Budweiser American Ale?

[phissionkorps]

If your looking for kind words about Budweiser go to a NASCAR message board.

I'm not looking for "kind words" about them per se, I just think it's a little funny that everyone is jumping on a proverbial bandwagon. Drinking that beer and b*tching about it not being hoppy enough is like drinking a hefe and saying it isn't roasty enough.

But then no one should be surprised when a brewery that caters to people with mullets and wheels on their houses produces an ale this boring and one dimensional.

That was exactly my point.

 

[Pelikan]

Looks like this one's inspired some healthy banter. I did end up buying it, for any interested parties.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was about $32 a case, while Saranac IPA was around $25. The American Ale was $22, so I took the plunge. I've written a review of it here, but overall I'd say it's a thoroughly B-ish beer. Really much better than a lot of people let on, but certainly not in the same league as Smuttynose, Rogue, etc. An excellent choice for BBQs, parties, etc (assuming, of course, that you don't have your own brew on hand).

Ultimately, I bought it for the bottles, and am glad I did because they're quite cool. If I was having some type of gathering I'd definitely consider picking it up again.

 

[goodbyebluesky82]

I picked up a 6-er tonight at wal-mart for $5.84. What a total letdown.

Its got that "sharp-full-of-adjuncts-and-straight-from-a-can" american lager taste that regular Budweiser has, even if its technically brewed as an ale.

I detect no hop aroma, there is no malty sweetness whatsoever that I would expect from an American Pale or Amber and very little body which makes me suggest a fair amount of corn or rice, and I'm seriously doubting very much Cascades hops went into this, I just can't pick up on them at all.

Seriously, a Michelob Shock Top has more Cascade flavor than this does.

So its basically a slightly darker Budweiser with slightly more hop bitterness. It lacks any kind of character, distinct hop profile, or body I would expect. I would have spent my 6 bucks more wisely on a 6-pack of Michelob All-Malt Porter or even Killians Red than this. I would drink my old standby Yuengling over this stuff.

*update* Okay the second one wasn't so bad once the disapointment set in. Its more drinkable than regular Bud, but still has that annoying "sharp" taste to it that makes it seem like a reaally cheap beer.

 

[Pelikan]

I really don't think its that terrible. I'd say it's on about the same level as Yuengling. I, personally, don't much care for Yuengling (some type of funk in there I'm not down with), and would choose the AA over Yuengling if the choice had to be made. But really, with all the fantastic beers out there that can be had for about $10 more a case, I wouldn't be buying this again unless strapped for cash. The primary reason I got it was for the bottles, and in that sense it's a winner because the design is pretty cool.

 

[SourHopHead]

How can you compare AA to Yuengling? I do not think they taste anything alike.

 

[Pelikan]

How can you compare AA to Yuengling? I do not think they taste anything alike.

I agree, they taste nothing alike. Yuengling has a funk to it that I just can't get down with. But overall I'd say the two beers are about the same quality, everything considered. Yuengling is about a step or so up from standard BMC, and that's about where I'd place American Ale.

In short, it's not a great beer by any stretch of the imagination. But by the same token it's not the piss a lot of folks make it out to be.

 

[Ben25]

Dumping it out? Come on, I wouldn't even dump out a normal Bud unless something was wrong with it. I think some of the responses here are kind of funny. They remind me of beeradvocate ratings. "NOT ENOUGH HOPS SO ITS ATROCIOUS". It's an American ale, not an APA. Also, you have to realize that not everyone is a big hop fan. I love good beer, but I'd rather drink a stout or porter than an IPA, especially if I'm going to be having more than 2 or so. The thought of something at 100+ IBU makes me want to vomit, which incidentally, would probably be less acidic. Seriously though, it's a decent attempt on AB's part. Apparently some peopled expected them to pull something like Ruination out of a magic hat.

I don't care how much hops it has, I love all different styles of beer. This one just happens to taste like crap.