Full Circle: Time to Start Respecting AAL

John (@John_M) has already replied to this but I too have not found this to be the case. Two examples of non-macro (i.e., BMC/national breweries) AALs that I enjoy drinking is Yuengling Lord Chesterfield and Sly Fox Reading beer and these brands are economically priced. What I enjoy about both of these brands (and others) is that they comparatively speaking have an 'improved' flavor profile; more flavorful than a Bud/MHL/Coors Banquet.

On a related note, back in 2015 I started a similar thread entitled: No Love for American Adjunct Lagers:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/no-love-for-american-adjunct-lagers.313784/

I would encourage folks who are interested in this topic to review that thread.

And when it comes to the overall AAL beer style there is a 'sub-style' that we homebrewers refer to as Classic American Pilsners (CAP) which are the AAL type beers as brewed waaaay back in the day (i.e., latter 1800's to before Prohibition). Those beers would be notably different from contemporary AAL beer, one example being more hops being used to brew those beers. Some example of CAP beers available today:

"Example of Classic American Pilsners

There are few examples of commercially brewed CAP beers. They tend to be only available in limited regions and sometimes on a rotating basis: Straub 1872 Pre-Prohibition Lager (Pennsylvania), Fort George 1811 Pre-Prohibition Lager (Oregon), Short’s Pontius Road Pilsner (Michigan), Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. Rocket 100 (Texas), Upland Champagne Velvet (Indiana), and Fullstream Paycheck Pilsner (North Carolina)."

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Pilsen_Beer

To the list above I would also add Von C OG Pils and Iron Hill Kings Gold as further examples.

Spoiler Alert: The weekend in the NBW thread I will be discussing a new beer from Jack's Abby: Kogarashi Rice Lager. Stay tuned.

Cheers!

@springdalebeer

 

In the 70s, AALs were what we usually drank when we went out to dinner or a bar. In San Diego, pitchers of Coors at El Sombrero or Coors (and later Andeker!) at Tug's Tavern. In Chicago, Old Style at Pete's Rookery in the neighborhood, Stroh's at Elsewhere on Lincoln, and Schlitz at the Checkerboard. On Long Island, Schaefer at the "Bel Air" in Mastic. For special beers, we went to a "destination" that served "better beer" (San Diego, Bratskeller and Ritterbrau, Chicago, Berghoff and Berghoff Lager, Long Island, Mr. Fadeley's rotating imports).
I don't want to waste my fewer beer drinking opportunities these days doing a survey of the current AAL market for myself (we DID do that in the 70s and most were blah). But recently we traveled to Mexico and I found Bohemia Clara (Pilsener) to be a very enjoyable AAL style beer, about as good as it gets But it isn't available in my local area. I'll continue with my current favorite pale ale, IPA, and bargain German pilsner, not feeling deprived of that AAL enjoyment.

 

Perhaps if AAL's were made the same way as they were fifty years ago, I'd drink them in the summer. Rheingold, Piels and Pabst Blue Ribbon had flavor and were worth drinking. Even with Budweiser, you could taste hops.

 

Exactly. If AAL's are the only options available, whether macro or "craft," I'll drink water or diet pop. Without exception. I have no desire to blow calories on beer I don't enjoy just to be drinking beer.

BTW, I've found a good IPA to be the perfect "lawnmower beer." YMMV.

 

Ain't it the truth. Oh, for an Orange*-brewed Chug-a-Mug opened by Mom.

*Back when "Orange" was a brewing city in New Jersey, not an ingredient in the beer.

 

I don’t think @John_M got the memo.

 

It sounds like a CAP-like beer is what you are seeking?

Do you live near an Iron Hill brewery?

Cheers!

 

I'd add Upslope's Japanese Rice Lager to this list personally. It's a great beer

 

Honestly, few things hit quite like getting a pitcher of Bud Heavy on draft and some pizza with your father. That’s good therapy.

 

I occasionally drink a Yuengling but that's it. If offered something like PBR I'd just respectfully decline. If that means I'm a snob or elitist then I guess that's what I am but I'm not going to force myself to drink something I don't like.

 

I see them and I avoid them. AALs are not my preferred style and I already feel like I'm paying too much when I buy a budweiser for example. So I'd never pay $12 a 4 pack for them.

 

I think that *is* the memo.

 

If you could get a non-macro brewed AAL for a more economical price would that make a difference to you?

For example, my last purchase of Sly Fox brewed Reading Premium was a six-pack/16 ounce cans for $10. Would you be willing to pay this price?

Cheers!

 

No, thanks!

That swill was the reason for the whole craft beer movement. And just because certain old timers hate well-made, flavorful beers for various reasons, doesn't mean I'll pretend to like AALs.

I am glad to see more and more good quality Lagers being produced by many breweries these days.

 

There are several mass produced AALs I like (Budweiser, Coors Batch 19, Michelob, Moosehead, Old Style, Schlitz). There are many others I pass on.

That said, I don’t like trashing or calling out beers or breweries (beyond perhaps atrocious behavior) beyond giving my honest assessment while I’m rating a beer. I prefer highlighting and championing what I like vs. what I don’t.

Many “reviews” of AALs here simply trash a beer and or brewery, without proving any details of what they found fault with or qualities which would improve the beer that are absent. Here is an example of a AAL “review” posted yesterday, quoted in it’s entirety.

Scores all 1.0. Written review:

There are thousands of these posted throughout the widely distributed AAL beers. People also like to trash Malt Liquor. Not saying one shouldn’t rate beers as a 1 or 2, just state the reasons why if you are typing a review, not “AB sucks” or “Miller sucks”. Also don’t think straight 1.0s or 5.0s across all five categories are warranted, beyond exceptional / rare instances.

From Todd’s comments on how to properly rate a beer:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/how-to-review-a-beer.241156/

Respect Beer. And Brewers.
Behind each beer is a person with feelings and pride. Brewing might be their passion, livelihood, or entire life. Even if you don't like a beer, at the very least have some respect and be constructive with your criticism.

 

I think a question for you all I have is the animosity directed towards the actual beer or the breweries/companies themselves?

I think the majority of us can agree that an AAL regardless of who makes it isn’t going to hold up flavor wise against most other styles. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it if you like it. If I find a case of macro AAL on clearance I’ll pick it up because why not.

But I think that a lot of the dislike is towards the companies. I don’t have any empirical data to back this up but I feel like any time a brewery is bought by or merged with a larger entity you’ll see the reviews or comments about their beer drop.

 

This seems to be a very emotional issue for many BAs. I would suspect it would be challenging for many to objectively answer this question.

Cheers!