Budweiser Dethroned! No longer the "King".

Michael Hoffman


My favorites now are Smithwick's and Sam Adams' Boston Ale.

 
I had forgotten about Smithwick's, that's fairly popular around here, and I enjoy it myself immensely.

Tony Bad

Davydd


I drink both beer and bourbon just depending on the time of day and the mood. Good pubs serve a variety of microbrews now and I can usually find something good other than the MillerCoorsBud axis of American lager and lite beers.

Not only can you almost always find something better, but technically speaking MillerCoorsBud aren't even American beer companies any more. Boston Beer (Sam Adams) is the largest American-owned brewery, followed by Yuengling, which is 2nd largest as well as oldest!

 
 
 
yuengling recently surpassed sam adams as the largest u.s. owned brewery it is from my home town, too!

They're now selling Yeungling in Ohio. Started a little over a month ago.

My parents lived in Pa. for years after WW2. Mum ( a British war bride) tells me about my father buying a case of Yuengling every payday and returning the bottles to be refilled.
I like Yuengling very much- it's a highlight of my trips to Baltimore and points South.
I wish it were available here in the Boston area. A girl can dream...

Great buys on Yuengling  at Costco...still for the money, a GREAT American beer!!!

I frequently buy Yuengling Black and Tan.  Once I had it, it makes regular beer including Yuenglings regular beer taste like water.  Often dark beer is too bitter for me but the black and tan is just right.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

My fondest memories of beer in no particular order:
 

• The 1960's era beer fridge in the basement of the Rolling Hills GC, New Bedford, PA.  It was on the "honor system", 25 cents @.  That was heaven on earth for this 16 year old after a round.

 

• Washing down saltenas with Centenario or Pacena on the Plaza Aboroa in La Paz.  I didn't know what a "buzz" was until I had those spicy saltenas, a few high octane (7%) beers, and a cigarette at 12,000 ft.  Sex aside, I cannot recall a more pleasant feeling.  (The Cervecera Boliviana was founded in the 1870's by German immigrants and has been operated since by their descendants).

 

 

• Being served Brahma beer at 50 cents a liter while enjoying the "scenery" on Copacabana Beach in Rio.

 

My father's side of the family is from north/central PA, and I'd always bring back a case or two of Yuengling to NY when visiting. It started showing up in stores here 8 or 9 years ago, much to my delight.
For those who can't find it locally, yuengling.com has a beer finder that'll let you know the closest place to find it.

hipster006

 yuengling recently surpassed sam adams as the largest u.s. owned brewery it is from my home town, too!

 
Nice! Oldest and biggest. A great combo.
 
I had no idea this happened, but have noted their increased presence in my area. Thanks for the info.

I got an email from Outback today touting the new Sam Adams "Alpine spring lager" which they describe as having a citrusy taste. Sounds like something I might like as I don't care for the dark heavy beers at all. Anybody tried it?

I'll echo a couple of other with my love for Newcastle Brown Ale.  One of my favorites.  Used to work at the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain about 9 years ago when I lived in Boston.  Gave the occasional tour and got to test beers not yet on the market.  part of my job was to test the foam on the beers.  True story.  I WAS Norm Peterson!

I had saltenas in Cochabamba, Bolivia and the brew of choice was this stout.

Davydd ...
 
Yes, la Cervecera Boliviana makes many fine beers.  Taquina lager is their #1 seller with Pacena which I mentioned above close behind.  The other beer, Centenario, was a "special brew" that was available for only a few years as they celebrated their 100th. anniversary.  
 
So, how did you like the saltenas?
 
(Have you ever travelled down "the death road" (the subject of the History Channel's IRT series last fall)?  I went up and down it in a Range Rover driven by my father-in-law's bodyguard.  I have had agoraphobia (open heights variety) ever since).

billyboy


I'll echo a couple of other with my love for Newcastle Brown Ale.  One of my favorites.  Used to work at the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain about 9 years ago when I lived in Boston.  Gave the occasional tour and got to test beers not yet on the market.  part of my job was to test the foam on the beers.  True story.  I WAS Norm Peterson!

 
Yet another reason you are my hero.
 
Woody: "What's your pleasure, Mr. Peterson?"
Norm: "Boxer shorts and loose shoes. But I'll settle for a beer."
 
Sam: "What's going down, Normie?"
Norm: "My butt cheeks on that bar stool."
 
Woody: "What's going on, Mr. Peterson?"
Norm: "The question is what's going in Mr. Peterson. A beer please, Woody."
 
 

MetroplexJim


Davydd ...

Yes, la Cervecera Boliviana makes many fine beers.  Taquina lager is their #1 seller with Pacena which I mentioned above close behind.  The other beer, Centenario, was a "special brew" that was available for only a few years as they celebrated their 100th. anniversary.  

So, how did you like the saltenas?

(Have you ever travelled down "the death road" (the subject of the History Channel's IRT series last fall)?  I went up and down it in a Range Rover driven by my father-in-law's bodyguard.  I have had agoraphobia (open heights variety) ever since).

We went to Cochabamba to see our new grandson (now 6) born there while our daughter-in-law was doing her PhD field studies for 1-1/2 years out of the University of Pittsburgh. We took our other two daughters and two sisters-in-law with us for a week there and a week at Machu Picchu. So we had a group of 8 adults. We hired a private small van with driver, guard and two tour guides about the size of the metro mobility vans you see in cities to drive up to the Incallatja Inca Ruins in the Andes. The mountain road was a twisting gravel road washed out in places that crossed a few wet streams. It was quite a ride. I checked the log book at the ruins and looking over the past year we were the only Americans. There were quite a few Europeans listed. I guess to keep this drink related I should mention we stopped at a small village, Chimboata, and partook Chicha, a corn fermented home brew served in a gourd. You first poured a bit out on the dirt floor for the Pacha Momma gods and then drank it and handed the gourd to the next person. Our trip was not the normal tourist trip since our D-I-L's studies in anthropology were with the rural Incan people.

 
Saltena with quail egg

 
Like I said, not the normal tourist thing to do

 

Relax!!!   Have a homebrew

Davydd,
 
Yes, Americans are missing a truly memorable life and cultural experience, to say nothing of good beer and good food, by not visiting the Andean nations.

Walmart; 36 pack Coors Light $20.97.

Actually, Yuengling is now the largest brewery based in the USA as well as the oldest:
 
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-01-17/strategy/30634490_1_yuengling-big-beer-brands-america-s-oldest-brewery
 
 

I remember growing up in Chicago in a blue collar neighborhood and how proud I was to finally join my father in his favorite tavern for a shot-and-a-beer. I think it was Old Style. After joining the Navy and drinking beers around the globe,  I find any Budweiser product or American product for that matter pretty much to be inferior (Clydesdale p*ss). For my tastes the UK pretty much has it pegged as do most European beers.

Tony Bad

billyboy


I'll echo a couple of other with my love for Newcastle Brown Ale.  One of my favorites.  Used to work at the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain about 9 years ago when I lived in Boston.  Gave the occasional tour and got to test beers not yet on the market.  part of my job was to test the foam on the beers.  True story.  I WAS Norm Peterson!

Yet another reason you are my hero.

Woody: "What's your pleasure, Mr. Peterson?"
Norm: "Boxer shorts and loose shoes. But I'll settle for a beer."

Sam: "What's going down, Normie?"
Norm: "My butt cheeks on that bar stool."

Woody: "What's going on, Mr. Peterson?"
Norm: "The question is what's going in Mr. Peterson. A beer please, Woody."

 
my favorite was, " What's up Mr. Peterson?"
'My nipples. It's freezing outside."

I'll put my two cents in. When I was fresh out of college- eons ago back in the late 1980's, Rolling Rock was considered the new trendy beer back on Long Island.  Visiting Seattle and enjoying my first Hale's Pale Ale back in 1988 really opened myeyes as to what beer should really taste like and I haven't looked back since.  Although I believe with an exception of a select few, the American craft beers brewed west of the Rockies
are the best, the ones brewed here in New England, especially  Vermont and Maine come in second place and certainly keep me satisified. 

Some years ago a friend of my wife's went to one of the local microbreweries downtown and ordered a coors light.  The response was, "we don't serve dishwater here."
OK, back out to the garage to check on my inventory of doublebocks.
 

Only a select and privileged group of people living within a 400 mile radius of St. Marys, PA ( 41°26′15″N 78°32′34″W / 41.437600°N 78.542724°W / 41.437600; -78.542724 (41.437600, -78.542724).[) have regular access to one of the world's finest brews--- Straubs Beer!http://www.straubbeer.com/home.php
Founded in 1872, it's one of the oldest continuously family owned and operated breweries in America.  In a world of large, national breweries, the Straub Brewery comfortably remains a small regional macrobrewery and one of only a few that is still owned and operated by its founding family. The brewery is considered a craft brewery, where much of the brewing is orchestrated by human hands and not by elaborate machinery in mass production.
The beer contains no added sugars, salts or preservatives; nothing but 100% natural brewing ingredients. 
The Brewery is famous for it's "Eternal Tap".
After you've finished the tour of the Brewery, you'll be ready to enjoy a glass, (or 2) of ice-cold Straub Beer with our compliments. Taste the all-natural, honestly fresh beer right from the source.
It just doesn't get any better than that! 
The Eternal Tap is open to the public ages 21 and older Monday through Friday during the main office hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and until 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

leethebard


So sad..Bud lite is water...In Colorado, serious beer drinkers call Coors "Rocky Mountain p**...what must the lite be??? Likewise Bud lite is watery...Bud itself hasn't been much better for decades and decades.....American taste in beer is mocked in Europe...Hell, Heineken in America, is brewed for American taste. The real Heineken(in a Brown Bottle) is sold in Amsterdam!!! Sit in a British pub, sample any of the beers on tap, and taste REAL taste in beer!!!!

Or, do what I do and brew your own! It's a very interesting hobby.

Great idea,Kevincad...if you have the patience.y brother-in-law in Denver does and belongs to a club of like-minded home brewers...his beer is some of the best I've tasted!!!!!

SeamusD

I can't remember the last time I voluntarily drank a Budweiser product...
I'm also a huge Boddington's fan.

 
Boddington's is an Anheuser Busch-InBev brand.

MetroplexJim

wheregreggeats.com


The "Prince" of Beers

One of the favorites of my youth was Duquesne (a local Pittsburgh brand) which billed itself as "The Prince of Pilsners".

 
Duquesne Pilsener has recently been revived - contract-brewed in Latrobe, PA at the former Rolling Rock brewery, now run by City Brewing Co. of Lacrosse WI.

The same folks also tried revived Fort Pitt Beer unfortunately, that brand's ownership was claimed by the folks that own the old Stoney's label (also brewed at Latrobe these days). 
Fort Pitt battle rages anew