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Why Is American Beer So Bland?
The Atlantic ^ | August 4, 2015 | Joe Pinsker

Posted on 08/04/2015 10:46:30 AM PDT by C19fan

Today’s discerning beer drinkers might be convinced that America’s watery, bland lagers are a recent corporate invention. But the existence of American beers that are, as one industry executive once put it, “less challenging,” has a much longer history. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, himself an accomplished homebrewer, complained that some of his country’s beers were “meagre and often vapid” nearly 200 years ago.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Food; History
KEYWORDS: beer
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To: C19fan

Bland?

My go to is Classic Light. < $15 for 30 cans here in PA.

Reconstituted buffalo urine is ANYTHING but bland!

Trust me.


21 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:16 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Unmutual and Disharmonious)
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Wtf is this guy talking about. There has been a nationwide explosion of micro brews and home brews and craft brews for quite a while. I have been to 35 countries world wide, including europe and nowhere has the variety that the US now offers


22 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:37 AM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
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To: C19fan; Mark17

American beers are brewed for the masses. The bad taste has to be covered up by serving them ice cold.

European beers are served at a much warmer level because they have a great taste that doesn’t need to be disguised.

I one gave a NCO of mine a large bottle of Chimay. I told him when he was ready to drink it to:
1. Put it in the fridge for no more than 45 minutes.
2. Plan on staying at home.

The next Monday he told me had drank the bottle on Saturday evening. He cooled it as instructed, drank the first glass and thought I was crazy for #2. He poured the second glass. His wife found him on the couch, holding the empty glass. He loved the stuff.


23 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:46 AM PDT by Gamecock (Many Atheists: "There is no God and I hate Him!")
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To: C19fan
Simple reason is because Americans drink almost exclusively only lagers. Lagers are only drunk cold. The emphasis is on shelf life and cooling effect, not on flavor. Ingredients which add flavor tend to reduce shelf life and ability to travel long distances.

It is what the market demands. If you want something which emphasizes flavor, you need to find a good local microbrewery and/or switch to an ale.

There are a couple of fairly decent regional brands. Samuel Adams is one of them. Rolling Rock used to be one in our region before the brand was sold to New Jersey which uses the same recycled urine as every national brand.

24 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:46 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Duckdog

If you are ever in the San Diego area, I highly recommend a visit to Stone Brewing.


25 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:57 AM PDT by Yogafist
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To: C19fan

Newcastle Brown (England), Urquel Pils (Czech Republic)

are two from Europe which historically placed very well in contests. No doubt there were others.


26 posted on 08/04/2015 11:00:58 AM PDT by truth_seeker (come with the outlws.)
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To: Forgotten Amendments

Frankly, my favorite ever was Schlitz......ABSOLUTELY!!! Since 1964.


27 posted on 08/04/2015 11:01:05 AM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: C19fan
How dare you!

Someone is going to be paying you a little visit:


28 posted on 08/04/2015 11:02:23 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (The "end of history" will be Worldwide Judaic Theocracy.)
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To: C19fan

Cold brewing.

next?


29 posted on 08/04/2015 11:03:09 AM PDT by rhoda_penmark
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To: Kartographer

“Do the still make Pabst Blue Ribbon? Imagine my confusion when I move out west and found out PBR means a whole different thing out here!!”

Oh, they most definitely do. For some reason it has become the super chic beer of the hipster. You can actually go to upscale hipster bars and see people ordering PBR for $12 bucks a pint (not kidding)


30 posted on 08/04/2015 11:05:20 AM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
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To: aquila48

It seems everywhere likes American beer. We were on a small island in the Bahamas where one gal at the resort was the greeter, bartender, showed you to your room, etc.
We were going into town to the liquor store to stock up on rum and asked if she wanted/needed anything. She said...yeah, bring me back some imported beer! We said which one? Her answer was Bud. We laughed! We brought her back a 6.


31 posted on 08/04/2015 11:07:59 AM PDT by sheana
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To: ctdonath2

Bud/Coors Lite are only good on a very hot day, when you are outside and you need something to go down like water.


32 posted on 08/04/2015 11:09:06 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Democrats are parasites. It really is that simple.)
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To: C19fan
5 or 6 years ago I tried my first light- or is it Lite? beer from a batch I had confiscated as a security guard at a beach resort. I got it nice and cold before I poured it. I didn't finish it. It was like drinking Club Soda with soft bubbles. In truth I am not a beer drinker but when I have been doing strenuous physical work in the hot sun for a few hours only a cold beer is appropriate, the stronger tasting the better.

A friend here is the president of the local Home Brewing Society. I get to try out some very good beers from time to time. If some of the things his club come up with were in the stores, I might well become a beer drinker.

33 posted on 08/04/2015 11:09:13 AM PDT by arthurus (it's true!)
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To: C19fan

Originally, the water was the critical component. Hard water, and light-colored lagers come out the best, soft water, brown ales. Add to that fermentation temps (climate) and how the grain grows in your region, and you get regional beers.

Today we can engineer the water and select components, but if you are an established brewery you’ll continue to brew what your customers want. So if you start making light lagers without much flavor that must be cold to be enjoyable, that’s what you brew today.

Brewing something like Bud or Miller is not easy to do. You can’t hide a mistake behind a dark color or strong flavor (so batch-to-batch consistency is tough as input materials change), and chill haze is always a problem.


34 posted on 08/04/2015 11:09:50 AM PDT by DBrow
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To: C19fan

From friends of mine who have traveled to Europe, they will say it’s because American beer is pasteurized. The Euro beer (and cheese) is not and is out of this world delicious.


35 posted on 08/04/2015 11:11:47 AM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: C19fan

Budweiser, Miller, and Coors all brew for the lowest common denominator.


36 posted on 08/04/2015 11:11:56 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: C19fan


37 posted on 08/04/2015 11:12:01 AM PDT by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
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To: Safetgiver
I drink for effect, not taste.

Then this Bud is for you!....lol

38 posted on 08/04/2015 11:12:16 AM PDT by Cold Heat (For Rent....call 1-555-tagline)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

Then drink water.


39 posted on 08/04/2015 11:12:54 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (The world map will be quite different come 20 January 2017.)
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To: saleman

If your goal is to drink large quantities, and I know people that do. Then really high quality beer is just too heavy. An ice cold coors light on a hot day is in no way “bad beer”.

<><><><

LOL.

You’re right, it’s not bad beer, it’s good water.


40 posted on 08/04/2015 11:13:12 AM PDT by dmz
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