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Why do Americans love light beers?

nekkid

It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
I love craft beer, and I actually prefer American craft beers to British ones (I'm British). DFH is awesome, for example.

But damn, if chilled Corona isn't the most enjoyable beer in the summer.

Corona's a light beer, right? Obviously not from the USA.
 

nekkid

It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
Saw this on the back of a lorry on the M1 recently, which seems appropriate:

hobgoblin-lagerboy.jpg


Although Hobgoblin isn't the best example of real ale.
 
I love craft beers but can also enjoy a tall can of ice cold Miller, Bud, Coors light. Its "refreshing" with spicy food, after being out on a warm day etc, goes down like mineral water and gives you a buzz. Atleast it doesnt taste like ass like some lagers do. Yuck
 

Theonik

Member
Saw this on the back of a lorry on the M1 recently, which seems appropriate:

Although Hobgoblin isn't the best example of real ale.
My favourite part was when Cameron gave some to Obama and he asked it chilled.
Monster. They promptly responded to this crime of course.
 
As an aside for the craft-beer loving Americans, is there much beyond IPAs? Everyone seems obsessed with drinking the hoppiest beer possible over there, presumably because of the serving temperature

http://www.sideprojectbrewing.com/
http://hillfarmstead.com/
https://caseybrewing.com/
http://www.schrammsmead.com/
https://www.jwakefieldbrewing.com/
http://www.tgbrews.com/

People have lined up in front of every one of these breweries 12 hours before they release a beer to have a chance at getting it. The image that America makes nothing but the hoppiest shit in the world is only the surface to the beer world here. America makes the finest barrel aged beers and meads in the world these days.
 

tokkun

Member
^That.


Beer culture in Europe is pretty different than the US, understandable when we have breweries that are three times older than your entire country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihenstephan_Abbey

(They also make the best lager in the world)

I think this difference in culture has benefited the American craft beer scene. Less adherence to tradition and orthodoxy in ingredients and brewing methods has led to greater variety and creativity.
 

Dougald

Member
http://www.sideprojectbrewing.com/
http://hillfarmstead.com/
https://caseybrewing.com/
http://www.schrammsmead.com/
https://www.jwakefieldbrewing.com/
http://www.tgbrews.com/

People have lined up in front of every one of these breweries 12 hours before they release a beer to have a chance at getting it. The image that America makes nothing but the hoppiest shit in the world is only the surface to the beer world here. America makes the finest barrel aged beers and meads in the world these days.

Thanks for the links, some of that looks epic
 

Spuck-uk

Banned
I still think the 'scene' is better in the US, although only from personal experience of the US guys I've worked with, and the bars/restaurants in their cities.
Although the UK is definitely becoming more interesting. I'm not the best judge, a Heineken in a hotel bar is fine by me lol.

Have you lived in both countries? Genuinely curious. I find the pub culture over here far preferable to the US bar culture.
 

ape2man

Member
This isn't exclusive to America. The top selling beer in Belgium is Jupiler, a mass produced adjunct lager. Whether the label says light or not, adjunct lagers are mostly low ABV and flavorless.

your comparing jupiler to bud light. never tasted jupiler have you.


Have you lived in both countries? Genuinely curious. I find the pub culture over here far preferable to the US bar culture.

its way better
 
Light beer is awful, but I do drink Miller Light during the summer when partying outdoors. Why? Because it is very hard for me to get drunk on it (it is like water to me). So if I am at a cookout or at the lake I can drink all day with no issues. That said if I am at a bar or going out to eat I always order an IPA or Pale Ale, never a light beer.
 

Spuck-uk

Banned
Saw this on the back of a lorry on the M1 recently, which seems appropriate:

hobgoblin-lagerboy.jpg


Although Hobgoblin isn't the best example of real ale.

Ah Hobgoblin, the only thing worse than their cringe advertising is their mediocre at best beer.

I mean Brewdog are obnoxious, but at least they make some excellent beers.
 

kingslunk

Member
Have you lived in both countries? Genuinely curious. I find the pub culture over here far preferable to the US bar culture.

Agreed. Pub culture in Europe > US. Our bar culture is talk with the bartender. Pub culture in Europe is talk with each other.
 
I love beer. I'm a sucker for my craft wanker IPAs and small batch brews and trying something I know I'm probably never going to be able to get again. But I hate, with a fiery passion, beer snobs. They're almost as bad as music snobs. It's the most obvious example of "I don't like it and neither should you" that there is.
 
It's dirt cheap comparatively. No one's going to be buying a 30 pack of craft beer, the watered down beer for $10-15 a 30 will do the trick.
 

Chuckie

Member
It's dirt cheap comparatively. No one's going to be buying a 30 pack of craft beer, the watered down beer for $10-15 a 30 will do the trick.

I understand this. We (the Dutch) do exactly the same. But the question still is "Why the light version?"

I understand the need for cheap pilsener. I just don't get why you'd chose the lite version. Unless it really is all about the calories.
 
I understand this. We (the Dutch) do exactly the same. But the question still is "Why the light version?"

I understand the need for cheap pilsener. I just don't get why you'd chose the lite version. Unless it really is all about the calories.
It's mainly about the calories. It's like going to a fast food joint, order the biggest burger meal and then get a diet coke.

If I had to choose just one beer that I don't understand why it's popular, it would be Heineken. It is such skunk piss.
Bud Light is also an embarrassment to the world.
God, there are some terrible popular beers out there.
 

kingslunk

Member
It's mainly about the calories. It's like going to a fast food joint, order the biggest burger meal and then get a diet coke.

If I had to choose just one beer that I don't understand why it's popular, it would be Heineken. It is such skunk piss.
Bud Light is also an embarrassment to the world.
God, there are some terrible popular beers out there.

Heineken is supposed to taste skunky. That's why it's delivered in a green bottle. I don't like it but that's the point.
 
Heineken is supposed to taste skunky. That's why it's delivered in a green bottle. I don't like it but that's the point.

hmmmm... I had read that it's not supposed to taste skunky on purpose but that they won't change the color of the bottles due to the recognition issue.
 

Chuckie

Member
hmmmm... I had read that it's not supposed to taste skunky on purpose but that they won't change the color of the bottles due to the recognition issue.

They used to sell it in brown bottles in the Netherlands but since a couple of years they changed it to green... and I don't know if it is psychological.....but I swear it tastes worse than it used to. It also seems to be better when drunk from a can.
 
No. Article is from 2014. We have over 5000 breweries in the US now.

The beer war is being won by America and it's not even close at the moment. No one does beer better right now.

Compared to the UK you have a population that is about 5 times larger (321M vs 65M based on 2015 numbers), but you only have about 3 times as many breweries (5300 vs 1700 breweries). Your country is punching below its weight when it comes to beer culture.
 
Ucchedavāda;243056409 said:
Compared to the UK you have a population that is about 5 times larger (321M vs 65M based on 2015 numbers), but you only have about 3 times as many breweries (5300 vs 1700 breweries). Your country is punching below its weight when it comes to beer culture.
To put things in perspective, in 1990, there was less than 300 breweries in the entire US.
 

nekkid

It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
Ah Hobgoblin, the only thing worse than their cringe advertising is their mediocre at best beer.

I mean Brewdog are obnoxious, but at least they make some excellent beers.

Ugh, BrewDog: a cheap and nasty attempt to respond to the growing trend of imported US IPAs in the UK.
 

Liljagare

Member
Have you lived in both countries? Genuinely curious. I find the pub culture over here far preferable to the US bar culture.

I lived in both, but, one tends to forget how different USA is depending on where you are. East coast to west? North to South? Like different countries, and the you got the middle too.

Anyway, love the beer scene that exploded, naturarly AFTER I moved back home. :p Damnit. Nice to visit now though.
 
Ucchedavāda;243057045 said:
The number of breweries has been increasing greatly in a number of countries.
It's a good time to be a beer lover.

Hell yeah. And I don't know about other countries, but craft liquor is really starting to take off in the US too.
 

painey

Member
I love craft beer, and I actually prefer American craft beers to British ones (I'm British). DFH is awesome, for example.

But damn, if chilled Corona isn't the most enjoyable beer in the summer.

Corona's a light beer, right? Obviously not from the USA.

Corona is not a light beer, and it's from Mexico
 
Bud Light
Miller Light
Coors Light


Basically the best selling beers are light beers...Why do Americans love light beers? Are they cheaper? Or because you can drink more without getting drunk as fast?

So many better options out there...Sierra Nevada...San Adams Boston Lager...etc...

I never understood this and I hope some in here can tell me why Americans are in love with light beers which most of them taste just like water

This American does not love light beers. If its ABV% isn't in the double digits, I ain't having it.
 

otapnam

Member
Pretty much what everyone is saying

Cheap as fuck
Refreshing on hot days or with SPICY food
Not bad when u don't want to get drunk
Goes well with shots

I buy ipas at the bar/restaurant as my beer of choice but at home I'll also stock some cheap pbr or miller lite if i just want to have "a beer" with dinner. Don't have to always get buzzed or anything. Esp these days with kids n all
 

Anarion07

Member
To the people talking about calories:
Calories are not just in the carbs.
1 gram of alcohol translates roughly to 7 kcal
So if you're drinking 1 liter (~quarter of a gallon) of light beer (at 4% alcohol) you still have 280 calories from the alcohol alone.

I prefer my Bavarian beer.
 

Amory

Member
Best for binge drinking. Or super hot days where you just wanna get a beer with a meal or whatever.

I wouldn't say we generally "love" light beers.
 

Greddleok

Member
How can it be best for binge drinking when it tastes so bad? Doesn't it also have a tiny alcohol content?

Who wants to drink litres of that stuff to get drunk?
 

Amory

Member
How can it be best for binge drinking when it tastes so bad? Doesn't it also have a tiny alcohol content?

Who wants to drink litres of that stuff to get drunk?

It doesn't taste bad. It tastes almost literally like carbonated water. And it's not as filling as full calorie beer.
 
D

Deleted member 12837

Unconfirmed Member
I'm not sure why everyone makes the American craft scene out to be so IPA-heavy. That may have been true when it was getting going, but I've lived in NC, Chicago and Austin over the past decade and see just as many amazing local barleywines, barrel-aged stouts, hefes and wits, sours, saisons, etc.

Seems like it's just as much of a meme now as "America only has shit beer like Bud/Coors".

Maybe it's a regional thing? PNW and/or NE? 2 areas I haven't lived in.
 
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