I was very unhappy when I made it home for the summer to learn that Yuengling is not available in Albuquerque–for that matter, isn’t even available off the East Coast. Since I’m a cheap guy (as well as lazy), I didn’t buy and try any beer the whole time I was home. I don’t know what Yuengling does to make that lager of their’s, but it seems like a nice compromise between the fairly bland macrobrews of Bud and the like and the really heavy stuff I had in Germany. Are there any good beers out there with a national presence that are similar to Yuengling?
Have you tried any of the good European pilsners like Stella Artois (Belgium) or Pilsner Urquell (Prague) or Spaten (Germany)?
You should be able to get at least one of these in Albequerque.
Also, Japanese beer comes to mind.
What about Sam Adams? If that’s a little too heavy, try Sam Adams Light.
I agree with the OP - Yuengling is very unique and it’s the perfect compromise between the flavor of a good micro lager and the lighter body of an american macro.
It’s my favorite beer, without a doubt, overall. Back east, I always had a twelve pack in the fridge, just so when I felt like a beer, I had one. I rarely drank it when I was out, though - it never appealed to me as much on tap.
And when I moved to the midwest, I was very disappointed to learn that I could no longer purchase it.
The closest I’ve been able to find is Leinie’s Regular, in the bottle. Very similar, but still not the same thing. And even the Leinie’s only tastes like that here in Wisconsin, when I’ve been elsewhere it’s much more of a piss water.
[QUOTE=Larry Borgia]
Have you tried any of the good European pilsners like Stella Artois (Belgium) or Pilsner Urquell (Prague) or Spaten (Germany)?
These are all way too hoppy and light bodied to replace Yuengling.
Since you’re in the southwest, try Tecate, w or w/o lime. Cheap and relatively tasty.
Maybe you can Shiner Bock out there. It’s also very good (and I’m not one to dote on things coming out of Texas). We have a Yeungling brewery just across the bay from here, so I can get both. But I can only get Yuengling on tap, and then only sometimes.
I imagine there also have to be some very nice microbrews in Albuquerque, no?
Shiner Bock is not substitute for Yeungling. It’s far too dark. Shiner Blond might work. Or perhaps the afore mentioned Leinenkugel. They’re fairly widespread. Pete’s Wicked is a good choice, too. Anchor’s Liberty Ale or Anchor Steam might fit the bill. They’re not quite the same; but different enough to be interesting.
I’ve been looking for a Yuengling substitute for years, and I’ve never found one. My ex-girlfriend lived in DC during the summers and I used to buy 4 or 5 cases when I’d visit her.
I’ve tried all the suggestions other posters have given (and many, many more), and I certainly haven’t found anything close (especially considering the price.) Oh well.
OMG. When I was in college, Yuengling had the reputation of being the worst beer ever made. Clearly that has changed.
Most of those Eastern beers don’t make it past the PA/Ohio border:
[ul]
[li]Ortlieb’s[/li][li]Stroh’s[/li][li]Naragansett[/li][li]Genesee Cream Ale (yay!)[/li][li](there’s another Philly beer whose name has escaped my aged mind)[/li][/ul]
Strangely enough, Rolling Rock has made it all the way to California (and, for that matter, to London England). I never liked the stuff myself.
I observe that most of my friends go for the local microbrews or Western specialty beers; the current favorite round these parts these days is Fat Tire.