Favorite/Worst Cheap Beer?

[crazyjake19]

Favorite cheap beer: Utica Club Pilsner 12pk/$10
Favorite really cheap beer: Milwaukee's Best Light 30pk/$14.48
Beer I wouldn't serve to my worst enemy: Heineken

 

[JAReeves]

I have a problem with almost all lagers, too much banana and bubblegum for my palette from the yeast; but I will say the worst one that beats the terrible sweet corn flavor of Bud Light was the Yuengling Draft I had in Philly. The bartender at the airport even comped it based on the expression on my face and gave me something else.

Fave cheap beer? If its not my home-brew, then Sierra Nevada. That's as cheap as I can go.

 

[Beerstein]

1. HW Blue boar
2. Michelob ICE. // somebody sold their soul for this amount of disgusting.

 

[Tennessee57]

Favorite Beer: Heineken .....Drink Heineken.....you'll feel fine again!
Favorite cheap Beer: Milwaukee's Best Ice. ( Ice Beer is my favorite kind of beer)

 

[Cameronl]

I just got back from visiting my son in northern Wisconsin. He is devoted to Hamm's. I had plenty of it while there, and I'll admit that I liked it.

 

[wsmith1625]

I just got back from visiting my son in northern Wisconsin. He is devoted to Hamm's. I had plenty of it while there, and I'll admit that I liked it.
View attachment 878733

I also enjoy Hamm's. Being in NJ, I had no idea what it was when it showed up in my local liquor store. I read about it on HBT so I gave it a try and was surprised by how clean and refreshing it is. I do wish it had a bit more hops, but for the price you can't beat it.

 

[Broothru]

I also enjoy Hamm's. Being in NJ, I had no idea what it was when it showed up in my local liquor store. I read about it on HBT so I gave it a try and was surprised by how clean and refreshing it is. I do wish it had a bit more hops, but for the price you can't beat it.

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters. Mmm, Hamm’s!

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Haven't had Hamms since college, but I remember it being decent.
The (cheap/lousy) beer that has scarred me forever (also during college days) involved a drunken campout on a small sandbar island in the middle of the Mississippi river near LaCrosse WI. Our buddy's boat wouldn't start the next morning, it was hot as balls, and THE ONLY thing we had to drink was warm Carling Black Label. I think we were stuck there until mid afternoon before someone finally stopped to assist.

Fave cheap beer now: probably Coors light.

 

[Rish]

Carling Black Label

That is the only beer I can remember that I opened and couldn't finish and it was cold. Musta been hell for y'all!
Favorite cheap beer is Keystone Light.

 

[rlrohan]

Schlitz was the one and only beer I couldn't finish. Had one on tap long time ago in a bar in Chicago. Couldn't finish it. Maybe it was a bad barrel but I have never wanted to give it a second chance.

 

[Cameronl]

Schlitz was the one and only beer I couldn't finish. Had one on tap long time ago in a bar in Chicago. Couldn't finish it. Maybe it was a bad barrel but I have never wanted to give it a second chance.

The kind of bar that would have Schlitz on tap is probably not cleaning the tap lines as frequently as they should, so who knows.

 

[AzOr]

PBR for cheap beer.
For a medium cheap beer- Peter’s Brand Dutch Lager from Trader Joe’s. That’s actually my favorite camping/fishing beer.

 

[kylewag]

Favorite cheap beer, and I mean cheaper than Budweiser, is Miller High Life.
Worst was Carling Black Label. Granted I haven't had it in 25 years so my tastes may have changed since then.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Remember back in the’70’s when the generic products hit the grocery store? The packaging was always plain white and just had the product name in black block letters and the obligatory product information panel.
I was on campus then, without transportation, but walked over to the A&P a few times to buy “BEER”

(Down in the fine print along the bottom of the can, you could read that it was made by Falstaff)

 

[Miraculix]

Remember back in the’70’s when the generic products hit the grocery store? The packaging was always plain white and just had the product name in black block letters and the obligatory product information panel.
I was on campus then, without transportation, but walked over to the A&P a few times to buy “BEER”

(Down in the fine print along the bottom of the can, you could read that it was made by Falstaff)

View attachment 878868

There's a version of this in Germany called "5.0" because it has 5% abv. It is a really decent beer! They got different versions, all are good but the pils is the best if you ask me.

 

[rallenhall]

Favorite cheap bar beer: PBR ... cut my teeth on those 3.2% redcaps over half a century ago.
Favorite cheap beer to bring home: Narragansett

 

[jdubdvdt]

Favorite Cheap Beer - Yuengling Traditional
Favorite Cheap Beer when it is really hot outside - Modelo Especial or Miller Lite
Worst Cheap Beer - Natural Light probably

 

[Broothru]

Favorite Cheap Beer - Yuengling Traditional
Favorite Cheap Beer when it is really hot outside - Modelo Especial or Miller Lite
Worst Cheap Beer - Natural Light probably

What? Nobody mentioned National Bohemian? O.K., I live in Maryland, but I don't like Natty Bo!

 

[fluketamer]

favorite cheap beer - easy - PBR
worst cheap beer very difficult there are so many. if i had to choose off the top of my head natural lite ice is really bad.

there are a ton of expensive beers that are worse tho. sam adams pumpkin beer is horrendous. i could stomach a natty lite ice but could never finish a bottle of sam adams pumpkin.

 

[Miraculix]

I can honestly say that I've never ever had a pumpkin beer and I'm not looking forward to changing that. But one never knows

 

[titleguy99]

I didn’t see any votes here for Genesee Cream Ale. I had my first taste on beer with one many years ago and while I haven’t had one in years I probably could still stomach one.

 

[fluketamer]

Remember back in the’70’s when the generic products hit the grocery store? The packaging was always plain white and just had the product name in black block letters and the obligatory product information panel.
I was on campus then, without transportation, but walked over to the A&P a few times to buy “BEER”

(Down in the fine print along the bottom of the can, you could read that it was made by Falstaff)

View attachment 878868

it was in the "no frills " aisle

I didn’t see any votes here for Genesee Cream Ale. I had my first taste on beer with one many years ago and while I haven’t had one in years I probably could still stomach one.

i love jenny screamers when i can find one.

 

[agentbud]

Remember back in the’70’s when the generic products hit the grocery store? The packaging was always plain white and just had the product name in black block letters and the obligatory product information panel.
I was on campus then, without transportation, but walked over to the A&P a few times to buy “BEER”

(Down in the fine print along the bottom of the can, you could read that it was made by Falstaff)

View attachment 878868

Absolutely I remember. 40+ years later, I still have an unopened can because even as a broke college kid I could not bring myself to drink it:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/favorite-worst-cheap-beer.694541/post-9150317

 

[wdavis2003]

There's only 1 correct answer and it's "The national beer of Texas"

 

[balrog]

I didn’t see any votes here for Genesee Cream Ale. I had my first taste on beer with one many years ago and while I haven’t had one in years I probably could still stomach one.

I was kinda surprised at this as well.

So, you know, +1 vote.

 

[rmr9]

I didn’t see any votes here for Genesee Cream Ale. I had my first taste on beer with one many years ago and while I haven’t had one in years I probably could still stomach one.

Second the Genny Cream. I always pick up a 12 pack when I’m back home. Perfect lawnmower beer!

 

[balrog]

Second the Genny Cream. I always pick up a 12 pack when I’m back home. Perfect lawnmower beer!

Pfffsh! Amateur. 30 pack for $17.

Maybe my lawn is bigger.

Maybe.

 

[MaxStout]

Two beers that actually made me ill, and not in the "simply too much to drink" way.

Black Label. I lived in a state where it wasn't distributed, and I had only heard of it back then (1970s). Had a buddy who was an OTC truck driver and he brought home a case one time. "I got a kennel of black labs! Come over and help us drink it." I had several, but not more than my typical Saturday night session. Sunday I was quite green around the gills.

Stroh's. They started distributing in my state in the '80s, so curiosity got the better of me. I bought a sixer and brought it to a house party. I think I gave away a couple and I drank the rest. IIRC, it actually tasted pretty good. But next day I was talkin' to ralph on the big white telephone. Never had beers that gut punched me quite like that.

 

[Cameronl]

Really? Never had a next day case of the Genny Splats? Or the Genny Screamers? There was a difference, though I won't go into it.

I've always heard of the Genny screamers (but not the "splats") but never experienced it (drank plenty). I can't imagine what would be different about Genny Cream that would cause a distinctive reaction (other than by over-indulgence). Still, I prefer regular Genny to the the cream ale.

 

[scrap iron]

When me and the crew were young it was Mickey's Little Kings cream ale as go to for cheap beer. When stationed at Ft Lewis in Washington state I was introduced to Heidelberg beer with the [velvet tang]. Both were ok to my young experiences. Then later when sent to West Germany an Army bro said try a Hofbrau. It was pretty good but I went on to discover really good German beer, after that Mickeys, Coors and the rest just didn't cut it anymore. The tour in West Germany spoiled me and that's the reason I started homebrewing.

 

[Broothru]

When me and the crew were young it was Mickey's Little Kings cream ale as go to for cheap beer. When stationed at Ft Lewis in Washington state I was introduced to Heidelberg beer with the [velvet tang]. Both were ok to my young experiences. Then later when sent to West Germany an Army bro said try a Hofbrau. It was pretty good but I went on to discover really good German beer, after that Mickeys, Coors and the rest just didn't cut it anymore. The tour in West Germany spoiled me and that's the reason I started homebrewing.

Same story of my (brewing) life.

First time in Germany, 1976ish. Drinking Pils and Helles at the Marienplatz in Munich while on a Navy TDY. I'd been a beer fan since my late teens back in the states, since Kansas was an "18" state. Watered down 3.2% AB(W)% Coors and Bud.

Drinking that first beer in Germany was, quite literally, a life-changing event for me. Nothing stateside could compare. I had made rudimentary attempts at brewing beer beforehand, but now I had a mission, to brew a beer like I the ones I'd tasted in Europe.

Now, more than half a century and well over 100 trips to Europe and other beer consuming places on Planet Earth later, I'm still trying to replicate the Master Brewers, and mostly coming up short, though I do have a few success stories to tell. Not to mention a lifetime of good times and camaraderie. Life's too short to drink bad beer.

 

[hungupdown]

In UK.
Lidl's 'Biere Triple'. A wheat beer in swing top bottles is my favourite.
Pretty budget range, but its a really nice wheat beer. And getting a free 750ml swing top, makes it a no brainer.

I bottle 25% - 30% of most batches, for easy transportation. And now only use lever top bottles.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I've always heard of the Genny screamers (but not the "splats") but never experienced it (drank plenty). I can't imagine what would be different about Genny Cream that would cause a distinctive reaction (other than by over-indulgence). Still, I prefer regular Genny to the the cream ale.

"....over-indulgence." Yes.
It just seemed to affect me in ways other beers didn't. Even so, it didn't keep me from drinking it. For a considerable amount of time Genny Cream was my favorite beer.

 

[scrap iron]

Same story of my (brewing) life.

First time in Germany, 1976ish. Drinking Pils and Helles at the Marienplatz in Munich while on a Navy TDY. I'd been a beer fan since my late teens back in the states, since Kansas was an "18" state. Watered down 3.2% AB(W)% Coors and Bud.

Drinking that first beer in Germany was, quite literally, a life-changing event for me. Nothing stateside could compare. I had made rudimentary attempts at brewing beer beforehand, but now I had a mission, to brew a beer like I the ones I'd tasted in Europe.

Now, more than half a century and well over 100 trips to Europe and other beer consuming places on Planet Earth later, I'm still trying to replicate the Master Brewers, and mostly coming up short, though I do have a few success stories to tell. Not to mention a lifetime of good times and camaraderie. Life's too short to drink bad beer.

Looks like we had very similar experiences. When I became legal age Coors was only sold to the east as far as Kansas. We drank that 3.2% beer too. My cousin in the Army at the time loaded up his custom van with cases of Coors and drove it to Indiana where he was stationed at the time. He said it sold out in no time on base.
My tour in Germany was in the mid 80s and I was in beer heaven. I have a nice German Pils on tap now that I've been working to perfect for some time.

 

[Mr. Vern]

Cheap beer has its place but I stay far away from Natural Ice and now the Voodoo Ranger series ($/ABV they are cheap and gross IMHO). Anything with a big fusel hit is not desirable for me.

My wife still loves her Labatt Light and I will get a 12 pack of mass produced IPA for summer heat and swimming. Bell's Official was my goto I guess I like wheat IPA especially under $1. American industrial beers would also include Coors and High Life which I still enjoy. We would always "suck it up" and drink Molson XXX at Red Wing games just because for $10 we wanted more kick, and punishment apparently.

 

[Broothru]

Looks like we had very similar experiences. When I became legal age Coors was only sold to the east as far as Kansas. We drank that 3.2% beer too. My cousin in the Army at the time loaded up his custom van with cases of Coors and drove it to Indiana where he was stationed at the time. He said it sold out in no time on base.
My tour in Germany was in the mid 80s and I was in beer heaven. I have a nice German Pils on tap now that I've been working to perfect for some time.

Summer of ‘72 I was going through Navy jet pilot training in Meridian, MS. The BOQ officer, who was also in charge of the Officer’s Club, commandeered a base transport (grey school bus) and drove from Eastern Mississippi to Oklahoma, loaded it up with kegs and cases of Coors, drove it back to the base and sponsored a Coors’ Night on Friday at the O’club.

Not sure how many State, Federal and military regulations were broken in the process, but the end result was a big success. It was “Smokey and the Bandit” years before it became a thing. Of course the beer was ‘meh’, but the mystique at the time made it all worthwhile.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

San Miguel, not the export. Cheap, plentiful and good.

 

[Broothru]

San Miguel, not the export. Cheap, plentiful and good.

I’ve had San Miguel from Spain to South America to the Philippines. It all tasted the same: absolutely disgusting!

 

[Miraculix]

I’ve had San Miguel from Spain to South America to the Philippines. It all tasted the same: absolutely disgusting!

I can report that the Nepali version is by far the worst.

But it is from Nepal.

So I'm bound by oath to love it. And I love it.

 

[JohnDBrewer]

I’ve had San Miguel from Spain to South America to the Philippines. I

Grew up on the stuff. It brings back great memories. Another beer is Bir Bintang.