Budweiser Draft

[G.M. Gillman]

I hadn't had this in some years, so went for it at a Fran's over Christmas, with the eggs at brunch. It came about 3/4-ers of its normal chill, which was all to the good. And the carbonation was surprisingly small-bubble. Perhaps this was down to the vagaries of beer gas dispense as opposed to what was in the barrel on production, I don't know.

I think the brand is still brewed under license in Toronto, at Labatt (InBev) plants here, but again not sure, maybe it's trucked in now from the States?

This was actually pretty good, with decent malty notes, the adjunct well integrated, and a pleasant flavour. It's a good drink for the first one, when the palate is fresh. The hops were obviously not prominent yet noticeable, with a mineral-like note and perhaps the faintest hint of German noble hops (the barnyard hint I often - not always - get from these hops). The palate was otherwise clean and impeccable, e.g., no green or weird tastes.

In the early 80's, Jackson reported it had an apple-like note, an estery thing I recall too, which seems completely disappeared from the beer.

It would be interesting to try it with double or triple the hop rate.

Not a bad drink to be sure, but it seems reduced even from what I recall in the 70's let alone what it must have been like in 1876 on its introduction.

Gary

[markaberrant]

In the early 80's, Jackson reported it had an apple-like note, an estery thing I recall too, which seems completely disappeared from the beer.

We sampled cans of Budweiser at my BJCP class this fall. Definitely had the apple nose. After letting the sample sit for an hour, it also had a distinct banana aroma that I had never noticed before in this beer.

[matt7215]

the last time i tried this beer i thought it was overwhelmingly sweet and fizzy, sampled straight from the bottle

im proud to say ive never had it on draft

[G.M. Gillman]

Mark, that's interesting about the apple note and some banana, maybe it is there in some brewings or you need to have the beer warmed.

Another factor is U.S. draft beer (with some exceptions, e.g. Anchor Steam oddly enough) is not pasteurized, so if it is being brewed in the States now, it would not be pasteurized. That alone would offer a difference from any bottled or canned version.

It was nice at noon with eggs, but that would be the limit of my interest.

Gary

[mintjellie]

I get banana from both Budweiser and Bud Light as well.

[ErkLR]

I think the brand is still brewed under license in Toronto, at Labatt (InBev) plants here, but again not sure, maybe it's trucked in now from the States?

My friend and I were going to try an experiment so I've got a can in my fridge. It says "Brewed by Labatt Brewing Company London, Creston, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax, St John's Canada. R/MD Anheuser-busch, Inc. St. Louis, MO. Lic. use"

When I took the brewery tour here in London back in... 04 or 05ish, they were brewing Bud here. I thought Molbatt beers were almost always brewed in the country they're sold because taxes made it more expensive to ship it across borders.

[Rob Creighton]

London was the original Canadian plant doing Bud (I was involved) in the late '70's. Remember that it is brewed to "Canadian taste standards" (whatever the hell that means - Gary standards) with corn. As is immediately obvious when you try an American Bud draft, they are two completely different beers.

[Rob Creighton]

Another factor is U.S. draft beer (with some exceptions, e.g. Anchor Steam oddly enough) is not pasteurized

I would be shocked if a brewery over 50000 BBL doesn't flash pasteurize their beer. Certainly every ABInbev/SABMillerMolsonCoors brewery does worldwide. It just makes sense. The beer is totally protected right into the keg through sanitized lines. You triple (or more) your shelf life. Unpasteurized draught went out with Golden Gate kegs and racking arms in the '80's. Another package innovation/contribution from our good friends at Guinness.

[G.M. Gillman]

Thanks for the comments Rob, it appears my info on U.S. draft practices is out of date; still, I'll look into it for the fun of it.

When Budweiser came out in Canada, I was involved too, on the consuming side. I always found it quite close to the U.S. one, with that biscuity apple note I was trying to describe before. I haven't had it there lately, but this Canadian one - I take it it is still brewed here - was quite decent and I believe anyone at noon on a holiday eating eggs and bacon who likes (any kind of) beer would have found it pleasant.

Gary

[atomeyes]

I haven't had it there lately, but this Canadian one - I take it it is still brewed here - was quite decent and I believe anyone at noon on a holiday eating eggs and bacon who likes (any kind of) beer would have found it pleasant.

Gary

desperate times call for desperate measures, i guess.

i've had Bud on a hot summer night. was given it for free. it did the job. that said, if i was out for lunch and it was my only draught option? i'd dedicate my calories to a glass of OJ.

looking forward to your review of the pint of Cool you had on draft

[iguenard]

If I drank Bud on draught around noon because thats the only alcohol available, I'd consider taking a break from drinking... at least until midnight tonight. Just saying

[G.M. Gillman]

Bud wasn't the only beer available, there were 5 other drafts as I recall, I think Heineken was one, thus all-malt, and maybe Rickards White. The beer was an afterthought, a chance to taste Budweiser draft with a fresh palate, on a holiday. (I had indicated earlier I hadn't had it in some years). Or to put it another way, had the only choice been, say, your typical APA - at that time on that occasion - I would have had the OJ.

If some people don't like Budweiser, that's up to them, but IMO, it was a good drink for the occasion and I learned something from it. I think we all here can agree that we are all passionate about beer and it would be wrong if we all shared identical views on beers, even ones in the Bud category. I'm not sure about Cool, but I probably will revisit draft Keith's IPA sometime this year, and Labatt 50 too, beers I try very infrequently but like to try once in a while to see whether they change from what I remembered. The last time I had 50 it was very decent.

I might add I first developed a taste for beer years before craft beers were available, and enjoyed it then, and still like that style occasionally.

By the way I checked further on draft commercial beer in the States and pasteurization. I couldn't find what seemed an authoritative, clear answer, but what I did find suggested that Budweiser, Bud Light and even Coors Light are flash-pasteurized, as Rob had suggested. MGD is not (apparently again, but I'm not sure). This is the "bigs" and I don't know about the commercial regionals.

Gary

[iguenard]

Gary, in all fun, if you learned to like beer before craft beer was available... havent you learned anything since?

Pulling your leg here but its a valid question

[Derek]

I've always thought that domestic bud had a floral aroma, with maybe a hint of urine. Thankfully it's not very flavourful.

Now I have a strange curiosity to try some Bud stateside...

[ErkLR]

I couldn't find what seemed an authoritative, clear answer, but what I did find suggested that Budweiser, Bud Light and even Coors Light are flash-pasteurized, as Rob had suggested. MGD is not (apparently again, but I'm not sure). This is the "bigs" and I don't know about the commercial regionals.

I think MGD is one of the "cold filtered" beers. If you use a small enough filter, you don't need to pasteurize; maybe that's what they do.