American Style Lager: Macro vs Micro
Beer geeks and craft beer drinkers (yes, there is a difference) are quick to disparage the macros. The yellow lagers brewed by these behemoths have been variously described as flavorless, watery, boring, bland, soulless, swill, and crap, along with a host of other even less flattering descriptors. We easily discount the argument that whether or not you like what they do, it’s not easy to do and they do it extremely well and with extraordinary consistency. The fact of the matter is, we love to hate the macros.
But what happens when craft brewers make yellow American lagers?
It is happening more and more. New Glarus brews Totally Naked. Full Sail produces Session Lager colored both yellow and black. Schlafly in St. Louis has their aptly named American Lager. And my own home state favorite Grain Belt Premium is brewed by Minnesota’s August Schell Brewing who also produces a yellow lager under their own label. How do these beers hold up against the premium brands of the macros? Are craft beer drinkers as hard on these craft lagers as they are on those from the big guys?
Not according to the ratebeer stats. A look at just a few of these beers reveals a startling difference in treatment. Michelob, Miller Genuine Draft, and Coors Extra Gold score 5, 1, and 1 respectively, and even Heineken only rates a 9. Meanwhile, Full Sail Session Lager ranks a whopping 39. New Glarus’ offering rates a 30 and the Schlafly lager gets a 36. Even Grain Belt Premium is rated in the twenties.
What’s more, these same drinkers will gladly shell out premium bucks for some of these premium lagers. Totally Naked goes for nearly ten dollars a six-pack.
Having tasted nearly all of these beers, I would posit that in a blind tasting, most beer drinkers would be hard-pressed to distinguish between the macro and the micro offerings. You may hate on me for saying that, but I suspect it is true.
This isn’t saying that any these beers are bad. I enjoy them all. Just as I occasionally enjoy knocking back a Bud (actually I prefer Miller High Life). I’m simply wondering if craft beer enthusiasts are trashing the one and buying the other based solely on the craft vs. macro status of the brewers.
What do you think?
7 Comments to “American Style Lager: Macro vs Micro”
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That would be an interesting blind test. Before this weekend, I would have argued that of course I could tell the difference between a craft brewed lager and a macro. But I just attended a blind IPA tasting and was surprised at what I liked and didn’t like.
I’ve been tripped up by more than one blind tasting. I think it is something every opinionated beer geek should do every now and again. Keeps us humble.
I’m also not talking about craft-brewed lagers like Dortmunders or Munich Helles. I mean specifically those American style premium lagers that some craft brewers have started putting out there.
I’ll be putting your blind tasting hunch to the test mid this month. I’m collecting an array of lagers for a lager tasting here.
Joe, I suppose you can get all this stuff, but if you need anything like New Glarus that can be hard to find, let me know.
I think, while not everyone may be able to tell, there is a discernible difference between the micro beer and their macro counterpart.
Macro beers like Bud Light are manufactured with so many adjuncts, rice and corn that their flavor is built specifically to appeal to people who don’t like (or aren’t accustomed to) flavor. They go for mass appeal. That is how they make their money. Less flavor (flavor is subjective, I understand. I’m speaking in generalities)…less offenses to people’s undeveloped beer palates…more revenue.
These micro breweries who brew beers that resemble (in style) the big macros aren’t manufacturing that beer the same way as Bud or Miller. These are beers created by craftsmen who like beers with flavor and are not obsessed with making beer for the bottom dollar. And thus you end up with a beer with more flavors and depth.
Just my 2 cents.
Scott
I agree when it comes to the light beers. While both have a generally watery character, there is a world of difference between something like Bud Light and Sam Adams Light.
In this case though, I’m not talking about the light or even standard products (the Budweiser or High Life). I’m talking about the macro breweries’ premium products like MGD and Michelob. These are typically all-malt beers with actually more flavor than their standard and light cousins. The micros that are producing American style lagers are making them at this “premium” level, although some of them are using corn or rice adjuncts. You have to compare apples to apples.
While the craft versions might be brewed with more “craft”, “care”, or “love”, all I’m concerned about here is taste. Honestly, I don’t think there is much difference between a beer like Michelob and a beer like New Glarus’ Totally Naked in terms of flavor. (I keep harping on New Glarus only because Totally Naked is the most recent one of these lagers I have had. I LOVE New Glarus.)
I might just have to try that blind tasting test.