Beer Review: Coors Banquet Beer

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Five percent

Appearance: A very light gold color in the body with a decent amount of carbonation bubbles floating around in many directions. There was a slight haze that made me think there was actually some body to this, but it was just a tease. It faded away quickly leaving a weak golden color. The head was white and fizzy like pop/soda for a few seconds and fades back into almost nothing.

Smell: Sweet corn and a bit of grain. Slightly fry sent to it. Not much else to write home....or on here about.

Taste: The grain and corn flavors were very prevalent up front. I really couldn't pick out much else. The dryness of the beer helped a bit, though. The fizziness of the bubbles helped as well, but the fact is that it's kind of a watered down beer. Still, there's something about that corn flavor that is a little intriguing about beers like this sometimes.

Overall Rating: 

This is as light as I can go when it comes to beer. I always try to keep some on hand for when a non-fancy beer drinker visits. It has an obvious watery taste and feel to it. There aren't many layers of flavor even though I'm fond of the corn taste. The beer isn't very active in terms of foam or lacing either. A little crispness to it, but not much else.

Monday Rant: Beer Crusades

In the world of craft beer blogs, when the major American brewers are mentioned in someone's post (even on this blog) it's usually in a negative light. To be honest, we aren't the country's biggest fans of Coors, Miller, Budweiser etc. That especially goes for those of us that indulge in the many craft offerings we regularly enjoy.

Sometimes the attitude some in the craft community cause some of us to hide some of our feelings towards certain companies and some beers. I know there are some of you out there that will agree with what I'm about to say.

I sometimes get the feeling that craft beer has formed into its own persecuting society. I feel that if you don't like a certain type or a particular beer that you sometimes would get a reaction to the sort of "how dare you not like this beer!" It's kind of like living during the time of the Christian Crusades, although not to such a violent extent. When I want to write a piece like this (saying I don't enjoy really hoppy brews or a small nice thing about a major American brewer) it takes me some time to actually get it done in fear that many craft fans will be quick on the trigger.

When it comes to beer in America, I can sometimes go for a product from one of the American majors. I can sometimes go for a Coors Original Banquet Beer. There I said it. I don't think it's the worst thing out there. Before you want to crucify me know that I've always made it clear that beers like Coors Light, Miller Lite and Bud are abominations to brewing. The allegations that Budweiser might have been watering down its product might even shed light on what a lot of us have been saying for years. Those taste like watered-down soggy bread.

I'm not saying Coors Banquet is one of the great beer sin existence. In fact, it's far from that. What if you were in a situation where there wasn't a lot of craft offerings and a beer like Coors Banquet was there? What I'm saying is that once in a while a beer as such can be a decent fall-back when you can't have something that's outstanding and memorable. I was presented with such a dilemma while at the North Shore's Stage AE. It was all Miller and Coors products. If given the choices of something like a Lagunitas IPA, a Troegs Sunshine Pils and Coors Banquet the last beer named wouldn't stand a chance. I don't believe Banquet is that low on the American totem poll. I've never seen a ton of people in dive bars while in college downing pitchers of Banquet. It was always Coors Light.

As I've always said on this blog, I hold no biases when it comes to the beer I drink. I don't hold grudges against certain breweries. If you can pull off a good beer I'm very appreciative. If I don't like it that doesn't mean the entire world has to either. I've also been a bad critic of American beer advertising. I hate the Bud Light Pitbull ads. i hate the Coors Light train in the ice age ads. Banquet, on the other hand, has the voice of Sam Elliot. I have to give props to that. Sam Elliot makes a lot of things better on television and in movies. It's still not on par with the Breckenridge Truth in Beervertising ads, but it's not bad.

Don't worry. I still really love all of the craft breweries out there and the beers that are offered. For tomorrow's post I'm planning on a small list of my favorite craft brews that are made locally here in Pittsburgh! So, it'll be back to praising great craft breweries as usual.

Monday Rant: Heinz Field - Where's the Good Beer?

Where's the good beer? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I'm sure many of you have spent a Sunday afternoon/evening tailgating around Heinz Field for a Steelers game. If you're geeky about craft beer, as I am, then you've most likely noticed the lack of craft beer selections inside and out of Heinz Field.

Let me fill you in on my North Shore journey yesterday. I stopped at the new Pittsburgh Grille and Sports Bar. There was a pretty decent selection of craft beer. After paying $9 for a  Raging Bitch IPA, I decided to move along and see if I could get something a bit cheaper.

My venture's brought me to Stage AE, right down the street. I knew there was at least beer taps there. I was highly disappointed in the beer selection as it is mostly Coors offerings on draft (Blue Moon, Killians Irish Red and Coors Light). I decided to buy myself a Coors Banquet, which I haven't had in a while. It's nothing to be thrilled about, but at least it didn't cost me another Alexander Hamilton.

Places like the bar I visited previously and Rivertowne right next door get the job done in terms of a beer selection, but outside and in Heinz Field is somewhat disappointing. Not sure if it has something to do with money, contracts or what not but it's still sad. Even sadder is the fact that the majority of football fans everywhere will still buy it. It's almost like a monopoly in NFL stadiums.