Funny things you notice after having a macro for the first time in ages?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by cmiller4642, May 25, 2016.

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  1. meefmoff

    meefmoff Pooh-Bah (1,848) Jul 6, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My friends and I once actually did this test with Michelob Ultra. We could indeed all tell the difference, but it was a lot closer of a contest than it really should have been :slight_smile:
     
  2. troutmask96

    troutmask96 Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2005 Washington

    I went to a party last year hosted by friends that I do not typically associate with. Our drink choices were every bottle of liquor on the planet...and a keg of Bud Light. I hadn't had a macro lager in at least ten years, but poured myself a plastic cup of the Bud Light and started to sip it. I honestly became nauseous and couldn't even finish the first cup.
     
  3. ChangSing

    ChangSing Zealot (640) May 5, 2013 Illinois
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    I drink Miller Lite every weekend when I"m at the local bar in my complex. It's when I want to be social, have 5-7 beers over 4/5 hours.
     
  4. offthelevel_bytheplumb

    offthelevel_bytheplumb Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2013 Illinois

    It's a good thing you let everyone know that you don't typically associate with those people. Could you imagine all the negative judgement you would've received if you were good friends with them?
     
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  5. Ieatlambfries

    Ieatlambfries Maven (1,310) Dec 5, 2003 New Jersey
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    O'rly? I do see you've rated Coffee Porters and Grapefruit IPAs though. Which of course means adjuncts are not forbidden in your fridge sir.
     
  6. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
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    Those are flavorings. Rye, oatmeal and Belgian Ales would qualify, though.
     
  7. Squire

    Squire Grand Pooh-Bah (4,081) Jul 16, 2015 Mississippi
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    I won't dismiss a brew just because it isn't exclusively brewed from barley but I'm a broadminded sort of guy.
     
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  8. lester619

    lester619 Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2009 Wisconsin

    :wink:
    You wouldn't fit in in England or Wisconsin.
     
  9. scottakelly

    scottakelly Initiate (0) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    There is a definite time and place for AALs. On a summer day after a few hours of yard work nothing beats an AAL and huge glass of ice water downed in approximately 5 minutes flat. They are simply thirst quenching.

    Two beers in particular, Heineken (in a can) and Genny Cream Ale, I actually consider to be good beers. There is no knocking them for what they are. ( And yes, I realize Heineken is all malt so not technically an AAL).

    I do criticize light AALs, as they are just too light IMO. I won't pass on a PBR, High Life, Coors Banquet, or Budweiser (listed in order of preference), but I will always pass on their light siblings.
     
    #49 scottakelly, May 25, 2016
    Last edited: May 25, 2016
  10. wingedeel

    wingedeel Savant (1,156) Nov 17, 2005 Indiana
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    I hadn't had a macro in quite a few years, but was at a friends house a couple weeks ago, and he offered me a macro. Natural Ice if memory serves. It actually tasted better than I remember macros tasting. It's all beer.
     
  11. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,058) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I was being snarky. Corn is a more common beer ingredient than people think. It's been drilled into our heads that it's the exclusive domain of the US macro lagers, but this just isn't true. It's in Belgian ales, English ales, and US "craft" ales. You don't see a separate beer style classification on BeerAdvocate for something like Belgian Adjunct Ale... but I understand the cultural dynamic, pervasiveness, and biases that would demand an American Adjunct Lager "style." It's not always about clean logic. Because it's not treated the same way across the board, there's a good chance that many of us have had certain "adjunct beers" without realizing it.
     
  12. slangtruth

    slangtruth Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2012 Kentucky

    I've never been disappointed in Guinness on tap and always chose it for business lunches and the like. It's low in alcohol, goes down easy and tastes like it does. It's a safe choice. I went to a benefit church fish fry this spring (where the fish and sides were simply awesome, BTW) where only normal beers were offered and bought an "America" - probably 15 years since I'd had one. I washed down the food with a few ounces of it and dumped the rest still in the can in the trash on my way out. Didn't hate it, didn't like it, didn't want to finish it.
     
  13. Ieatlambfries

    Ieatlambfries Maven (1,310) Dec 5, 2003 New Jersey
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    I agree with you being coffee and grapefruit are non-fermentable additives.

    But an adjunct is also a non essential additive or supplement. I do however realize the definition as applied to beer. I was making a tongue and cheek funny in my original post. :wink:
     
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  14. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,731) Aug 25, 2010 New York
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    I was surprised that I didn't hate them (macros and the BMC-type beers) more. I thought I'd have been more repulsed or something; like, because my palate got all sophisticated and stuff... :rolling_eyes:

    Rather, they were relatively harmless, just not enjoyable (which is why I was never a beer drinker before discovering "craft").
     
  15. Caj1

    Caj1 Zealot (535) Jul 2, 2013 Texas

    No offense taken here, an I'm thinking more along the line of when an adjunct dominates the flavor profile of the beer. I'm sure I have had adjunct craft beer but I like wheat and rye, more or less.

    I probably should have said macro adjunct beers in my original post but insomnia has a way of clouding the thought process.
     
  16. thepenguin

    thepenguin Savant (1,191) Aug 8, 2010 Massachusetts

    Had a PBR recently and was struck by how grainy it came across.
     
  17. maz

    maz Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2009 Illinois

    AALs are really sweet tasting to me now. And not like "that's a sweet ride"... I wish it were malty sweetness, but it's usually corn. Still, I have a soft spot for Point Special and Schlitz.
     
  18. Gajo74

    Gajo74 Pooh-Bah (2,733) Sep 14, 2014 New York
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    The few times I've had macros, since my conversion to micro, I just get a stomach ache. Is it possible that the adjuncts do something to me or is psychological? I suppose it is like if you get used to eating organic, the "regular" food will just never be the same again.
    I don't really understand this notion of going for macro when you are in the mood for something light. Of course I do not want a 12% ABV Stout on a 100 degree day, but, why not just go for a nice authentic German Pilsner, lighter American Pale Ale etc. instead of a Corona or Bud? Even in terms of dark beers, I've had so many kick ass micro porters that are only 5% ABV and can kick Guiness to the curb. Why does it have to be "I'm in the mood for something light and bland" as opposed to "I'm in the mood for something light and FLAVORFUL?".
     
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  19. Oktoberfiesta

    Oktoberfiesta Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 New Mexico

    I do tend to notice how truly light in flavor (if you want to call that flavor), they are. But at the same time, locally we have a brewery who just released their pale lager in cans, simply called Beer. It's a love or hate thing for most people I have seen try it. For some, it reminds them of the "bad years". People these days want FLAVOR, or extreme flavor (at that). But for me, it's a solid jump in flavor. Same with a Weihenstephaner Original. I try to throw those few towards macro drinkers and see what happens.

    I've even recently jumped back into the world of Shiner Bock and NB Fat Tire. Talk about a "jump down" in the flavor category. So it's really all relative. Because at that point after one or two, or a week after acclimating to it, I can get the flavor notes more easily

    I do want to try a blind with your macros, and even throw in some craft pilsners/lagers and see if I/my party can figure out which is which, or even what we truly prefer. My friends would jump out of their windows if they had a preference for PBR over say, prima pils. Blinds don't lie.

    I have family who loves their Bud light and miller lites. Yet they despise Milwaukees Best. I want to say, there really isn't a huge difference and it's really all about our own biases. I try to stay open minded most times.

    Price also comes into the equation for a lot of craft people I know. They don't want to drop the same amount of money for a pilsners if they can get a quality red ale, hefe, or a stout (all with more ABV). So craft pilsners/lagers are definitely fighting an uphill battle/
     
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  20. hwy395

    hwy395 Initiate (0) Jan 20, 2012 California
    Trader

    Bingo !
     
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