# Why does American mass-produced beer suck so hard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [December 21, 2008, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166 "2008-12-21T06:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/41 "2008-12-21T22:28:41Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Ironically, I would say it is Tecate that has a horrible flavor and Stella is just as much a tastless lager as anything else. I like Stella though. I don’t like any beers from Mexico. Maybe Corona is OK, but I don’t have any need to pay for it when I’ve got perfectly good Bud Light. I understand that different people like different beers, but Tecate lacks that specific nasty taste I’m trying to identify, as does Stella. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/42 "2008-12-21T22:30:01Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > I like it. I enjoy a good fancy brew once in a while too. In fact I brew my own. Sometimes a low alcohol low flavor beer is just perfect. In fact I’d say, most of the time it is. I really have trouble drinking beer with excesively high alcohol, I don’t like the taste. [side note]Have you seen [this article](http://www.imbibemagazine.com/backissues/smallville.html)? You might find it of interest.[/side note] ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/43 "2008-12-21T22:45:08Z")
Count me in on those who doesn’t appreciate bitter, hopsy beer, and would just as well drink beer that doesn’t taste much at all. Certain moments in the summertime almost physically require a beer, and beer is a handy way to get a buzz going on the year round, but I’d never drink the stuff otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/44 "2008-12-21T22:50:23Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Michelob Porter Ale and Amber Bock are two of my regular stand-bys. I think they taste just fine, and I’ve had beer from all over the world. > > Have I had that _one_ special, internationally renowned and critically acclaimed beer that you can onjly get from some obscure gasthaus in some remote village in Germany or Belgium? No. > > But I’ve tried all the majors (Tsingtao, Kirin, Peroni, Guinness, Bass, Kiliian’s, Beck’s, Amstel, etc., etc.,) as well as some very, very good local one-offs in Europe, and microbrews that were sublime and some that were worse than mass-produced stuff. There’s a microbrew/restaurant in St. Charles that apparently thinks any fermented beverage served ice-fucking-cold is “good beer.” > > I think a lot of beer snobbery comes from people deliberately bashing the “big boys” of beer in order to tout their local favorite, and therefore look like they’re “cool, and in-the-know with the ‘hip stuff,’ _dude_.” You can stuff that uninformed opinion. I’ve hated Bud and all the other mass-produced beers before the microbrew revolution took hold. Liking that crap is like saying Hersheys is “good” chocolate. It may taste good to some but it isn’t chocolate. Same with Bud. I was in London when American Bud was introduced there. I gave it a try hoping that it was Bud in name only and that it was probably some UK beer with a Bud label on it. No such luck. It was the same bilge as we get here. It took two UK beers to wash the taste out. I pray that Unibrew (who I believe bought Busch) tosses the formulas away and starts over. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/45 "2008-12-21T23:48:32Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > Who else has tried that new Budweiser American Ale? That’s mass produced and it’s not the worst tasting bottle of Budweiser beer I’ve ever had. I might even go as far as to say that it’s pretty tasty. I like it. It tastes nothing like Budwieser. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/46 "2008-12-22T01:16:02Z")
I lived in Germany for over 14 years and trust me, I tried many brands of German and European beers. I prefer Miller Lite. Stop throwing things at me and listen for a second. German beer is just so…so “heavy” and the alcohol content is insane. For me, it tastes far too syrupy and thick, and unless you just want to sip on one for awhile, you are gonna get blasted far too soon. I have seen Americans and Brits go into German bars at 10:00 PM and be pissed out of their minds by about 11:00 PM, thinking they can suck down as many German beers as the beer they drink back home. I am not the only one. I have had some (not all, by any means) Germans come to visit the US and many prefer the Miller Lite or Bud Light beers. One tried to take a case home with him, but with the extra baggage cost, wound up giving it back to me at the airport. Of course, if I were in Germany you wouldn’t have to twist my arm to drink a regular lager in a bar, but I wouldn’t be all that gushy golly gee about it. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/47 "2008-12-22T02:38:57Z")
So this threat got me thinking, and I came home tonight with a case of Hamm’s and a sixer each of Schlitz, PBR, and MGD. MDG is of course supposed to be an upmarket brand from the other three, but I can honestly say that I’d prefer any of the “cheap” beers over the up brand any day. Hamm’s is sweet and bubbly, and the Schlitz and PBR might actually be the same exact beer in different bottles. Right now I’d rank them 1. Schlitz 2. PBR 3. Hamm’s 4. MGD The MDG is just insipid. There’s not enough flavor of any kind to hang with the old school recipies of days gone by. I do dectect the salty undernote in the Schlitz and PBR that \*\*Lissener \*\*mentioned, but it’s not offensive. All of these are hard core midwest corn beers and you almost get the feeling that you could distill them into really nasty tasting whiskey. These beers for that reason alone were born to be chasers, the maker of the boilermaker. I think I’ll enjoy killing the rest of the case of Hamm’s over the next few days and then I’ll have to buy a few sixers of Longhammer IPA to balance things back out, but there’s going to be a major resurgance of lawnmower beer in the casa de Cluricaun. They just feel right and swiggable and like you could have 7 or 8 of them no problem. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/48 "2008-12-22T03:35:59Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > So this threat got me thinking, and I came home tonight with a case of Hamm’s and a sixer each of Schlitz, PBR, and MGD. MDG is of course supposed to be an upmarket brand from the other three, but I can honestly say that I’d prefer any of the “cheap” beers over the up brand any day. I agree. MGD sucks. I don’t think I’ve had a Hamm’s in ages, so I can’t comment on that beer, and I just tried the new and improved Schlitz two weeks ago at a local bar, and can’t say I was that impressed (although I liked it better than MGD), but I agree with your overall assessment. I actually prefer Budweiser to all Miller-branded products (and that includes MGD, High Life, Miller Lite, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/49 "2008-12-22T04:09:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > But there’s cheap beer and there’s _cheap beer_. There’s nothing special about Coca-Cola, but it sure beats RC Cola. I disagree. RC Cola tastes like cola, Coca-Cola tastes like high-fructose corn syrup. Given the choice, I’ll go with RC. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/50 "2008-12-22T04:11:43Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I disagree. RC Cola tastes like cola, Coca-Cola tastes like high-fructose corn syrup. Given the choice, I’ll go with RC. Must be the Chicago connection. I loves me some RC as well. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/51 "2008-12-22T04:44:21Z")
I’m quite fond of beer and I’m one of the “Resident Beer Guys” at work whenever someone comes up with a “I’m looking for a decent beer…” question. I rather like Budweiser as a refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day (and it gets _really_ hot here in the summer sometimes.) I want my refresher beer to be easy to drink, inoffensive, and refreshing. Budweiser is all of those things. So is Chang, a Thai beer that’s quite popular here. Hahn Super Dry is an excellent (IMHO) beer here that tastes very similar to Asahi (another good beer) and is also brilliant on a hot day. James Squire Amber Ale is also very nice, but it’s a “Meal” beer and works best when you have it with food. I’d probably drink a lot more Spitfire Ale if it wasn’t so damn expensive. My most hated beer is Corona- tastes like cat piss, and I won’t drink it. In fact, it’s one of the few beers I’ll turn down even if I’m not paying for it. Dos Equis, however, is excellent and under-rated. Like Spitfire, it is unfortunately too expensive for me to drink regularly. Anyway, this a long way of saying that Budweiser isn’t that bad, and that there are plenty of mass-produced beers that are shit, but they sell because most people aren’t beer enthusiasts and don’t really care about the quality as long as it’s cold and cheap. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/52 "2008-12-22T05:23:13Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I disagree. RC Cola tastes like cola, Coca-Cola tastes like high-fructose corn syrup. Given the choice, I’ll go with RC. Ah, but you’re in the States, I presume. Here in Canada, it’s made with cane sugar, and so still tastes like proper Coke. It’s quite a different product; the taste difference is very noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/53 "2008-12-22T05:25:20Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Liking that crap is like saying Hersheys is “good” chocolate. It may taste good to some but it isn’t chocolate. Same with Bud. Hersheys is indeed chocolate and Bud is beer. :rolleyes: Not very good, in either case, but still that product. Martini Enfield - a great refreshing beer (best served ice cold) is Pacifico, from Baja. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/54 "2008-12-22T05:48:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Hersheys is indeed chocolate [nitpick][Not necessarily](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26788143/).[/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/55 "2008-12-22T06:01:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Pabst Blue Ribbon. > > Maybe Miller tinkered with the formula some. In any case, it looks like a fashion trend coupled with savvy marketing is accounting more for it’s comeback than anything. When Pabst saw they were gaining a little hipster cred, they put a fair bit of money and effort into sponsoring local and indie music scenes. It was the rare bit of marketing that was a win for everybody involved–a lot of shows got sponsored, Pabst sold more beer, and there was actual cheap beer to be found when the mood was right for it. (Somehow drinking a $6 microbrew at, say, a Hold Steady or a Reverend Horton Heat show seems wrong, but paying $4 for a Budweiser doesn’t feel much better. $2 PBR tallboy, you say? Now we’re talking.) ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/56 "2008-12-22T12:12:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Martini Enfield - a great refreshing beer (best served ice cold) is Pacifico, from Baja. If I find myself in that part of the world I’ll have to try it- it’s not available here in Australia and I doubt it will be anytime soon, unfortunately. It’s taken long enough to get Dos Equis available in any sort of regular fashion… ---
**Author:** ![Whiteknight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whiteknight/32/4962_2.png) [@Whiteknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiteknight)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/57 "2008-12-22T14:15:56Z")
I don’t usually care for most American macros, but I do think that they have their place. I tend to think of them like American cheese; perfect for certain uses and occasions, but representing a very narrow spectrum of what truly constitutes the beer/cheese world. If someone says that they really like beer but only drink macros, I think of it like someone who says that they love cheese but only eats Kraft singles. To each his/her own, I say. ---
**Author:** ![Theodore\_Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Theodore\_Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore_Striker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/58 "2008-12-22T15:45:25Z")
I drink a good deal of beer, most of it either imported or American micro or seasonal. I also generally have to pay a premium for them, so they better be worth it. I’d say about 75% of the time they are, with generally more complex and distinct personality. Because of this, I tend to drink them slower and enjoy the flavors, but I have run into a few shit imports and micros (I’m looking at you Arrogant Bastard Ale). However, tonight when I am bowling, I’ll be drinking Budweiser, like I do every week. Although it’s not a beer that I will savor, I know what I am going to get, it’s going to be of passable quality, and it will taste good cold. It’s not that it necessarily tastes like crap, it just really doesn’t taste like much of anything at all. Like has been mentioned ad nauseum already, it’s not that it is bad beer, it’s just that it is made for the masses. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/59 "2008-12-22T18:20:41Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > If I find myself in that part of the world I’ll have to try it- it’s not available here in Australia and I doubt it will be anytime soon, unfortunately. It’s taken long enough to get Dos Equis available in any sort of regular fashion… Heck, we don’t get Pacifico in the East Coast US. (We do get Sol, XX, Tecate, and Corona.) ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166/60 "2008-12-22T20:50:14Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Heck, we don’t get Pacifico in the East Coast US. (We do get Sol, XX, Tecate, and Corona.) Maybe not in the Northeast, but Pacifico’s here in Florida at least. I concur with DrDeth - a very enjoyable brew. I find myself gravitating toward Yuengling (Traditional Lager or Black & Tan) or Killians Irish Red when I’m on the cheap. Been meaning to try American Ale as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-american-mass-produced-beer-suck-so-hard/478166.md?page=4)