China Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Taste Test: Cheap, Domestic Cans of Beer Last year, I convened a panel of friends and coworkers to taste and rate Caribbean beers. This time around, we took on domestic canned beers in search of the perfect brew for a holiday weekend cookout. We were looking for one with broad appeal, one that people could enjoy all day in the afternoon sun and one that was cheap. How cheap? My only rule was that each individual beer had cost less than $1, or no more than $6 a six-pack. This was a blind tasting, with beers served in unmarked cups. Participants were asked to rate the beer on a scale of 1 to 5 on the overall taste -- this was relative, given the quality of beer -- and a separate score of 1 to 5 based on how refreshing the beer would feel on a hot summer day. (Temperatures were in the 80s on both tasting days.) The average scores for each beer were then combined to get the overall tally. And before you ask, it wasn't a panel full of beer snobs: Testers ranged from a sommelier at a highly-rated restaurant to a self-described Coors Light drinker. Let's see what they said. Overall Winner National Bohemian Combined score: 7.14286 (Taste: 3.7/5; Refreshment: 3.4/5) Price: $8/12-pack at DeVino's in Columbia Heights The surprise winner was Baltimore's own Natty Boh, which testers rated highest on flavor and third for refreshment. Some of the praise: "The best one -- actually tastes like beer!" "High carbonation and the most hops." "Zesty ... got a little more kick." "Flavor! Weird!" wrote one Going Out Guru, who was obviously not expecting much after sampling a few other brews. Another praised Boh as "Mellow and smooth." Of course, reactions were mixed. "Most assertive and palatable flavor," said one, damning with faint praise. "I would happily drink this beer because it doesn't have a nasty aftertaste," added another. Final view: "Not great, but at least distinctive" Second Place Miller High Life Combined score: 7 (Taste: 3.4/5; Refreshment: 3.6/5) Price: $4.99/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits The Champagne of Beers proved popular with testers on both ends of the spectrum, who rated it second for both flavor and refreshment. "The best ... I wanted to drink it though a straw in a tall glass with ice," raved one. "Cold and fizzy. Would probably like this with a dog," said another. Of course, there were notes of caution. "The tastiest, but not exactly refreshing." Another taster opined he "would not want to drink multiples of this one -- If my thirst got the best of me, I would regret the subsequent bloat." Third Place Pabst Blue Ribbon Combined score: 6.5 (Taste: 3.1/5; Refreshment: 3.4/5) Price: $5.29/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits One of the most popular bargain beers around town didn't exactly win over our testers. They praised the "rich" taste and said it "goes down smooth." "I wouldn't have to be drunk to drink this," said one. But its refreshment divided the panel. One called it a "tabula rasa" and wanted tp "knock 'em down on the beach," while another held that PBR has "too much body for a thirst quencher." One participant turned up her nose completely: "Sort of icky. Makes me want to drink something else. Anything else." Bud Light, Schaeffer and Schlitz round out the top 6. Click on the link for the fulla article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Miller High Life for the win!!! That stuff is amazing! :drool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morneblade Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Nasty Boh won?! OMG, that **** gave me rock gut ever time I drank that crap.:puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Natty Boh! From the Land of Pleasant Living!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enter Apotheosis Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 So basically... none of the options were very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Miller High Life is about as disgusting as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Im sticking with Bud Lights. Why did they test Bud Light and High Life, but not Miller Lite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Im sticking with Bud Lights. Why did they test Bud Light and High Life, but not Miller Lite? Miller Lite's too ****ty to make the cut even among those beers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedlightG20 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 PBR made me sick last time I had it. Where's the love for Natural Light? Champagne of the East Coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Miller Lite's too ****ty to make the cut even among those beers. Its a hell of a lot better than PBR. Worst beer every: Genesee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Its a hell of a lot better than PBR.Worst beer every: Genesee. I was joking but I stand by what I said about High Life. I'd rather just not have any beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 High Life tastes like Miller Lite mixed with old shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Miller Lite's too ****ty to make the cut even among those beers. PBR made me sick last time I had it.Where's the love for Natural Light? Champagne of the East Coast. Miller Lite is better than Bud Lite. Coors Lite>Miller Lite>Bud Lite>>>Natty Lite. Natty Lite has no flavor, and it made me sick every time I drank it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Here is my ratings based upon what they tested: 1)Schaeffer - I used to drink this by the case back in college (yeah, I said case...I am so old that beer was marketed by the case not the 30 pack). It also helps that it was $6.99 for said case of beer. 2)Bud Light - I am not a Budweiser fan but should rate above the rest of this list. 3)Natty Boh - If I there is nothing else around, I will drink. 4) Miller High Life - it gave me a headache last time I drank BEFORE I got drunk. But it still ranks higher than the last two. 5)PBR - If I am already drunk...hand me one...otherwise forget it. 6)Schiltz - aka ****s....because you drink a few of those that is what you will have the next day along with a nasty hangover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I'd take Natty Light over Miller Lite. I saw a Natty Light commerical the other day lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackest Eyes Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I had a Coors light for the first time this past weekend and it was horrid. I'd rather drink skunky Guinness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 of all the cheap domestics, Miller High Life is (to me) by far the best. And PBR isn't bad either. I can't stomach any of the cheap light beers, or any budweiser product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 High Life tastes like Miller Lite mixed with old shoes. I can see that. I've always got the impression that someone scraped a bunch of rust into a bottle of Miller Lite and put the High Life label on it. Miller Lite is better than Bud Lite. Coors Lite>Miller Lite>Bud Lite>>>Natty Lite. Natty Lite has no flavor, and it made me sick every time I drank it. I was kind of joking but if I'm drinking light beers, I do like Coors Light the best and then probably Bud Light. But if I'm not at a game or a cookout I'm usually drinking a craft beer or an import. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I drank a Coors the other day...it was delicious...anything Pilsner = good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I drank a Coors the other day...it was delicious...anything Pilsner = good to me. I got on a Coors kick after going to the Coors brewery in Golden. I only drank Coors Original while I was there and I liked it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Coors light tastes like water. Thats why the market it as "the coldest beer." "Cold" doesnt taste like anything, its a temperature, not a flavor. Coors light is something i have to already be drunk to drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I got on a Coors kick after going to the Coors brewery in Golden. I only drank Coors Original while I was there and I liked it a lot. Thats what I was drinking. Its smooth and delicious. I took my first swig of that and then proceeded to hit a mammoth 280yd drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Coors light tastes like water. Thats why the market it as "the coldest beer." "Cold" doesnt taste like anything, its a temperature, not a flavor.Coors light is something i have to already be drunk to drink. Coors light is like making love in a canoe - ****ing close to water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissU28 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Coors light tastes like water. Thats why the market it as "the coldest beer." "Cold" doesnt taste like anything, its a temperature, not a flavor.Coors light is something i have to already be drunk to drink. I disagree. I think Bud Light is colder than Coors Lite...and has less flavor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I disagree. I think Bud Light is colder than Coors Lite...and has less flavor. You think one beer is colder than another? :whoknows: It probably depends on the temperature of the fridge or cooler you got it out of, not so much the brewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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