What are the best Macros we've got here?

[skaghevn]

Might not be a popular question here, given how some of the board's members have treated micros like Mill Street, but it is one honestly asked. I did not commence my beer drinking days with Canadian or Export -- Corona & Guiness if you need to know -- and I've not tried many mainstream beers. I don't care much for Canadian, Ex, Blue, Kick (water, anyone?), O.V., 50, or Black Label. Even if it doesn't knock my socks off, what mainstream beers do I owe it to myself to try?

[GregClow]

Might not be a popular question here, given how some of the board's members have treated micros like Mill Street

Huh? Aside from some criticism back when they launched with their Organic Lager, Mill Street is one of the most well-regarded breweries on this forum. Thier Tankhouse Ale, Coffee Porter and seasonal offerings have had almost exclusively positive reviews around here.

I did not commence my beer drinking days with Canadian or Export -- Corona & Guiness if you need to know -- and I've not tried many mainstream beers. I don't care much for Canadian, Ex, Blue, Kick (water, anyone?), O.V., 50, or Black Label. Even if it doesn't knock my socks off, what mainstream beers do I owe it to myself to try?

Well, my first reaction to this is - why do you want to bother finding a macro that you enjoy? If you're not a fan of those that you've tried, and you've found micros that you enjoy, why revert to mass produced beers brewed for mainstream tastes?

It would also help if you define what you mean by macro & mainstream a little better. For example, if you were to include beers from large European breweries, you could probably find a fair number of drinkable options.

But assuming that you mean Molson and Labatt - the only one I would personally recommend as being half-decent is Molson Stock Ale. It has an interesting spicey/malt flavour and more body than most Molson & Labatt products. Still not as good as most of our local mciros, but it's palatable at least.

[skaghevn]

Might not be a popular question here, given how some of the board's members have treated micros like Mill Street

Huh? Aside from some criticism back when they launched with their Organic Lager, Mill Street is one of the most well-regarded breweries on this forum.

And yet when the Mill Street crew first came to this forum, they weren't exactly treated very fairly, were they, and now they don't post here anymore. I get tired of the indier-than-thou attitude that sometimes flares up here; I get enough of that within the music scene.

Even if it doesn't knock my socks off, what mainstream beers do I owe it to myself to try?

Well, my first reaction to this is - why do you want to bother finding a macro that you enjoy? If you're not a fan of those that you've tried, and you've found micros that you enjoy, why revert to mass produced beers brewed for mainstream tastes?

Because I find it difficult to buy into the belief that if it is a macro brew, it has to be shite.

I'm not expecting to find anything great (see, I can be close minded too), but would be interested in trying something decent. From a technical standpoint, I know I learn more about what makes for a great novel by picking up a flawed work every now & then. Maybe I'm looking for the same thing in beer.

It would also help if you define what you mean by macro & mainstream a little better. For example, if you were to include beers from large European breweries, you could probably find a fair number of drinkable options.

Fair enough; for the purpose of discussion, I'm interested in finding out what North American macros -- with emphasis placed upon brewed-in-Canada products -- are most worth trying. There are a ton of imported beers that I like, although I still can't figure out why so many worship the Baltic Porter.

As for macro & mainstream, let's work on the premise that any operation larger than Sleemans is a macro brewery, and that every beer they make is mainstream. Hideous definition of mainstream beer, I know, but I tend to use macro & mainstream interchangeably.

But assuming that you mean Molson and Labatt - the only one I would personally recommend as being half-decent is Molson Stock Ale.

Thanks for that -- not at all familiar with it, and from your description, sounds like it is worth a try.

[lister]

The three Rickard's products are worth trying. I think most would agree they're better than the Molson and Labatt big brands. In fact, out of all the honey browns I've tried, Rickard's version is the closest I've found to my defunct favourite Algonquin.

[pootz]

Might not be a popular question here, given how some of the board's members have treated micros like Mill Street, but it is one honestly asked. Even if it doesn't knock my socks off, what mainstream beers do I owe it to myself to try?

The ones you like I suppose....no one can tell you what you like. Rating boards like RB, BA and this form exist as records of OTHER's impressions of the beers they have tasted....some times there's aligned consensus many times not...it's all subjective and driven by personal taste.

I think, judging by your own displayed biases, that you will have to decide for yourself what suits your own personal tastes.

[skaghevn]

The ones you like I suppose....no one can tell you what you like. Rating boards like RB, BA and this form exist as records of OTHER's impressions of the beers they have tasted....some times there's aligned consensus many times not...it's all subjective and driven by personal taste.

Does the phrase "duh squared" mean anything to you?

[skaghevn]

In fact, out of all the honey browns I've tried, Rickard's version is the closest I've found to my defunct favourite Algonquin.

Haven't tried their Honey Brown, likely because I'm not a fan of the Red. Will give it a go sometime this week; thanks for the suggestion.

[pootz]

The ones you like I suppose....no one can tell you what you like. Rating boards like RB, BA and this form exist as records of OTHER's impressions of the beers they have tasted....some times there's aligned consensus many times not...it's all subjective and driven by personal taste.

Does the phrase "duh squared" mean anything to you?

Yes it betrays a displayed unjustifiable hubris from it's user.

[skaghevn]

Yes it betrays a displayed unjustifiable hubris from it's user.

So I come across like a total jerk, do I? Maybe that's all I am; dunno.

What I do know is that on boards like this, RB, and BA, macro brews get slammed so repetitively as to suggest that there is a bit of a knee-jerk mentality at work. Hell, I bad mouth macros. Perhaps more than I ought. Which is why I asked for some suggestions as to which macro brews might be best worth sampling -- I'm getting tired of being so bloody close minded.

Am I being a bit perverse about things, asking about macros on a board where they don't get a lot of respect, claiming to want to be more open minded yet framing my question in such a way as to imply most macros aren't worth trying, and dredging up some old (and bad) BT blood in the process? Sure, points conceded. Was your "no one can tell you what you like" response just so much condescending prattle? Uh-huh. *shrug*

This is "Toronto's Premier Beer Resource"; asking for suggestions about macro brew is fair game.

[the.brewer]

Skaghevn,
If you ever find yourself in Montreal and can handle a macro tour, go to Molson where I am sure you will find the draught Export in the Salle de Reception to be pretty darn good.

[Rob Creighton]

The Labatt Classic is still the best macro beer IMO. Whenever at a brewers event at Labatt I drink it and it has remained consistently good. An all-malt lager that is still Krausened (I used to do this in the old days at Labatt) - a very solid beer.

[GregClow]

Huh? Aside from some criticism back when they launched with their Organic Lager, Mill Street is one of the most well-regarded breweries on this forum.

And yet when the Mill Street crew first came to this forum, they weren't exactly treated very fairly, were they, and now they don't post here anymore.

That's water under the bridge for pretty much everyone concerned. The Mill Street guys are over it, and they were voted Best Toronto Microbrewery and Best Local Beer (Tankhouse) at last year's Golden Tap Awards, which are sponsored by The Bar Towel. So I don't see how it has any bearing on your question about macros.

I get tired of the indier-than-thou attitude that sometimes flares up here; I get enough of that within the music scene.

Yes, I agree that it can be annoying in both scenes. I try not to take it too seriously myself. I'm too old to worry about what other people drink, or listen to, or whatever. That doesn't mean that I won't take a crack at what I consider to be crappy beer once in a while - I just tend to insult the beer rather than the beer drinker.

I'm not expecting to find anything great (see, I can be close minded too), but would be interested in trying something decent. From a technical standpoint, I know I learn more about what makes for a great novel by picking up a flawed work every now & then. Maybe I'm looking for the same thing in beer.

Well if you're looking at them from a purely technical standpoint, most macro/mainstream beers would be considered quite good, simply because they have such stringent quality control standards that allow them to make huge volumes of a product and have all of the batches be consistant.

You are also less likely to find "off" flavours in macros as opposed to lower-quality micros (i.e. those like Steelback that orient their product towards the mass market).

This doesn't make them "good" in the sense of being flavourful, interesting & unique - but as a mass-produced consumer product, the "quality" of most macros is high.

But assuming that you mean Molson and Labatt - the only one I would personally recommend as being half-decent is Molson Stock Ale.

Thanks for that -- not at all familiar with it, and from your description, sounds like it is worth a try.

Yeah, it is. Unfortunately, it's only sold in 24s at the Beer Store, and it's not available in very many bars around town. They usually have it at Lee's Palace, and it was what I generally drank when I went to shows there before they added Wellington SPA to their line-up.

[Belgian]

Interesting topic. I used to go to Carlsberg, I will try the Classic next time I am trapped in a Beer-Challenged Zone.

[GregClow]

Interesting topic. I used to go to Carlsberg, I will try the Classic next time I am trapped in a Beer-Challenged Zone.

I had a pint of Carlsberg recently on the advice of "Smokeless" Joe Sacco, who said that it had improved quite a bit now that it's being brewed by Moosehead. I have to agree, it's not a bad mainstream lager now. Nice balance, decently hopped finish, not off flavours. It's a good fall-back beer for those times when the selection is somewhat lacking.

[Belgian]

Carlsberg has always had 3 things going for it - cheaply available, fairly clean flavor*, no bad-beer headache.

(*no accounting for storage, as stock may not move as quickly as Blue and Canadian. And what's with the 'light' version they always bring when you ask for a regular one???)

An oxymoronic 'good macro.'