Drinkability!?!?!WTF?

I know this has been brought up before, many times, but these d**** bud commercials are killing me. People actually buy this garbage!

Unfortunately this is the ebb and flow, yin and yang, Tom and Jerry, Bartles and James (whatever you want) of the universe. Although we dont necessarily like the 'stinkability' of commercially produced brews (or the folk that consume them on a large scale) but we NEED them.

Cause if it wasnt for ****ty sub par grain piss of beers, then the concoctions we produce in our 6 gallon buckets wouldnt be as superior. In other words, the world needs ****ty beer to make me enjoy mine that much more.
-Me

well, let's see - water is drinkable, right? Hence Bud light is drinkable - and I'm guilty - I like Bud light; not as a beer, but as a drinkable product with a little teeny bit of alcohol in it

it is the crap that makes our homebrews that much more appreciable. the balance in the universe.

I never really cared for budweiser crap honestly. I guess I should be grateful though, it is the first beer I ever tasted.were it not for that, I'd never have had an interest in beer, nor brewing.

Its all relative. Bud Lite's direct competitor is Miller Lite. Their current ad compaign is merely saying that Bud Lite, when compared to Miller Lite, offers a drinking experience that is superior. Again, that statement of drinkability is relative to their direct competitor and isn't necessarily a reflection of how it might be compared to other forms of beer.


Personally I don't get the whole 'lite' beer thing. If I'm interested in cutting calories I am not going to sacrifice taste. I'd rather skip a glass of beer or workout a little longer than subject myself to a 'lite' beer.

Yeah, I just saw a billboard that read "DRINKABILITY", and I thought to myself "WTF is that supposed to mean"? I mean really, think about it...drinkability? I know I could be an ad exec at Anheiser Busch if that's the type of sh*t they're looking for. I guess they realized that 95% of Bud drinkers can only read one or two words before they get board and flip the channel to another NASCAR or NHRA event. Besides, maybe Bud is more drinkable with a big lip of Skoal. If you dipped Citrus Skoal and drank a regular Bud, you wouldn't need the Bud with the fake Lime in it. Hmmm...

Beer ads used to be worse
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLYxRWjHzwQ]YouTube - Bitter Beer Face![/ame]

Beer should never be bitter?

Baldy_Beer_Brewery said:

Beer ads used to be worse

Beer should never be bitter?

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I remember the "Bitter Beer Face". Funny adds.

Time to open another IPA

Craig

Considering my neighbor drinks a 30 pack of Bud lite a night.....I guess the commercial has a valid point..... Although I'm a little embarrassed to say that sometimes he only has 29..... because when I stop over one magically appears in my hand..... Never turn down free beer (no mater what it taste like...)

I'm not sure I see the problem...drinkability makes sense to me.

How many times have you read someone on here describe a beer as being very quaffable. What do you think that means?

It's like the difference between my winter brown and my irish red. The winter brown is delicious but at 8.1% I like 8oz in a snifter and sip it for a while, but my irish red is refreshing and I can gulp down a few pints.

We've been describing beers this way for a while, it's what makes a session beer a session beer.

Sadly, many people think "drinking beer" means chugging down a gallon of beer as fast as you can pop open the cans.

That's the problem...

I'd like to see someone try to drink a gallon of my Christmas beer in three hours... (even though it'd be a waste of good beer...) it's 10.5% ABV. They'd probably pass out half way through the third pint.

Coastarine said:

How many times have you read someone on here describe a beer as being very quaffable. What do you think that means?

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I wouldn't be surprised if their marketing team contemplated using the word "quaffable". But it probably got shot down because "Joe Sixpack" wouldn't understand.

So, that is a good point, but I still think there is a difference between quaffable and drinkable, even if that's what they meant. To drink is simply to swallow a liquid, to quaff is "to drink a beverage, esp. an intoxicating one, copiously and with hearty enjoyment." (Dictionary.com)

I think what they're aiming for is that they have an "ale" that goes down easy, compared to "those other, craft-brewed ales." So, it's really a shot at non-BMC beer in general, in order to perpetuate them defining to the moo-cow public what beer is... so craft beer can continue to be a "novelty".

"Sadly, many people think "drinking beer" means chugging down a gallon of beer as fast as you can pop open the cans.

That's the problem..."

Nope...from the brewer/advertising side of the equation....that's the person this ad is aimed at, not a problem at all. More beer your customer drinks at a session...the more money they make. Of course craft beer does cost more (for more kick) but I would venture to guess that gallon for gallon...BMC has a much higher profit margin.... I may not like the ad...but.... it does what it is suppossed to do. It aims at a certain market and problably scores big with that crowd. It is what it is....

Yes you have a good point. The big breweries have fatter margins than craft breweries, and they sell a LOT more product to boot.

Bud is more drinkable than Camo or Cobra, but I'd drink a PBR over a bud any day.

I dont get the problem. Seems like a perfect marketing strategy that pretty much nails their target market. Its alot easier to let a light lager slide down your throat than a double ipa. Dont like it dont drink it.

For what it's worth, on that Discovery show that was just on, the dude from Pilner Urquell had a fairly decent description of "drinkability" in relation to the taste and bitterness of PU. At least I bought it...

I work at a pretty new (1.5 years) microbrewery in the middle of Kansas.

The owner and I were working on a new radio ad. I told him he needed to remove the work "drinkable" because we didn't want people to think of Bud when they heard our ad. He was mad because we had been using "drinkable" in our description of our flagship beer for the last year and a half, and Bud comes along and steals the word in the past couple months.

Of course, we were using it like "quaffable" not to describe how close the beer is to water.

I resent the fact that Bud is insinuating that other beers are "un-drinkable". Hey, at least I dont' put friggin RICE in my beer!

Superdave said:

and Bud comes along and steals the word in the past couple months.

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It's been on the Bud bottle for years. Off the top of my head here's the label quote

"This is the famous Budweiser Beer. We know of no brand produced by any other brewer which costs so much to brew and age. Our exclusive beechwood aging produces a taste, smoothness and drinkability you will find in no beer at any cost."

Then again I am rusty on that quote.

It's worth putting up with the BMC beers and some of their dumb ads for the fact that they also come up with some of the freakin' FUNNIEST commercials around.

They do come up with funny ads, but this is ridiculous. I guess I was just pissed that they kept showing these ads during my football, while I was drinking some Homebrew. It is much more drinkable. I love how, in the one commercial they start out by explaining what drinkability means. On a side note, I was at my local microbrew the other day and they were having a band and it was fairly crowded and some d*****bag walked in with a couple hotties and ordered a pitcher of Coors Light. everyone at the bar all broke into laughter at the same instant. Friggin hilarious!

onejdn said:

On a side note, I was at my local microbrew the other day and they were having a band and it was fairly crowded and some d*****bag walked in with a couple hotties and ordered a pitcher of Coors Light. everyone at the bar all broke into laughter at the same instant. Friggin hilarious!

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In a microbrew ordering coors? Ugh. If I go cheap I go PBR, only ultra cheap beer I can stomach (and I don't order that stuff in a public bar unless it's on $0.50 per pint day)

I guess I failed to mention that the brewery only serves it's own beers and they are displayed prominently.

onejdn said:

I guess I failed to mention that the brewery only serves it's own beers and they are displayed prominently.

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Priceless

I think that it is an appropriate marketing campaign. "Drinkability" is part of the "overall impression" category when reviewing beers. I think that this Bud Light campaign is attempting to reach out to craft beer drinkers in that regard. It's also the beginnings of a possible beer education that they can use to ease people towards their new American Ale.

In general, it's a good description that many would agree with. I've seen many people say that there's an appropriate time and place for just about every beer. This statement is usually followed with "I'd drink a few Bud Light's or PBRs after mowing the lawn or doing some yardwork." Heck, even BJCP style guidelines states that the overall impression should be "very refreshing and thirst quenching."

Now that I've said that, I won't be having a BL smoothie any time soon, but I can see where they're coming from. I understand the desire to bash BMC, but they are accurate examples of certain styles. I can also see that the ads work. I saw a neighbor the other week bringing a 30 pack into the building. They told me how they hadn't bought any beer in a few weeks, but seeing all those drinkability commercials gave them the itch to go out and pick some up. Seems like as good a reason as any to get DVR

Like water, BL is very drinkable. Like water, it is also very pissable. My brews don't keep me in the bathroom nearly as much as when I was an ignorant beer drinker and thought MGD was actually good (many years ago).

meh, BL is a perfect "functional" beer for parties/drinking games etc.

I work in radio (second job, mostly for fun) and really like the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercials they've been doing the last few years...

Bud Light Real Men of Genius Commercials ... Listen Now! - The Fun Times Guide

Best Cheap beer there is, is Red Stripe. And the only beer i ever liked that had rice in it was Sapporo.

Red Stripe is not even close to inexpensive beer. I wouldn't even call Bud Light inexpensive.

Cheap is a different story, but if I'm going to drink cheap beer, it might as well be inexpensive, too. That's why I support my local High Life and keep my fridge stocked with the 30 packs I get for $14 at BJ's.

I wouldn't call it my beer of choice, but it's definitely my beer of choice for the price.

must... buy... bud... light... drinkability...

cactusgarrett said:

For what it's worth, on that Discovery show that was just on, the dude from Pilner Urquell had a fairly decent description of "drinkability" in relation to the taste and bitterness of PU. At least I bought it...

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I saw that too. I think it went something like this: "When you drink the beer.....it makes the thirsty...and this is drinkability."

I wonder if he was taking a deliberate stab at those commercials. But he is correct, Pilsner Urquell, on tap, is one of the most drinkable beers I've ever had. I only know one place around here that serves it on tap and it's this little Czechoslovakian restaurant that serves them by the liter.

I still think the term "Drinkable" is ridiculous. Thirst-quenching, refreshing, smooth...these terms describe a beer, Drinkable implies that there are certain beers not fit for human consumption. Oh wait...that's Bud. Does that make it an oxymoron? Regardless, still don't find it to be an accurate description of a beer or a description at all really.

Are you serious? 4 pages of posts on this one word? You all know what it means, that that is, essentially, "quaffability".

Evan! said:

Are you serious? 4 pages of posts on this one word? You all know what it means, that that is, essentially, "quaffability".

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Yeah but it's difficult to make fun of "quaffability" because it generally implies an alcoholic beverage. "Drinkability" lends itself to being taken literally, and is much easier to make fun of for a beer jerk like me.:cross: But, in my own defence, I made fun of Delaware's governor for her "Livable Delaware Agenda" in the same way.

When I know I'm going to be drinking a lot of beer such as a poker night or a day of foot ball, Bud is my favorite hands down. Black Label is my second favorite, and Bud light is my third. Bud light is all my brother will drink....well he will have a few Harpoon IPAs ones in a wile.

Every type of beer has its time and place.

onejdn said:

I still think the term "Drinkable" is ridiculous. Thirst-quenching, refreshing, smooth...these terms describe a beer, Drinkable implies that there are certain beers not fit for human consumption. Oh wait...that's Bud. Does that make it an oxymoron? Regardless, still don't find it to be an accurate description of a beer or a description at all really.

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Drinkability is an accepted term that descibes a particular aspect of beer. Beer Drinkability When used on a beer tasting score sheet, or in another beer geek way, it takes on additional meaning other than "liquid that won't kill you."

Try to not think of it as "drinkable - able to drink." Think of it as "drinkability - ability to drink many." While a barleywine is drinkable, it does not have drinkability. A crisp Kolsch with a dry finish will beg me to keep on putting it to my lips and drink again and again.

What we can collectively be ticked about, is how any time that we describe a beer as having drinkability (which I don't see onejdn doing any time soon ), bud light is going to immediately pop into most people's heads now. Although, looking around the net some, it seems like the typical consumer has a similar reaction. "Of course I can drink it, friggin idiots!"