Favorite/Worst Cheap Beer?

[Tobor_8thMan]

I got all excited when we, wife and I, visited a local restaurant/bar. They had a Genny Cream Ale neon sign at the bar. I could barely contain myself when the waitress appeared. "I'll have a Genny". Unfortunately, I was informed the sign was only for nostalgic purposes. My night was ruined.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

Here in Australia, the mass produced lagers are ok, but maybe 18 months ago I had a Coors in a can. For a super clean summer beer I really like it. And you can drink 1000 of them . I don’t like the bottles as much.

I’ve since been brewing lots of rice lagers with German lager X, and enjoying them when in the mood for something that slips down easy.

XXXX gold on tap would be my aussie pick.

 

[bwible]

1. I just bought a case of Miller High Life for $15. Does that qualify as cheap?
2. Not sure if it’s still made but Meisterbrau was the worst beer ever. Bought a case long ago, could not drink it. We ended up using it to cook hot dogs.

I grew up near the Schmidt’s brewery in Phila. We lived probably less than 5 miles from there. We called it “headache beer”. Always gave you a headache the next morning.

 

[bwible]

There are better beers, and there are cheaper beers, but you'll never find a better cheap beer than Yuengling.

Though, I did go through a Molson Canadian phase when I was traveling to Toronto and Montreal a dozen times a year.

Also, when in Nashville a few years back, a bar owner I was talking with gave me a Schlitz. He insisted I try it, and refused to charge me - he just wanted me to have it to prove it wasn't as bad as I remembered. He was right - it was a totally drinkable and surprisingly enjoyable beer!

Never saw the fascination with Yuengling. Its a lager with carmel color added. Nothing special. (I live in PA)

Molson Golden used to be one of my favorites when I was much younger. Haven’t had it in ages.

I can occassionally find Schaefer beer which is still good. Somebody is still making it. One pizza place I used to go to in Philly had it on tap (!) and that wasn’t a real long time ago. I used to go there and order a pizza and have a Schaefer while I waited for the pizza.

 

[bwible]

Here in Australia, the mass produced lagers are ok, but maybe 18 months ago I had a Coors in a can. For a super clean summer beer I really like it. And you can drink 1000 of them . I don’t like the bottles as much.

I’ve since been brewing lots of rice lagers with German lager X, and enjoying them when in the mood for something that slips down easy.

XXXX gold on tap would be my aussie pick.

I bought Coors Banquet for a Christmas party last year. Just looking for something different. It went over really well.

 

[Bluekat]

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.

Nick Tahoe's in my home town of Rochester, NY always cured the splats and screamers. Late night garbage plates, oh how I miss them!

 

[bwible]

https://www.brewbound.com/news/pabst-brewing-resurrects-schaefer-beer-new-yorks-original-lager/
This was last year. Pabst is brewing Schaefer again in NY.

 

[bwible]

Lot of mentions for PBR. I understand that beer has made a huge comeback in recent years. Guy at one beer distributor here says he has a hard time keeping it in stock. Last time I had it I was eating jambalaya with it and have to say it went well.

 

[bwible]

1) Olympia or Rainier
2) Coors Light or Rolling Rock

Have not bought Rolling Rock since it was acquired by AB who bought the name and recipe only and abandoned the brewery in Latrobe. And I will never buy it again. I have 2 old bottles unopened that say Latrobe, PA on my shelf

 

[jerrylotto]

Olde Frothingslosh – the pale, stale ale so light that the froth is on the bottom

 

[Brooothru]

Here in Australia, the mass produced lagers are ok, but maybe 18 months ago I had a Coors in a can. For a super clean summer beer I really like it. And you can drink 1000 of them . I don’t like the bottles as much.

I’ve since been brewing lots of rice lagers with German lager X, and enjoying them when in the mood for something that slips down easy.

XXXX gold on tap would be my aussie pick.

WLP-835 (German Lager X) is the Andechs strain, same as Wyeast 2105-PC Rocky Mt Lager, which appears to be the Coors yeast. What's your grist bill?

 

[Nooner]

Also, when in Nashville a few years back, a bar owner I was talking with gave me a Schlitz. He insisted I try it, and refused to charge me - he just wanted me to have it to prove it wasn't as bad as I remembered. He was right - it was a totally drinkable and surprisingly enjoyable beer!

Ha! I was going to say Schlitz is the worst, then I read this. It has been many decades since I've tasted it, so maybe it's not as bad as I remember.

 

[jerrylotto]

Ha! I was going to say Schlitz is the worst, then I read this. It has been many decades since I've tasted it, so maybe it's not as bad as I remember.

Courtesy of Wikipedia:
The company was founded by August Krug in 1849, but ownership passed to Joseph Schlitz in 1858 when he married Krug's widow. Schlitz was bought by Stroh Brewery Company in 1982 and subsequently sold along with the rest of Stroh's assets to Pabst Brewing Company in 1999. Pabst produced several varieties of Schlitz beers alongside Old Milwaukee.

On November 13, 2014, Pabst announced that it had completed its sale to Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, LLC. Pabst Brewing Company, now headquartered in Los Angeles, continues to produce Schlitz beer, Old Milwaukee, and four Schlitz malt liquors—Schlitz Red Bull, Schlitz Bull Ice, Schlitz High Gravity, and Schlitz Malt Liquor.

 

[Brooothru]

Courtesy of Wikipedia:
The company was founded by August Krug in 1849, but ownership passed to Joseph Schlitz in 1858 when he married Krug's widow. Schlitz was bought by Stroh Brewery Company in 1982 and subsequently sold along with the rest of Stroh's assets to Pabst Brewing Company in 1999. Pabst produced several varieties of Schlitz beers alongside Old Milwaukee.

On November 13, 2014, Pabst announced that it had completed its sale to Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings, LLC. Pabst Brewing Company, now headquartered in Los Angeles, continues to produce Schlitz beer, Old Milwaukee, and four Schlitz malt liquors—Schlitz Red Bull, Schlitz Bull Ice, Schlitz High Gravity, and Schlitz Malt Liquor.

Interesting post about Schlitz. My Dad was a Schlitz and Hamm's fan back in the 50s and 60s. There was a local Schlitz brewery (Kansas City, MO) and as a kid I used to love driving past when they were mashing and boiling. The aroma was, er, intoxicating!

Oddly I've never tried to brew an historic clone of Schlitz, probably because I don't want to tarnish an otherwise fond memory.

 

[jerrylotto]

Interesting post about Schlitz. My Dad was a Schlitz and Hamm's fan back in the 50s and 60s. There was a local Schlitz brewery (Kansas City, MO) and as a kid I used to love driving past when they were mashing and boiling. The aroma was, er, intoxicating!

Oddly I've never tried to brew an historic clone of Schlitz, probably because I don't want to tarnish an otherwise fond memory.

What could go wrong with a lager finished with Cascade, Mt. Hood and Williamette hops?

 

[Brooothru]

What could go wrong with a lager finished with Cascade, Mt. Hood and Williamette hops?

You got three great points there, all in one short, concise answer!

I'm guessing you might have a reliable recipe you might be willing to share?

Prolly six-row base with some corn and possibly rice? Any light crystal? I made a killer Pre-Prohibition a couple of years ago, so I could maybe start with that and make a retro 50s beer. Always looking to experiment with new things, even when they're old. You've piqued my interest.

 

[VikeMan]

I'm guessing you might have a reliable recipe you might be willing to share?

Prolly six-row base with some corn and possibly rice? Any light crystal? I made a killer Pre-Prohibition a couple of years ago, so I could maybe start with that and make a retro 50s beer. Always looking to experiment with new things, even when they're old. You've piqued my interest.

I don't know what he was getting at, but Cascade, Mt. Hood and Willamette could not have been used in any 50s (or 60s) beers. None of them existed commercially.

 

[jerrylotto]

That is what Pabst, Blue Ribbon advertises for the current Schlitz brand. Brooothru added some nice details that I think would work too. Alas, I don't have any additional details.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I am truly sorry to "bash" a fellow Pennsylvanian, but Yuengling , IMHO, is just plan nasty.

 

[day_trippr]

I have no such geographic relationship to preserve, so I freely agree with the nasty characterization. I never did get the attraction...

 

[Brooothru]

I don't know what he was getting at, but Cascade, Mt. Hood and Willamette could not have been used in any 50s (or 60s) beers. None of them existed commercially.

Good point, but there are some other American cultivars of European hops which have been grown in the Yakima Valley since the 1870s, most notably Oregon-grown Late Cluster derived from English Cluster as well as a derived Fuggles. In the past I've used a lot of Cluster for American lagers and had always thought it was a unique North American hop by origin. Learned otherwise in an interesting article in an old issue of Beer and Brewing that gives good background on the history of hops in America. I'll try to locate it and share.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Probably more to do with "D. G. Yuengling & Son is the oldest operating brewing company in America, established in 1829." than actual, current taste, flavor, etc.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

I bought Coors Banquet for a Christmas party last year. Just looking for something different. It went over really well.

I don’t think we get that here. I’ve seen references but never seen it. Is it darker?

 

[Twinkeelfool]

WLP-835 (German Lager X) is the Andechs strain, same as Wyeast 2105-PC Rocky Mt Lager, which appears to be the Coors yeast. What's your grist bill?

Hey mate, it was the wyeast thread you were on that got me interested. I can’t get the wyeast but found some lager X. I don’t try to clone it, more “inspired by”, so I just go 20% flaked rice, as I got annoyed with cereal mashing, and the local Indian grocers flaked rice is waay cheaper than homebrew shop flaked rice, but does the same thing. Rest is just domestic pils. Though, I do play around a bit, currently I have cubes ( i no chill ) with Heidelberg pils and 10% rice, a cube with 15% rice and a little Vienna. But my standard summer lager is domestic pils, 20% flaked rice. Long low temp mash. Aim for 1.035-40, and 20 IBU. Fermented at 8-10c. Lager X is a reliable performer, kegged in around 2 weeks.

 

[porterguy]

Anybody else notice the number of beers that are in one person's "worst cheap beer" list and in another's "best cheap beer" list? To each their own.

 

[bwible]

Ha! I was going to say Schlitz is the worst, then I read this. It has been many decades since I've tasted it, so maybe it's not as bad as I remember.

Schlitz was the #1 selling beer in America through most of the 50s and into the 60s. I recall reading they started having some quality control issues, yeast that got into bottles or something and it was described as looking like snot in the beer. I guess it was enough of a problem that it turned enough people off of Schlitz. I’m a child of the 60s and by the time I was old enough to be drinking beer it wasn’t really a big brand anymore or it wasn’t around in my area. What I read said it was a really good beer in its day. It just got a bad rap from some quality control issues that resulted from cost cutting.

https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/how-milwaukees-famous-beer-became-infamous

 

[porterguy]

Pete's Wicked Ale-
Negro Modelo-

Meister Brau-
Schlitz-
Budweiser-
Most other macrolagers-

 

[bwible]

I don’t think we get that here. I’ve seen references but never seen it. Is it darker?

Very slightly if at all. Its not a light beer. Coors claims they use a different process on this beer and its made at the original Coors brewery

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Genny Cream Ale recipe

https://www.experimentalbrew.com/recipes/i-dream-jenny-cream-ale
See also
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...-genessee-cream-ale-clone.682920/post-8938377

 

[InspectorJon]

Cheap beer I liked...25 cent glasses of Labatt's draft at the Athabaska Hotel in Jasper, Alberta. They did not have pitchers so we ordered them by the dozen. $6 bought the table a round of 24 glasses of beer, filled right to the little black line, c. '76

 

[RufusBrewer]

Big chain drug stores around here often have Tecate lager on sale, $20 for a 30 pack. Good solid lager, well made, malty, does nothing wrong. At $0.75 per can, you can't go wrong.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Genny Cream Ale recipe

https://www.experimentalbrew.com/recipes/i-dream-jenny-cream-ale
See also
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...-genessee-cream-ale-clone.682920/post-8938377

Thanks for this. I am SO gonna try brewing it some time!!

 

[seatazzz]

On the rare occasions that the pipeline is low, and so are funds, we will buy Coors Light or Banquet. If the CL is fairly fresh, I can get some banana notes out of it. It's okay. I'll also buy Rolling Rock (bottles not cans) because it's pretty cheap around here.

Worst? Gotta be Natty Ice. Before my dad had to go to assisted living (then memory care) he drank that crap like water, and whenever I came over offered me one. Rarely was I able to finish one. Kinda sad, because my father actually introduced me to beer when I was 4 years old; just old enough to open the fridge, I was sent to get him a beer when he needed one. If I had been a good kid that day, I was allowed a taste. A bit older, and I got about 1/2" in a glass. By the time I was 14 I was allowed a full can on occasion. Never got drunk like my friends did, because I could have it at home when I wanted one; the novelty just wasn't there. I loved the taste. Dad drank Budweiser in those days, but I do remember when we lived in Utah a 3%ABV beer called Burgie that he loved, and was pretty tasty.

 

[VikeMan]

Pete's Wicked Ale-
Negro Modelo-

Meister Brau-
Schlitz-
Budweiser-
Most other macrolagers-

I find it hard to argue against this assessment.

 

[DosGatosBrewing]

For big commercial American lagers, my "go-to" is PBR. It has decent flavor, and a 30 pack costs the same as a 24 of BudMillerCoors = a free 6 pack every time I need a case of lawnmower beer. My friends who enjoy craft beer were skeptical until they came over to sample some homebrew. I broke out a few tasters of PBR, and they started to see my way of thinking.
Banquet Coors is in the same flavor class, but a little more expensive, and not as available here. PBR is always available.
Molson Canadian is harder to find at that price point, but much better,

 

[AzOr]

1) Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve. RIP- I just read that it was being discontinued. Dirt cheap and actually tasted like beer! It was my light lager go to. Next would be the High Life.
2) Rolling Rock or Bud Light

 

[BongoYodeler]

How about worst and cheap? In my cupboard I keep a 30 year old special edition can of Coors. I got it for free. And yes, it is unopened.

 

[EthanH]

How about worst and cheap? In my cupboard I keep a 30 year old special edition can of Coors. I got it for free. And yes, it is unopened.

View attachment 739753

The hardest part of reading this is the realization that 1991 was 30 years ago.

As for my favorite cheap beer: Lonestar.

(Kind of can't believe this thread is 3 pages deep with no mention of Lonestar.)

 

[Apple_Jacker]

Going to flesh out that first question a little:

1a. Favorite cheap domestic beer - Coors Light
1b. Favorite Dirty 30, cheapass beer - Keystone Light
1c. Favorite Malt Liquor - toss-up between Mickey's and Colt 45, but it's been about 15 years since I drank any malt liquors... probably couldn't even stomach them anymore.

2. Milwaukee's Best Ice is one of the worst dirty 30 beers I remember trying. I couldn't even give that stuff away at college parties.

One of the worst malt liquors, that I admittedly used to drink because it was do cheap, is King Cobra. It used to $1.85 out the door in Michigan, and $1.40 out the door in Toledo... after a summer of drinking that ****, and finding a job that fall, i started diving into the beer scene in Kalamazoo (Bell's).

 

[Brooothru]

Cheap beer I liked...25 cent glasses of Labatt's draft at the Athabaska Hotel in Jasper, Alberta. They did not have pitchers so we ordered them by the dozen. $6 bought the table a round of 24 glasses of beer, filled right to the little black line, c. '76

Wow. Memories.

Freshman year of college, 1968: a local "after work" bar where the factory workers got together after their shift ended on Friday afternoons to drink beer and gripe about "college kids and hippies". Louise's, on Massachusetts Street. $.25 schooners (32 ounce goblets) of Falstaff on tap. If you could stand the not-so subtle harassment, you could get a buzz for less than two bucks! If you'd take a big sip and then fill up your mug with a six ounce can of tomato juice (red beer) the locals would accept you into their 'fraternity'.

Like all good things, it eventually came to an end when Louise replaced the 32 oz. goblets with 24 oz. "shorties." Damn. She expected us to not notice that we were now paying a penny an ounce for beer. Who's the capitalist pig now?