Well, it's finally out on the streets. Budweiser American Ale, the beer that will change the world... or not. It's available at Hooters now, on draft, I assume it's pretty much everywhere else now. The commercial is on every other minute while watching sports, so I bet the distributors had this one ready to go to all their accounts yesterday.
So how was it?
It poured our a light amber. It had a decent meringue looking foam. It didn't hold its rocky shape for long in the glass (but did in the pitcher). It did cling to the glass nicely (so it wasn't a dirty glass). It smelled sweet and malty. It almost smelled sugary to me, like a sugar cookie. I didn't get any hops in the aroma. As I drank it down, it started to smell a little like banana.
It felt thin and somewhat fizzy. After a while it became drying, almost unpleasantly drying. It tasted, surprisingly hoppy and bitter. The sweet smell really covered up the hops. It wasn't malty at all.
I'd read several reviews of this beer and most people seemed pleasantly surprised by the beer. But then, they had gone in expecting (hoping) to hate it. I went in thinking I'd probably like it based on their reviews, I was disappointed.
I didn't enjoy this beer. I don't know if I would order this beer regardless of who brewed it. I've seen some people compare it to Goose Island Honkers, but I'm not sure. It's a hoppy amber, possibly like Dark Horse Rod (except I kind of like Rod). So, maybe a side by side.
I'll try it in a bottle next, see if that's any different. It's apparently available at Friar Tucks. The locator on the website doesn't list it at the Picadilly's.
Other people at the table who tried it, also thought it was bitter. (So the dry hopping did it's work). In a funny side note, it had been since May 28, since I had a new beer at Hooters. Most of the people at the table last night had never seen me "review" a beer, so it was kind of funny. People asking what I was writing, looking at me funny as I was trying to snort the beer.
If you want to see bud's hype, here's the website.
Well I guess if it's on tap at Hooters then it's hit the main stream then. Whodathunkit that Hooters was a measure of American beer popularity.
ReplyDeleteActually my local Hooters has a pretty good beer selection (I'd like to think that I have something to do with that though).
ReplyDeleteWhenever there's going to be an open tap, the manager asks me what would be good. Granted there's limitations to what he can get (it's gotta be approved by corporate) but it's not a bad list.
Anywhere that someone can ask for the "New Bud" you gotta believe that it's going to be available.
I'd almost bet that the first kegs were given away, free samples.
My opinion: Doesn't live up to the hype. Tastes like a 50/50 mix of a good ale and regular Bud. Taste doesn't last. A little bitter. Not smooth. Might be good consumed in mass quantities (pitcher form) with pizza, but that's about it. Not something to compliment good food or stand on its own. Will not be trying it again after this first 6-pack is gone.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Doc.
ReplyDeleteI was back at hooters on sunday for watching NFL, and the manager told me that on tuesday they had put it on draft, but had not cleaned the lines, so there may have been some residual Bass in there.
So I gave it another try.
It still wasn't good.
I'm going to try it from a bottle to see if it's different/better, but I don't have high expectations.