One beer to represent 'Merica

I vote SNPA for the simple reason that if we're talking "best beer in the world" I don't see how you can overlook the beer that essentially started it all as far as the craft beer movement in the USA. Not my favorite American beer (not even my favorite Sierra Nevada beer), but it is THE classic example of an American Pale Ale and nearly every craft beer today owes something to this "leap of faith" taken 35 years ago.

 

It could have been related to that post, but there was also some other general chit chat as well. I just remember making a mental note to try the newer version (which could very well have still been Victory Lager at that point) but never saw it. A lot of Victory's beers have become scarce around here in the past few years, unfortunately, so those mental post-it notes tend to stick around longer than they were originally intended .

 

Well if you make a mental post-it just go through once in a while and mentally deliberately take down and trash those that no longer apply.

 

You guys.....

It's Hamm's.

 

This is pretty damned funny -- and should be taken seriously. Canada is part of the Americas, right? Let's go down the list:

• Maple syrup - straight-up North American in origin
• Coffee - African in origin
• Chocolate - Central American in origin
• Bourbon - American all the way

I have had it side-by-side with KBBS, and would rate KBBS higher. That said, either could be considered world-class representations of American beer.

New Glarus calls Spotted Cow a Farmhouse ale, so I don't know about that. Kentucky common seems legitimately unique to USA, though I don't think it's an interesting style at all. There are decent arguments to be made that American breweries resurrected or amplified largely forgotten styles, and these should be considered "American". Berliner Weisse comes to mind, as well as CDA/Black IPA.

It's certainly the case that bourbon barrel beers originated here. They probably deserve special recognition.

 

How could it honestly be anything other than Budweiser?

 

Anchor Steam.

 

The Elephant in this room is obviously to "whom" do you want to represent your favorite beer too? Many take this to mean the entire friggin world, then Bud Light is the winner hands down due to number of buds drank. Others take it to mean "The beer illuminate" People like us, which largely ignores the vast majority of sentient beings on Earth. There is no good answer. Plus, I don't have a clue where "Merica" is other than some stereotyped colloquialism that is related to "bubbaspeak" or is that Jive?

 

beats the living crap out of the 'what's your favorite IPA' thread

 

Depends on the crowd you gather with on such days/events. I haven't personally seen more than one BMC beer poured at such times in the past 5+ years (and never the same one), whereas there's been typically 6+ craft offerings available to compliment wine and NA offerings.

Back to the OP topic, I'd throw my vote for SNPA. Is it the latest and the greatest, no. Is it still a solid offering after all these years, abso-F'n-lutely! YMMV

 

Jack Upstate Brewing makes a Kentucky Common and I like the style. It's a smidge high in abv for the style from what I read but very tasty.

 

Budweiser, of course. It's shallow, cheaply made, owned by a multi-national corporation, and is generally despised by the rest of the world for thinking it's a lot better than it is.

 

Really? The Budweiser brand is doing better for ABInBev outside the US than it is here, where it has been losing market share for the past 25 years or so (falling from #1 to #3). It is among the best selling lagers in the UK, Canada and Ireland, and according to ABI's Annual Report a couple of years ago, 51% of Budweiser sales are now outside the US, with strong and growing markets in China, Russia and Brazil. Bud is one of only 3 of ABInBev's so-called "Global Brands" (along with Stella Artois and newly acquired Corona, the latter bumping Beck's down to an "International brand" ).

 

Haven't see RWB since '84

 

Still can't believe I'm the only one repping Jack's Abby. It's whatever.

 

There seems to be plenty of it about in these parts. Although I am well aware of the strides made in American brewing and the resulting world class beers, it's a fact that I still see Budweiser as the one which exemplifies the USA.
Part of the problem (if that is what this is) is the other contenders , although worthy, don't have the market and awareness penetration of Budweiser.Another is that many American brewers came into the act late , pretty well anything which can be made from malt, hops and yeast has already been done. This leaves little scope for actual innovation even when plenty is claimed.

 

Too true, but again, just going off the OP's title; if I had to nominate I'd say Sam Adams based on their main stream status nationwide. I think Sierra Nevada & Anchor are great but not in as many places as Sam. I'm basing it on overall availability throughout the land of the Donald

 

Jack,

Do you know of any Kentucky Common style beer I could find in Eastern PA?

 

Yuengling isn't even the best family owned legacy brewer in PA let alone the country. Straub's kicks Yuengling's ass in every category and it is still family owned.

 

No, not really.

I once had a beer that was labeled as being a Kentucky Common beer on draft at TJs Everyday (Paoli, PA) but I d not remember the brand name.

I have never seen packaged (bottled/canned) beer that was labeled as Kentucky Common in PA.

Do you know any knowledgeable beer retailers near you that you could talk to?

@KOP_Beer_OUtlet

Cheers!