Macro Lager

This is me. I am a snob through and through, but if I am at a friend's house/party/wedding/etc. and there is free beer and it's all macro lager, I am drinking it and enjoying it.

 

I'm not really into lagers from anyone, especially macro ones.

 

Well if you are going by the Brewers Association classification, Yuengling is considered craft.
http://www.thestreet.com/story/12673031/1/how-yuengling-and-schells-became-craft-beer.html

 

Yeah, but those are the same guys who define Pilsner Urquell as 'macro'.

 

Great reading! Thanks for sharing. It looks like the reason for the rice was reducing protein (hence protein haze). It's my guess that the barley became more consistent on the protein levels over time, making it possible to produce all malt lager without protein haze. But, actually, it's also possible that they started doing more centrifugation, etc. to mechanically reduce the haze. (technically, that's the thought process behind clarityferm, which is the additive commonly used to make reduced gluten beers-gluten being the protein that they're trying to reduce). (side thought process: I wonder if something like budweiser is more or less gluten free based on the ppm definition, because it uses rice and likely also massive centrifugation, clarifiers, dealing with protein in a process and recipe way).

 

I like a macro lager for cooking with, usually will finish up any left over. I'm not gonna sauté sausages in something I paid $10 a six pack for.

 

For almost 40 years I would have answered
"All of the Time"
For several years, I "Occasionally" had a Bud draft at a lake tavern with the best fried fish in the world.
Now I get my fish to go and "Never" drink the Budweisers that taste nothing like the ones during those 1st 40 years.

 

I like one from time to time, but that's just me. A lot of people hate them or have chosen to not buy products from BIG BEER and that's fine, too.

 

I really have honestly never enjoyed macro lagers dating all the way back to my high school days in the 80s choking down Bud, Busch and Keystone. I'll buy a Narraganset or a PBR now and then out at a concert simply based on price and desire to maintain a buzz, but I don't find them particularly enjoyable as a drinking experience.

However, I actually sort of love Bud Light Lime. It needs to be super cold, but as long as it is I'm more than happy to drink them come summer time.

Edit: And I liked the Bud Super Bowl Ad. It struck me as pretty self aware about the whole conversation that it was likely to instigate.

 

In North America, the adjuncts are to drop the protein levels down to a level that will give no haze. Don't go much beyond that without backup.

 

I still have macros on occasion. My live in G/F likes craft but we have to keep a stock of Coors light around for her as well. Also, not much goes better with some good hot wings than a light macro (not to mention saving the calories I would add to them by drinking a good IPA or Pale ale). I have adopted a new lawn mower/hot outdoor project beer, the Kentucky Corona, High life with a lime.

 

I like doing that too. Kentucky Corona is a cool name for it.

 

Michelob is pretty good as macros go, how ever if you are looking for a good lawnmower beer with some flavor, New Belgium's Shift pale lager is great.

 

I occasionally buy Macros. I like trying different Malt Liquors, to see which one's are truly "Poor".

 

This I get. I've looked through BA for the worst of the worst and curiosity is driving me to try these ones, just to see how bad they can be.

 

At one time, yes. Unfortunately, the protein levels in NA 2-row has risen to almost NA 6-row levels in the past 15 years.

 

Sierra Nevada Nooner is amazing. One of my favorite lagers available now. Firestone Walker Pivo Pils, Live Oak Pils (local on tap only in Texas), anything from Great Lakes, and Stoudts Pils are really good lagers (always pick up some when I am traveling). I have no problem finding any good lagers. If I am in the 100+ Texas heat, I usually go for water or iced tea, not beer. That is just me though.

 

craft lagers $8.50-$9.99 a 6pack

Macro Lager $5.50 a 6pack

 

Yeah, readng Mallett's malt book and pretty much knew that before. What do you do on your brew house?

 

These days most have mechanical clarification, so we can live with higher protein levels. The problem is more with the enzyme levels...everything is really hot. Working with the maltsters trying to get lower modified malts so we can have a little more control of the fermentation profiles.