craft lagers I drink have different flavor characters than the typical AAL.

 

From the Victory website:

So, is "East Drinkin' Lager" an approved BA beer style!?!

It is all malt, specifically Pilsner Malt.

I don't have an 'answer' as to why they stopped canning this brand. For further discussion there are a lot of craft brewed lager brands in SEPA (as you likely already know?). Maybe a situation of not enough shelf space for this particular brand?

On a somewhat related note? I visited my local Retail Beer Distributor recently (a week ago?) and there was a new Philly area craft brewery there giving out samples: Broad Street Brewing. I chatted with the young lady hosting the table and I am a bit ashamed to admit I told her: Where is the brewery located? She answered Bristol and then my brain cells worked and I responded: Oh yeah, I learned about you from watching an episode of What's Brewing on TV. There are just so many craft breweries (lots of newer ones) that I have difficulty keeping track. I then asked her how well their beers were selling. She responded that the co-owners of the brewery were previously in the commercial HVAC business and consequently had a lot of connections with local businesses (e.g., restaurants) and thereby they have a robust draft business. I feel for breweries that recently opened up since there is just so much (too much?) local competition. And I am sure that 'legacy' craft breweries (e.g., Victory, Troegs, Sly Fox, etc.) are facing challenges due to ever increasing competition. Oh well!?! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cheers!

 

Yeah, I worded that badly. What I was trying to to say is that a macro-produced AAL tastes like beer-flavored water compared to a craft brewery AAL which usually has some good flavor. (It's still not my favorite style.)

 

I recently reread a novel by a favorite author. His main character described "American beer" in prose that I find very elegant rather than harsh and demeaning, "Fortified mineral water."

Full disclosure -- the story took place in the late 1940s, very pre-craft brewing in the U.S., so it's not a case of not knowing beer had changed here.

 

Here’s a nice lager. Cheers!!

 

Not your Grandpa's beer?

 

Notch - The Standard

 

Clear the air before the post.

Malt liquor is a strong lager or ale in which sugar, corn or other adjuncts are added to the malted barley to boost the total amount of fermentable sugars in the wort. This increases the final alcohol concentration without creating a heavier or sweeter taste.