What do You Styling People Drink?

[Thwack]

I've been leaning away from beer lately as I don't need the excess calories that come along with it. But for the most part a nice whiskey, scotch, or bourbon on the rocks, wine (of any color), or martini (I prefer gin).

One of my co-workers (a straight out of college "kid") found out I drink Scotch. "That's an old man drink." to which I replied "No, it's a real man's drink." I wanted to go on to say she's probably never met one of those but figured that's the difference between a snappy come back and just being an arse.

 

[Fletch]

The young lady is just being au courant. Young men these days, those who are anxious to be perceived as Men, must first prove themselves Lads. That means avoiding any beverage, taste, habit, or trait that suggests maturity or refinement. Manly drinking today has one object: to get very drunk very fast, ideally at the risk of emesis.

 

[Thwack]

Having been to the bars recently I can only agree with your statement Fletch. How else could someone explain the popularity of budweiser and other alcohol flavored waters?

 

[jamespowers]

Having been to the bars recently I can only agree with your statement Fletch. How else could someone explain the popularity of budweiser and other alcohol flavored waters?

Pervasive Youthful Insanity? Kind of like Mass Hysteria but it only affects the young drinking population.

 

[Fletch]

Having been to the bars recently I can only agree with your statement Fletch. How else could someone explain the popularity of budweiser and other alcohol flavored waters?

As an Unlicensed Cultural Deconstructionist, I argue that Bud is a highly manly beverage - right down to the nickname. Despite its low potency and bland flavor, no one - even a beer snob - would call it a wimpy beer, because it has far too many commonalities with culturally defined masculinity. Some examples are:

a) Workingclass image. This group has a deep investment in a manly image, and to an extent, vice versa: to be manly today is to be at least at home with workingclass ways, if not to embrace them proudly. This is defined in part by lack of fussy, refined, "snob" tastes, and individual subordination to the group, often defined by consumption and brand choice. A bland beer is also a better choice for men whose work is physical and thirst-inducing.

b) Americanism. Big brands are the most populist in their image, and with Bud, the red-white-and-blue is right on the label. In addition, Anheuser-Busch has poured on the patriotism in its advertising since selling out to Belgium's InBev combine.

c) Advertising associations to sports such as football and racing, which are primally masculine in cultural meaning. Bud also advertises in less primally masculine sporting contexts, such as baseball, but this complements its association with the manliness of all sports.

d) Cultural primacy. Other beers compete for number one, but men instinctually gravitate to a winner, and Bud is the big name. The King of Beers is everywhere, and always dependable.

 

[jamespowers]

As an Unlicensed Cultural Deconstructionist, I argue that Bud is a highly manly beverage. Despite its low potency and bland flavor, no one - even a beer snob - would call it a wimpy beer, because it has far too many commonalities with culturally defined masculinity. Some examples are:

a) Workingclass image. This group has a deep investment in a manly image, and to an extent, vice versa: to be manly today is to be at least at home with workingclass ways, if not to embrace them proudly. This is defined in part by lack of fussy, refined, "snob" tastes, and individual subordination to the group, often defined by consumption and brand choice. A bland beer is also a better choice for men whose work is physical and thirst-inducing.

b) Americanism. Big brands are the most populist in their image, and with Bud, the red-white-and-blue is right on the label. In addition, Anheuser-Busch has poured on the patriotism in its advertising since selling out to Belgium's InBev combine.

c) Advertising associations to sports such as football and racing, which are primally masculine in cultural meaning. Bud also advertises in less primally masculine sporting contexts, such as baseball, but this complements its association with the manliness of all sports.

d) Cultural primacy. Other beers compete for number one, but men instinctually gravitate to a winner, and Bud is the big name. The King of Beers is everywhere, and always dependable.

You forgot to mention that their stock is a decent investment as well.

 

[Fletch]

Good point. Money doesn't make a man, but it sure helps.

 

[jamespowers]

Good point. Money doesn't make a man, but it sure helps.

My grandfather used to say something similar: Money isn't everything but it sure helps a heck of a lot.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I hesitate to admit this, but this past fall, my father-in-law passed away, so I spent quite a bit of time with my in-laws. One brother-in-law only drinks Bud. So, I actually drank Bud for the first time over the course of a week in October, and again at Thanksgiving. Being the good brother-in-law, I had to keep Bud on hand when he came to visit, and over the course of two days at Thanksgiving, we consumed two cases of Bud. I've never had so much beer in such a short period in all my life. Never got drunk, though. However, once he was gone, I had to ease back into my other beers slowly, as they didn't taste as good, and I had subsequent cravings for Bud for weeks. I am happy to say that I am now cured!lol

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

I hesitate to admit this, but this past fall, my father-in-law passed away, so I spent quite a bit of time with my in-laws. One brother-in-law only drinks Bud. So, I actually drank Bud for the first time over the course of a week in October, and again at Thanksgiving. Being the good brother-in-law, I had to keep Bud on hand when he came to visit, and over the course of two days at Thanksgiving, we consumed two cases of Bud. I've never had so much beer in such a short period in all my life. Never got drunk, though. However, once he was gone, I had to ease back into my other beers slowly, as they didn't taste as good, and I had subsequent cravings for Bud for weeks. I am happy to say that I am now cured!lol

Brad

Oh no! You need to try some more. Its good for my portfo....err....I mean you.
Seriously, I know what you mean. I never buy the stuff myself but a friend of mine offers it to me everytime I go over his house. I usually opt for scotch instead unless he is drinking Budmonster.

 

[Thwack]

It's not that bud isn't a man's drink by any means. It's just bland and tastless next to countless other beers on the market.

 

[John in Covina]

The Belgies?

Bud is actually a well made representation of the modern (post prohibition) American Pilsner of high quality but brewed for a broad spectrum of tastes. It is lighter than its European cousins because of the use of adjucts (rice) which makes it a non-beer in Rheinheitgebots (sp?) German brewing terms. The use of beechwood aging is a nice throwback and aficionados still say St. Louis has the best tasting of all the Bud brewed around the USA.

Pre-prohibition American beers had much greater charector and use little or no adjucts to lighten the flavors and stretch the malt.

Not my favorite but better than many.

Interestingly, the Belgians have done their own version of many of the GB and European regional styles which they usually do great versions, plus they have their own specialties that are hard to recreate elsewhere. They are often master brewers in their own right.

 

[jamespowers]

Bud is actually a well made representation of the modern (post prohibition) American Pilsner of high quality but brewed for a broad spectrum of tastes. It is lighter than its European cousins because of the use of adjucts (rice) which makes it a non-beer in Rheinheitgebots (sp?) German brewing terms. The use of beechwood aging is a nice throwback and aficionados still say St. Louis has the best tasting of all the Bud brewed around the USA.

Pre-prohibition American beers had much greater charector and use little or no adjucts to lighten the flavors and stretch the malt.

Not my favorite but better than many.

Interestingly, the Belgians have done their own version of many of the GB and European regional styles which they usually do great versions, plus they have their own specialties that are hard to recreate elsewhere. They are often master brewers in their own right.

True. It certainly isn't Falstaff.

 

[Thwack]

Bud is actually a well made representation of the modern (post prohibition) American Pilsner of high quality but brewed for a broad spectrum of tastes. It is lighter than its European cousins because of the use of adjucts (rice) which makes it a non-beer in Rheinheitgebots (sp?) German brewing terms. The use of beechwood aging is a nice throwback and aficionados still say St. Louis has the best tasting of all the Bud brewed around the USA.

Pre-prohibition American beers had much greater charector and use little or no adjucts to lighten the flavors and stretch the malt.

Not my favorite but better than many.

Interestingly, the Belgians have done their own version of many of the GB and European regional styles which they usually do great versions, plus they have their own specialties that are hard to recreate elsewhere. They are often master brewers in their own right.

I must say, that is an interesting bit of knowledge that I've never really thought about. I would still have to characterize it as a lack of flavor rather than a different flavor.

 

[randooch]

Anyone here ever try Metaxa, the Greek brandy? Distinctive flavor, but I can't quite put a name to it . . .

 

[John in Covina]

Anyone here ever try Metaxa, the Greek brandy? Distinctive flavor, but I can't quite put a name to it . . .

********
Metaxa makes several levels of brandy. I have seen a 3 star and a 5, I have some of the 5 star, and then I had seen a higher level one that came in a different shaped bottle.

I think they have a style where there is either a special wood or a sealing pitch that is used on the barrels and it gets a flavor from that.

 

[John in Covina]

US Beer revolution continues

I must say, that is an interesting bit of knowledge that I've never really thought about. I would still have to characterize it as a lack of flavor rather than a different flavor.

Many brewers in the US use corn or rice as a malt substitute and it lightens the flavor so does the use of sugar. As the adjuct percentage of mix goes up the malty flavor goes down. Starting off with a good percentage of maly and adding a little sugar just bounces up the alcohol. I have heard that Fullers ESB uses some sugar in their receipe.

Here in the US in the mid eighties there was a resurgence of beer styles following the home brewing revolution. The early brew pub guys tended to be home brewers that saw the need for beer with flavor. Now some 20 plus years later the major breweries have noted that there have been inroads on their sales and self space. Still the Bud brewers make bland specialty beers because there consultants and accountants can't believe that people prefer flavor over fizz. Miller simply bought a succesful specialty brewer and DID NOT screw with the receipes. Many US travelers go to GB and Europe where they are astonded by the wonderful beers that are available. They return to the US and hunt for these brews. The big US importers and brewers still ahve problems with the concept that some people in the US actually have taste buds. Coors made Killians Red to the original receipe and when regular Coors drinkers said it was too strong, they changed it. Regular Coors is like a light beer to begin with so regular Coors drinkers are not really good judges as to what beer actually is. Heineken which makes a delicious Pilsner for European distribution makes a totally different and funky beer for the US. Why? Because the white bread eating average US beer drinker actually doesnt know what beer is supposed to taste like and after a life time of domestic fizz beers will reject great beer out of hand because their taste bud are ruined. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

But the tide is turning, slowly - slowly. I don't home brew any more for lack of time and the selection of beer is to the point that I can find what I want on the shelf of the local Beverages and More.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Coors made Killians Red to the original receipe and when regular Coors drinkers said it was too strong, they changed it. Regular Coors is like a light beer to begin with so regular Coors drinkers are not really good judges as to what beer actually is.

I loved Killians Red when it first came out. I tried it again a couple of years ago, and thought, "This doesn't taste as good as I remembered." That explains, it! Thanks, John.

On a side note, growing up near the Coors brewery, my first beer was Coors. It goes back to my granddad, who always had a can in his hand. When I was about ten or so, he would let me take sips of his Coors. Fast-forward to my senior year of high school, back when it was still legal for 18-year-olds to drink beer. My buddies and I arranged our class schedule so that we had Fourth Period off, which meant we had an hour-and-a-half for lunch. We'd leave school, eat our sandwiches in the car, drive to the Coors brewery, and take the "short tour," which led directly to the tasting room. We'd get our two free beers, and then go back to school for the rest of the afternoon. If you timed it just right at the shift change in the tasting room, you could get three free beers. Ah, the wild days of youth.

Gee, thanks to this thread, some of my dark secrets are seeing daylight!lol

I don't drink Coors anymore except once or twice a summer, when it's a really hot day, and I enjoy a cold can as a lawnmower beer. It takes me back to those days with my granddad, so it's worth it.


Brad

 

[jamespowers]

I don't drink Coors anymore except once or twice a summer, when it's a really hot day, and I enjoy a cold can as a lawnmower beer. It takes me back to those days with my granddad, so it's worth it.


Brad

For situations such as this, you get a pass---especially around here. If you haven't noticed, we tend to love old stories and memories of granddad.

 

[Fletch]

Here in the US in the mid eighties there was a resurgence of beer styles following the home brewing revolution. The early brew pub guys tended to be home brewers that saw the need for beer with flavor. Now some 20 plus years later the major breweries have noted that there have been inroads on their sales and self space. Still the Bud brewers make bland specialty beers because there consultants and accountants can't believe that people prefer flavor over fizz. [...] the white bread eating average US beer drinker actually doesnt know what beer is supposed to taste like and after a life time of domestic fizz beers will reject great beer out of hand because their taste bud are ruined. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Bud Light ad

One man's drinkability is another's pour-it-down-the-sinkability.