Rating: C+
Came out of a Michelob Craft Sampler pack. Poured into a SA pint glass - a confusion understandable given Michelob's recent ads...Appearance: Quite a dark garnet/brown in color. Two finger sand-colored head with decent retention and nice lacing.
Smell: Fairly light roasty aroma. Hops come through more so than typical in the style. Hints of dark chocolate in the background.
Taste: Bitter chocolate and three-day old coffee.... but not in a bad way. Avoids the dreaded porter trap of tasting like Coca Cola.
Mouthfeel: Light-medium body. Perhaps over-carbonated.
Drinkability: Moderate. Pursued the porter style while refusing to sacrifice the "drinkability" so important to A-B. Of course, anyone choosing this beer wasn't intent on slamming a twelve-pack of them anyway, so the merit of this decision is open to question.
4 comments:
It makes me sad that they're trying to break into the craft market. Less market share for true craft brewers, therefore less creativity in an industry which has benefited so highly from it. So sad.
-Ben
Seattle, WA
It doesn't bother me - who cares who's making the beer as long as it's great beer. I love all the new Michelobs and Bud American Ale is awesome.
I'm with anonymous.
If anyone is striving to brew better beer, and make it available to more consumers, it's a good thing. Isn't that what ultimately matters?
Too many beer snobs bemoan the former "monopoly" of the macros, but then complain when the micros face competition.
I will judge any beer on its merits - quality as well as value - but affirmative action for small brewers or whining about the big guys edging in on craft brewing's "turf" is parochial and counter-productive.
Just wanted to add that as far as competing over market share goes, I suspect that the big guys' entry into the segment will expand the overall market as more beer drinkers are introduced to different styles and discover "wow, there's a whole world of beer out there."
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