Back to Basics

This -- in spades! The first time I heard that, somewhere outside Pittsburgh, my immediate thought was, "What are they talking about?" I thought I stumbled on to the set of an old movie where the actors walk up to the bar and order "a beer."

But even more pretentiously, they order "*the* Lager." As if it's the only one there is!

Boy, the things that get your back up!

 

Could'a left out the rice and made a Miller clone -- wouldn't have ruined my day!

 

The style description mentions heavy use of adjuncts, typically corn or rice, but can be something else. Often just generic white sugar in some cheap beers from the old days (Belgian brewers have been known to use this stuff too...). All-malt or lower adjunct beers fall into the 'Premium' American lager style.

 

Miller uses corn; others prefer rice. I think rice is cleaner tasting but that goes out the window with food sensitivities. And it's just my palate anyway.

edit: and I would have to package it in a green bottle and leave it in the sun for awhile...

 

What Lager did they get served prior to 1987?

 

There is a lot of debate about how and why Bud is what it is, but that probably belongs in the homebrew forum. No, I have not yet done an FTIR analysis of Bud, but you have reminded me...

 

Good question. They probably just ordered beer.

 

In Pittsburgh, Iron City?

 

Nah, Fort Pitt or Duquense (we're talking the '30s and 40's, right?).

Duquense, with a pretty extensive portfolio, was the 8th largest brewing company in the US a few years after Repeal, with more breweries (3) than AB, Schlitz or Pabst.

Fort Pitt was a diverse company, by the late '50s when they sold their beer brands their other major products were Seeburg jukeboxes and components for Nike missile systems (before the latter company started making sneakers, I guess ).

 

I agree with your point - there is no clear definition of the word 'lager' or 'pale lager' being used to describe a specific beer. But maybe our point here is to make our fellow Advocates aware of the 'error' in their ways, and now we don't have to get our dander up anymore.

 

No dander flying here... unless we're still talking about Yuengling...

 

To go even further into fun pedant mode (but I think the outcome is interesting): Not only are porters not ales (to some), but pale ales also aren't bitters (to some). I don't even mean this in the obvious way - with regard to those who consider bitter and pale ale to be distinctive beer styles (like BeerAdvocate), but with regard to the pluralization. Here's a fun quote from Michael Jackson:

That quote always stuck with me, BUT it's a rather odd (off?) quote for a few reasons. First off, I do see the English use of "bitters" with beer - perhaps using that word mainly went against convention decades ago. In addition, I believe he is referring to Italian Aperitivo Bitters (such as Campari) in the first part - which use the singular (bitter) on a bottle despite his claim... as opposed to "cocktail bitters" (such as Angostura) - which use the plural (bitters) on a bottle. Regardless, no matter how inaccurate Jackson's quote seems today (or from the get-go), when I see "bitters" I never think beer... I exclusively think "cocktail bitters" even though Jackson didn't seem to be referencing them. Someone correct me if I am reading him wrong. @JackHorzempa always got around the issue with his patented "bitter ales" term.

@TongoRad

 

Lucky for you if you find that in your area. I could take you in the stores that are in my region and show you that 'traditional' beer styles are being squeezed out left and right by seltzers, ciders, kombuchas, and dozens of gimmicky micro and macro beer variations. Finding a standard Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Porter, Stout, Red Ale, Amber Ale, British IPA gets harder every month in my area.

 

A pedant's pedant!

 

In the UK, no.

It is (or at least, was) a type (style?) of beer ordered in the pub. Usually served on cask.

Speaking of English pubs, back in the 80's (IDK about now), it was common for patrons to order their beer as

• mild
• bitter
• lager

Nothing else need be said.

Maybe porter and stout, too, but the people I was with, that was it. mild, bitter, or lager. Sometimes, cider.

 

Takes one to know one.

 

Well ya, anymore they're all juicy!

 

At a certain point in time I believe Jackson was correct, although I'd have to qualify that by saying that it was a colloquial convention as well as I only have a recollection among English speakers here in the US.

Yes, the word Amaro on the bottle is singular but you'd hear it called bitters in a bar or restaurant. Or even as an apertivo.

 

Reading this back and forth I can't help but picture Ron Pattinson screaming into a pillow for some reason .