Planning Thread: American Adjunct Lager Tasting (July 4-7)

I think I am following you here but just to make sure: for this tasting Adjunct Lagers need not be solely "American" per se?

Cheers!

 

Just want to make sure @nicholas2121 is getting involved. The king of AAL from WBAYDN!
Prost!

 

i did my wide market survey in the 70s, when I had the capacity to try a bunch, and am not too excited about doing it again. For my taste, a fuller malt body is preferred.Even all-malt beers these days can be less than full bodied. I tried all malt Brooklyn (Crisp) Pilsner* and I found that to be lacking. I doubt that most present-day adjunct beers would give me more malt flavor than a German Pils (even some of them seem to me to be deficient in body). And I can find all the hop character I want in some of the better, widely available West Coast IPAs.
*I did like the earlier Brooklyn Pilsner.

 

"American" could well be defined to include all of the Americas. When crossing the Canadian border and asked what is my citizenship, I say "US". After all, Canadians could be counted as Americans. Now whether to include Japanese, Italian, British, and Danish . . .? I remember Carling brewing Tuborg US/Tuborg Gold in the 70s to the "Tuborg Green" formula, which included adjuncts. It tasted like an AAL (but a good one!)

 

Would Firestone-Walker 805 qualify for this event? (the label does say ale...)

 

looks like 805 Cerveza would qualify.

 

Thanks a bunch for organizing the event. Time enough to do some shopping!

One minor note: please include the relevant time zone as needed in your postings. My normal drinking hours start around 5 PM, Pacific time. Others no doubt start earlier ... or later. I'd guess a few are even fine with 24 hrs.

 

Sure thing. I see Cream Ales will qualify for this event, so to get into the spirit of things, we have glasses of fresh Buoy Beer Cream Ale in front of us right now!

 

I lived on Grain Belt Premium back in the day. Give me some lov Les!

 

The majority of the most common AALs by volume I have not previously formally rated are on the Molson-Coors / Reyes / Blue House side of the ledger, so that was my target last night.



Beer haul link.

I will focus on Anheuser-Busch products at the local Jewels for my second haul.

@Orca - Unless there is a law prohibiting single serving cans throughout your city and beyond, (we have many precincts in Chicago banning these sales including the precinct I live in), single can “tall boys” are sold for “convenience” at many grocery stores, big box stores and gas stations, allowing folks to run in and out for a pairing with a meal. For me, I was ok paying a higher price per ounce to avoid getting multiple 4-6 packs and drinking AALs for the rest of the year.

There are many international countries across the globe where AALs are brewed:

Canada: Molson, Labatt
Mexico: Modelo, Corona
Australia: Foster’s Lager
Jamaica: Red Stripe
Dominican Republic: Presidente
India: Taj Mahal Premium Lager
Italy: Peroni in Italy
Philippines: San Miguel

Nearly every “Russian Imperial Stout” for our tasting was brewed in America. Same for many American craft brewed styles founded / invented in Europe. If it’s AAL, it’s AAL.

Cues The Pat Matheny Group.

 

Premees! Screamium, Creamium, Groin Belt...lotsa nicknames for that good ol' beer.

 

I guess the inclusion of Modelo Negra could be debated, since it does use adjuncts. But that's not how it's classified here on BA, which is based on what the brewer calls it. Similar to how Yuengling Traditional Lager uses adjuncts but it's listed as an Amber Lager.

From Modelo's website:

 

@jmdrpi My understanding of 'adjunct' is that it has to contribute to the alcohol level, and a 'non-malted cereal' would only provide flavoring, mouth feel, possibly the color, or other enhancement to the beer. Thus Negra Modelo would not be an AAL.

I guess the inclusion of Modelo Negra could be debated, since it does use adjuncts. But that's not how it's classified here on BA, which is based on what the brewer calls it. Similar to how Yuengling Traditional Lager uses adjuncts but it's listed as an Amber Lager.

From Modelo's website:
Brewed longer to enhance the flavors, this Munich Dunkel-style Lager gives way to a rich flavor and remarkably smooth taste. Modelo Negra contains Water, Barley Malt, Non-malted Cereals and Hops.

 

The BA definition of AAL seems not to include the incorporation of sugars. That would seem to eliminate about 90% of the beers mentioned here. I don't seriously suggest that that part of the description should be strictly followed. The BA def. probably needs to be revised. Also, the definition includes the word "pale", so Negra Modelo and Yuengling Lager probably are out. "Low bitterness" might exclude Lord Chesterfield, but that is probably on the margins. I'm not sure what a reasonable limit on bitterness would be, maybe 20 IBU???