Summertime Adjunct Lagers

It's Memorial Day weekend, so summer's officially here (although you wouldn't know it if ya lived in Mpls today, cold n rainy). I'm guessing I'm like many other beer lovers out there, and summertime means lots of lawnmower beer. I'm wondering what everyone's favorite not-so-craft light lager is. For me, it's a toss up between Coors' Banquet and good ol' PBR, and my wife is a Miller Lite girl when she's not drinking craft. So my vote is split between those three. Let's see what everyone else thinks.....

MGD64 is my go to lawnmower. Of course the champagne of beers (Miller) wasn't on the list but it runs a close second to me.

I didn't answer because my favorite is my own cream ale.

I am drinking my Fizzy Yellow Beer right at this moment. It's a good lawnmower beer, but all malt and no adjuncts.

Hammy71 said:

MGD64 is my go to lawnmower. Of course the champagne of beers (Miller) wasn't on the list but it runs a close second to me.

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Sure it is.... I figured that as a #2 brand for MillerCoors, but I agree, it's better than MGD.

Yooper said:

I didn't answer because my favorite is my own cream ale.

I am drinking my Fizzy Yellow Beer right at this moment. It's a good lawnmower beer, but all malt and no adjuncts.

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We could count that as 'other'. My goal this summer is to brew something as quaffable and thirst quenching as my favorites. I'm thinking cream ale and wheat beer should be high on that list.

I like a good German or Bo Pilsner... Spaten does the job quite well, also Staropramen or Warsteiner... Sweetwater 420 is a great pool-side beer

wailingguitar said:

I like a good German or Bo Pilsner... Spaten does the job quite well, also Staropramen or Warsteiner... Sweetwater 420 is a great pool-side beer

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Yeah, Spaten and Staropramen are great warm weather brews. I actually think Beck's is pretty satisfying on a hot day. Not a fan of Warstiener, but I do enjoy a variety of German and Bohemian pilsners when it's hot out. I've never thought of those as adjunct lagers though, especially the German ones. Are they? Can they be? Either way..... one of my favorite pilsners in the summer is Summit's. Very nice, refreshing beer.

craft or nothing baby, for summer I got with Abita's strawberry lager or a Hefeweizen.

put craft just because I drink Shiner Hefeweizen with a slice of lemon. You may not call that a craft but it ain't BMC either.

I just picked up a chest freezer and I'm waiting for my temperature controller in the mail, so until I can start attempting to replicate PBR, I'll have to give my vote to PBR.

phenry said:

I just picked up a chest freezer and I'm waiting for my temperature controller in the mail, so until I can start attempting to replicate PBR, I'll have to give my vote to PBR.

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:rockin: now that's devotion!!! And a real challenge, tough to brew a good one.



To the 'craft or GTFO' crowd, don't get me wrong... I drink a $h!t ton of hefe's, blonds, and other light craft beers in the summer. But sometimes, don't ya ever just get a craving for fizzy, yellow, thirst quenching liquid America in a can?!

Is it wrong of me to crave Modelo Especial on an American holiday? If so I vote SN Summerfest. My favorite Summer beer and favorite SN beer. (I know not adjunct)

Voted for MGD as I normally pick up a 12 pack or two during the summer. Just as I submitted my vote I remembered Bells Oarsman. The slight sourness of this beer makes it go down oh so easy after mowing the lawn.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

:rockin: now that's devotion!!! And a real challenge, tough to brew a good one.

To the 'craft or GTFO' crowd, don't get me wrong... I drink a $h!t ton of hefe's, blonds, and other light craft beers in the summer. But sometimes, don't ya ever just get a craving for fizzy, yellow, thirst quenching liquid America in a can?!

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No. If I want something pale yellow and easy to drink, I'll go with a craft pilsner or kolsch. It's just my preference. I see no need to waste calories or money on something I don't actually enjoy.

SwampassJ said:

Is it wrong of me to crave Modelo Especial on an American holiday?

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No, I love Especial. Great light lager, IMO.

And yeah, Summerfest is excellent, I always try to keep that around in the summer.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

Yeah, Spaten and Staropramen are great warm weather brews. I actually think Beck's is pretty satisfying on a hot day. Not a fan of Warstiener, but I do enjoy a variety of German and Bohemian pilsners when it's hot out. I've never thought of those as adjunct lagers though, especially the German ones. Are they? Can they be? Either way..... one of my favorite pilsners in the summer is Summit's. Very nice, refreshing beer.

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No, I don't believe any of them are... but I don't really drink any adjunct lagers and that is as close as I could get! Funny thing, there are a few that I can stand; Heilmann's Old Style, Blatz (is it still made?), I don't HATE Coors, Weinhard's, etc., but I don't really think of them as 'summer' beer per se... I don't actually find them as thirst quenching as a proper Pils. *shrug*... I think it's that a) corn adjunct beers always have a weird sweetness to me, even when thin and b) rice adjunct beers give me an INSTANT headache, which is not good when you're already overheated and feeling bleh!

**** I've drank an Imperial Stout on the beach in the middle of summer, and enjoyed every bit of it. I will never buy cheap beer, unless I'm broke and out of homebrew. Usually ends up being in the summer too. Last year I bought a case of PBR to drink at the rock quarry swimming hole.

As for this weekend. Well, our AC went out yesterday, its high 90's, my last keg ran dry, so I threw some old Budweiser in the fridge my friend left here and I'm drinking that. I had an aged can yesterday that was awful. This bottle less aged is much better.

I'm also not opposed to drinking free Bud Light, or any cheap beer, if I have no other alternative. If it's hot, yes I'd like a beer.

Shiner Bock for me. Better than BMC, what a Lite beer should be.

wailingguitar said:

No, I don't believe any of them are... but I don't really drink any adjunct lagers and that is as close as I could get! Funny thing, there are a few that I can stand; Heilmann's Old Style, Blatz (is it still made?), I don't HATE Coors, Weinhard's, etc., but I don't really think of them as 'summer' beer per se... I don't actually find them as thirst quenching as a proper Pils. *shrug*... I think it's that a) corn adjunct beers always have a weird sweetness to me, even when thin and b) rice adjunct beers give me an INSTANT headache, which is not good when you're already overheated and feeling bleh!

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Funny, I just grabbed a case of Old Style yesterday. Old favorite of mine, little light on flavor, but what's there is good, a lot like Hamm's in that sense.

I get the sweetness in a lot of adjunct lagers, but I don't mind it. It's actually what I like about Coors' Banquet and Keystone. The rice thing I totally get, I think that's why most AB beers, especially Bud Light get to me if I drink more than one or two.

Outta curiosity, what's your take on the whole 'double' or 'imperial' pils thing? There's a few that I really dig, but they don't scratch the same itch that a well made Bohemian, or even German pils does, IMO.

I like to make a simple smoked wheat ale...My all grain brewer friends thought it was pretty spectacular.

6LBS wheat malt extract
3LBS Weyermann Rauch Malt
Use any good fresh noble hop pellets or leaf.
Safale 05


Thats it...

Gennesee Cream Ale. Put down quite a few of them at yesterday's BBQ. But, Blue Point Toasted Lager comes in cans now, so I put down quite a few of them also.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

Funny, I just grabbed a case of Old Style yesterday. Old favorite of mine, little light on flavor, but what's there is good, a lot like Hamm's in that sense.

I get the sweetness in a lot of adjunct lagers, but I don't mind it. It's actually what I like about Coors' Banquet and Keystone. The rice thing I totally get, I think that's why most AB beers, especially Bud Light get to me if I drink more than one or two.

Outta curiosity, what's your take on the whole 'double' or 'imperial' pils thing? There's a few that I really dig, but they don't scratch the same itch that a well made Bohemian, or even German pils does, IMO.

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The A/B thing is crazy for me... the worst probably was in '94, wife and I were at Busch Gardens, Tampa. Mid to late afternoon we toured the brewery and went to the hospitality room.. FREE BEER! I was excited... of course, they didn't even have Mic Dark... ended up with a 12oz cup of Michelob. One was enough, didn't want to waste time drinking beer I didn't like Within 2 minutes of leaving the tasting room the headache started... it came on with great speed and intensity... told the wife I didn't want to get on a roller coaster just then... so we thought the monorail ride around the animal habitat would be a good idea. UNFORTUNATELY, it turned out that the Busch Gardens monorail was NOTHING like the one at WDW...WDW smoooooth.. B.G. bounce-rattle-bounce ... she said I turned green and started sweating... all I remember was praying for swift death and unconsciousness before I puked... some dear soul handed me a Coke to sip on, thank God... it got me through!

Heilmann's, I agree it may not have a strong flavor, but it is nice... more 'beery' than most of the others. I'm not sure if I have ever had Hamm's, I don't remember for certain, but I know it has a rep as being good for what it is.

Double Pils? Ummmm Never had one... might be willing to try it... seems like it would be close to a Maibock or even DoppelHelles, maybe... although a tad hoppier... I would probably LIKE it, but don't think it would be a thirst quenching beer.... Of course, my Bo Pils is on the upper edge at 14P anyway

Speaking of Doppelbock and Maibock, I have a beer I need to keg! A sort of Doppel/Maibock .. 8# 2row, 8# Munich 7, 2 oz Tett for 60 min (24IBU), 1 oz Tett 5 min... OG 21P S-23. I meant to keg it weeks ago, but stuff happens.

Airborneguy said:

Gennesee Cream Ale. Put down quite a few of them at yesterday's BBQ. But, Blue Point Toasted Lager comes in cans now, so I put down quite a few of them also.

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Genny Cream FTW!!!!

Are they available to you in the hand grenade bottles? (that's half the fun of drinking 'em!)

No! I looked for the vintage cans or bottles and all they had were the regular ones.

thughes said:

Genny Cream FTW!!!!

Are they available to you in the hand grenade bottles? (that's half the fun of drinking 'em!)

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I LOVELOVELOVE stubbies! When I was a kid, pretty much all the beer dad bought (whatever it was... Blatz, Carling Black Label, etc.) was in stubbies... they say "beer" to me more than a long neck does to this day.

wailingguitar said:

Double Pils? Ummmm Never had one... might be willing to try it... seems like it would be close to a Maibock or even DoppelHelles, maybe... although a tad hoppier... I would probably LIKE it, but don't think it would be a thirst quenching beer.... Of course, my Bo Pils is on the upper edge at 14P anyway

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The one's I like are hoppy like an APA, but crisp and clean like a Pils. Some are just over the top hoppy, which is odd with a 'pils' malt profile. I think Victory's Prima Pils is pretty good for the 'style', but not quite as high gravity as some of the others. O'Dells makes one called Double Pilsner that's pretty high gravity for something with the tag 'pilsner' on it.... I think it's pushing 8% abv. And yeah, they are somewhat like a Helles, or a hopped up Dortmunder. Not thirst quenchers, but a fun beer to drink.

And man, sounds like you get it rough from rice adjuncts. I get a splitting headache for sure, but I can usually handle one or two pints before that kicks in. If you're an Old Style guy, try Hamm's if you can get it. It's probably tastier than OS, but at least as light in the flavor dept.

wailingguitar said:

When I was a kid, pretty much all the beer dad bought (whatever it was... Blatz, Carling Black Label, etc.) was in stubbies... they say "beer" to me more than a long neck does to this day.

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I know whatcha mean. Dad was an Old Style or Carling guy when we were growing up, so things like the vintage labels or stubby bottles always bring back the memories.
And man, I wish I could find those throwback Genny cans/bottles here in the cities. Just the regular label longnecks at the stores I've been to. Coors' has throwback cans out, which are pretty sweet, I think there's 4 different vintage cans out there.

I LOVELOVELOVE stubbies!

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That's what she said!!!

Now, back to my refreshing Banquet beer. Goes perfect with these sloppy joes. :rockin:

So, I have brewed up a Kolsch for last summer and again this summer. I loves me some kolsch in the summer. But just for the fun of it, I selected other....

Genny Creamers FTW! Dirt cheap. Some flavor to it. Tastes good ice cold on a hot day. You know, today is supposed to be 92 here....

On a side note, I have about 4 cases of the old style Genesee returnable 16 ouncers. Those thing are great! Perfect size for when I want more than a 12 ounce, but I don't usually go for bombers on any given night. Also when you are done drinking the homebrew, you can use those empties to club baby seals. They are heavy.

wailingguitar said:

Speaking of Doppelbock and Maibock, I have a beer I need to keg! A sort of Doppel/Maibock .. 8# 2row, 8# Munich 7, 2 oz Tett for 60 min (24IBU), 1 oz Tett 5 min... OG 21P S-23. I meant to keg it weeks ago, but stuff happens.

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I kegged this today.. and a dry stout as well... initial taste was MMMM... I fear this is going to be a too easy to drink beer...

Drank Hamm's today while brewing a Gose.

Andrewtherooster said:

Drank Hamm's today while brewing a Gose.

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Bet that was...... refreshing!

My own American Lager or a good old Sierra Navada Pale Ale does the trick for me on those scorchin days. But you know what..... I can't say I ever had a "Bad Beer" on those scorchin hot days either, just some are colder than others.

Here in the south,can't get much better than a good cream ale in the summer heat.

nothing is better than mowing the yard with a cenntenial blonde in the cupholder.

My absolute favorite hot weather beer is 21A Hell or High Watermelon. Easy to drink, thirst quenching and delicious.

pentachris said:

My absolute favorite hot weather beer is 21A Hell or High Watermelon. Easy to drink, thirst quenching and delicious.

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Oh man, I love just about everything I've tried from that brewery, and thought just that last summer. So I bought a 6 pack of the Hell or High Watermelon last summer...........








I still have 5 cans sitting on a shelf somewhere.
Great brewery though, I'm so glad that the Bitter American is a regular now, easily one of my favorite APAs out there and a great hot weather brew.

I like the fact that Shiner is getting some love on here. Honestly my in is Shiner Ruby Red for the summer. The problem is I can drink it like water.

I seriously feel like I'm throwing my money if I buy most of the BMC stuff. I'll either drink a beer that I really enjoy or I won't drink. I'll drink a few Bud Light Limes if the wife gets some though. My summer beer of choice is St Arnolds Summer Pils.

tom_gamer said:

I like the fact that Shiner is getting some love on here. Honestly my in is Shiner Ruby Red for the summer. The problem is I can drink it like water.

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I've gotten away from SHiner a bit but I bought a box o bocks a few weekends ago when I went fishing. I really enjoyed it. I can't stomach the Redbird though.

EllisTX said:

I've gotten away from SHiner a bit but I bought a box o bocks a few weekends ago when I went fishing. I really enjoyed it. I can't stomach the Redbird though.

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I've never really been a fan of Shiner's beer. The bock is decent, but not really what I'd call a bock, more of a flavorful brown lager of sorts. The other's I've had, Smokehaus and the white, were both unpalatable at best. I did get a sweet Smokehaus pinty when I ordered the beer, but that was the best thing about it.
St. Arnold's Lawnmower is ok, and their Elissa IPA is good (but not an IPA). When i lived in DFW, I'd get St. Arnold's from time to time, but more because the beer selection at most places there is on par with our gas stations up here. Most places I shopped at had AB, MillerCoors, a few imports, Shiner, Abita and St. Arnold's, maybe a few nationals like SN and Boston Beer Co., if you were lucky (but they charge such astronomical prices for even cheap beer down there). Central Market had a good beer selection, but after all the taxes and markups in TX, not to mention CM's incredibly high prices, it wasn't really worth it to shop there. Luckily I was only there temporarily for work..... I'm a Yankee for sure, but I'm no D@mn Yankee.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

I've never really been a fan of Shiner's beer. The bock is decent, but not really what I'd call a bock, more of a flavorful brown lager of sorts. The other's I've had, Smokehaus and the white, were both unpalatable at best. I did get a sweet Smokehaus pinty when I ordered the beer, but that was the best thing about it.
St. Arnold's Lawnmower is ok, and their Elissa IPA is good (but not an IPA). When i lived in DFW, I'd get St. Arnold's from time to time, but more because the beer selection at most places there is on par with our gas stations up here. Most places I shopped at had AB, MillerCoors, a few imports, Shiner, Abita and St. Arnold's, maybe a few nationals like SN and Boston Beer Co., if you were lucky (but they charge such astronomical prices for even cheap beer down there). Central Market had a good beer selection, but after all the taxes and markups in TX, not to mention CM's incredibly high prices, it wasn't really worth it to shop there. Luckily I was only there temporarily for work..... I'm a Yankee for sure, but I'm no D@mn Yankee.

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I don't drink any of the other St Arnold beers other than the Summer Pils and when someone gets a cask of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout(which is incredible). I think Shiner and St Arnold both aim for the middle of road on most of their offerings.

Oh. St Arnold came out with an Imperial IPA that is very drinkable, Endeavour.

EllisTX said:

I don't drink any of the other St Arnold beers other than the Summer Pils and when someone gets a cask of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout(which is incredible). I think Shiner and St Arnold both aim for the middle of road on most of their offerings.

Oh. St Arnold came out with an Imperial IPA that is very drinkable, Endeavour.

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You're not the first to say that their Imp. Stout is amazing. Is it a cask only brew? My folks live in TX, so I'll have to keep an eye out for the IIPA next time I'm visiting.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

You're not the first to say that their Imp. Stout is amazing. Is it a cask only brew? My folks live in TX, so I'll have to keep an eye out for the IIPA next time I'm visiting.

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Cask is the only way I've ever had it. I don't think they've ever bottled it unless it was a Divine. Their Pumpkinator is an Imperial Stout and is the only pumpkin beer I've ever liked.