Adjunction Junction: The Ultimate American Adjunct Lager Smackdown

I'm finally through with the backlog of reviews from the "apartment days," and it's time to start posting new reviews. To kick things off, I wanted to do something a little special.

Please excuse my intentionally AWESOME graphic

A couple years back, I posted a roundup of Light Lagers as part of The Session #25. It was all a lot of fun, so I wanted to give it a whirl again with their "non-light" counterparts as the first batch of reviews at the new digs. This time though, I wanted to go all out.

With that in mind, I assembled a super team—not dissimilar to the A-Team—of American Adjunct Lagers. Of course, the big three of BMC got the invite this time, sending the first-stringers Budweiser, Coors Banquet, and Miller Genuine Draft. And I had to invite back the regional favorite too, so Lone Star is in. To make things a little more interesting, I wanted to include some classics, so Miller High Life, Schlitz, and Pabst Blue Ribbon all got the call.

No expense spared, like Jurassic Park

All together, that makes seven different American Adjunct Lagers, a team representing the most popular beers in the style. You may think I'm crazy for embarking on this journey, but remember I do it all for you, loyal readers. I do it for you.

Buying them all was a lot of fun. I was able to buy two single 16 ounce cans each of Bud, High Life, and Lone Star, but had to resort to six-packs of Schlitz and PBR. Despite visiting many "beer caves" at liquor stores, grocery stores, and gas stations in the Houston area, I was unable to find big cans of Coors or MGD, eventually settling on twelve-packs of 12 ounce cans. If you're keeping score, that's 42 cans (or four and a half gallons) of American Adjunct Lager that were acquired for this shootout.

Just a quick note on methodology. Reviewing seven different beers at once is never an easy task, especially seven different beers in the same style (double especially if it's such a bland style). Also, I find it hard to write anything that even comes close to making sense after seven beers. With all of that in mind, I took photos, wrote tasting notes, and assigned a grade to each beer separately over the course of a couple weeks. Once all of the beers were done, I sat down with a sample of each beer to compare them against each other to further tweak the notes and verify the relative ranks. Truly, the best of both worlds!

I don't really have a clever hypothesis, question, or even point here, this is just for shits and giggles. Let's dig in!

Budweiser is the best selling version of this style, making it the perfect place to get started. Supposedly the king of beers, Budweiser has virtually become shorthand for American beer all across the world. Unfortunately, it's watery, sweet, and about as bland as a slice of American cheese, making it a rather dreadful ambassador. You can read my full Budweiser review here.

Second up to bat is Miller Genuine Draft (MGD). Originally conceived as a way of emulating draft High Life at home, MGD is not pasteurized, but rapidly chilled and then cold-filtered. MGD has become the flagship for Miller, despite only existing for a scant quarter of a century. For the style, it actually has a pretty robust malt profile, but it still doesn't measure up to the original High Life for me. You can read my full MGD review here.

Representing the last of the big three is Coors Banquet. The beer that launched the Coors empire back in 1873, Coors is a Rocky Mountain original that still leans heavily on the region for its image. It's a well-balanced beer, but ultimately pretty boring. Rather surprising, as it's little brother Coors Light won my light lager challenge. You can read my full Coors Banquet review here.

Representing the local contingent is Lone Star Beer. Lone Star, founded by Adolphus Busch, was the first modern brewery in the state. Today though, the beers are brewed by contract. Like Budweiser, the "National Beer of Texas" is a poor ambassador for its region. It's maltier than most of the beers here, but rather faceless and forgettable. You can read my full Lone Star review here.

Kicking off the retro brews is Schlitz. Not just fun to say, Schlitz used to be one of the dominant names in brewing. There's a 60's formulation version available now, but this is the budget beer version that's kept the brand limping along over the last few decades. It's rather standard for the style, with a nasty metallic twang. You can read my full Schlitz review here.

Next up for the old-schoolers is Miller High Life. Know as "the champagne of beers," High Life dates back to 1903 and was one of the first premium beers in America. These days, it's not quite at the top of the market, but I still quite like it. There's a good mix of grainy malt and lemony hops making it crisp and refreshing without the crushing boringness found in many of the beers here. You can read my full Miller High Life review here.

Wrapping things up for the throw-backs the hipster favorite Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR). Pabst is another fallen juggernaut that's been rescued with the new interest in old beers. The flavor profile is malt-heavy, with a slight metallic taste that doesn't ruin the party. The hipsters may be on to something, as PBR brings more character than the big guns. You can read my full PBR review here.

So, how do they shake out? After much deliberation, I present to you my ultimate American Adjunct Lager ranking:

• In seventh place, Budweiser.
• In sixth place, Coors Banquet.
• In fifth place, Schlitz.
• In fourth place, Miller Genuine Draft (MGD).
• In third place, Lone Star Beer.
• In second place, Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR).
• In first place, Miller High Life.

To be honest though, I can't help but feel like the label on the cans might have influenced my ratings just a little bit. I'm sure my subconscious wanted to like High Life more than MGD, Schlitz more than Lone Star, etc. and I fear that might have had an effect on the ratings. Perhaps I'll have to organize another smackdown like this in the future, but with blind taste testings. Maybe with a few craft lagers thrown in just to throw me off. Hmm, this is sounding like fun...

Anyway, so what have we learned today? Well, nothing really, I suppose. None of these beers are particularly "good," but hey, at least the world now finally knows my preference in American Adjunct Lagers. I know that's been bugging you, world.

You want to know a secret? Sometimes I buy a sixer of High Life. Not only is it handy to have around for guests, but sometimes it's just what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes I just want something crisp and refreshing when I get home from work or when I'm grilling up some burgers. I know a lot of us in the beer world get snobby about these beers, but they have their place.

Coors Banquet Review

Brewery: Coors Brewing Co. | Beer: Coors Banquet
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 5.0% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 12 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

First brewed in 1873, Coors Banquet (or Coors Original), is the oldest brand in the Coors stable. Originally brewed by Adolph Coors in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, this is the beer that launched the Coors empire. It's also the beer the Bandit was hauling in the American film classic Smokey and the Bandit. So there's that.

As with the other big brewers flagships, Coors Banquet has been vastly outpaced market-share wise by it's Light counterpart. However, while Budweiser and MGD are still well-known brands, Coors Banquet has slipped somewhat into obscurity. In the last few years, though, Coors has been shaping Banquet into a nostalgia brand in the likes of High Life and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The only ingredient Coors like to push is the water (never a great sign), and they maintain that the 100% Rocky Mountain aqua used gives Banquet it's unique smooth character.

Shall we dive into the Mile High taste?

Appearance: A crystal-clear straw-colored body capped by two fingers of fluffy white head that burn out quickly and leaves no lace.

Aroma: Sweet and grainy malt along with lemony hops that keep everything balanced nicely.

Taste: As the nose promised, the flavor profile is composed of lemony and somewhat grassy hops over a sweet, grainy malt backbone. There’s a bare hint of something buttery in here, but it doesn’t linger long enough for proper identification. It’s about average for the style in intensity (that is to say, weak). A little bit of husky malt in the mostly clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with sharp carbonation and a crisp finish.

Drinkability: Same old same old for the style: imminently drinkable for fans of the flavor profile.

Verdict: While Coors Banquet suffers from the same problems as the other beers in the style, it’s balanced better than much of its competition. Balance alone, however, is not enough to win the day.

Grade: D

Budweiser Review

Brewery: Anheuser-Busch, Inc. | Beer: Budweiser
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 5.0% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

Known as the "King of Beers," Budweiser is the most iconic brew in the world and, for many, represents the "default" beer. It's been around for 135 years and serves the flagship product for the biggest brewer in the US. Put succinctly, this beer is a juggernaut.

Budweiser was born out of a trip Adolphus Busch took to Bohemia in 1876, where he got acquainted with the lagers of the area. With the beer's release later that year and it's subsequent success, Budweiser helped change American taste in beer from darker ales to lighter lagers.

These days, the king has been supplanted by the prince, as light beers have taken control of the market, pushing Bud Light into the role of the real breadwinner of the family. Old man Budweiser is still the flagship brew though, and the heritage machine is in working order, churning out all of the Clydesdales and beech-wood chip images it can.

As for what's actually in the can, the malt bill calls for two and six-row barley, verdant rice (up to 30%), an unnamed blend of ten hop varieties, and yeast that dates back to that used by Adolphus himself. The beer is aged on beech-wood chips, which are used for their ability to gather sediment (along with marketing), rather than for imparting any wood flavors into the beer.

Let's see if the king's crown is warranted, shall we?

Appearance: A crystal-clear, effervescent, and golden-straw body capped by two fingers of fluffy white head that burn out quickly, leaving only the barest patches of lacing on the way down.

Aroma: Floral and lemony hops over sweet grain; rather faint overall.

Taste: Up front, a hint of grassy and lemony hops. Underneath, a thoroughly sweet grainy malt backbone. It’s all just thin and bland, a real snooze-fest. Light grain in the mostly clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with sharp carbonation and a clean finish.

Drinkability: As expected, this goes back with the greatest of ease. All that could stand in your way is stomach volume and sheer banality.

Verdict: Not surprisingly, I’m not going to be ready to bow down to this “king” any time soon. Watery, boring, thin, and too sweet, Budweiser is just what you’d expect it to be.

Grade: D

Miller Genuine Draft (MGD) Review

Brewery: Miller Brewing Co. | Beer: Miller Genuine Draft
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.7% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 12 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

Originally branded as Miller High Life Genuine Draft, MGD was introduced in 1985 as the home version of draft High Life. It features the same recipe as High Life, but with a different production process designed to emulate draft beer in a can or bottle.

After brewing, the beer is crashed down to 35 degrees, instead of undergoing the usual heat pasteurization. Once cooled, it is then cold-filtered four times, with the last filtration coming courtesy of ceramic filters.

Despite it's relatively young age, Miller Genuine Draft has become the standard-bearer for the company, with the sales-leading Miller Lite as the light offering and Miller High Life as the budget heritage offering.

Who doesn't like draft beer? Let's tap this bad boy and see if we can get the real straight from the tap flavor right here at home.

Appearance: A crystal-clear straw-colored body capped by two fingers of bubbly, white head that feature decent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Sweet and grainy pale malt with mild, lemony hops for balance.

Taste: Surprisingly, there is a relatively substantial malt backbone here. While it’s hardly a lush base of caramel malt, it does feature some biscuity notes along with the usual grainy and husky character. That said, there’s little hop character here, just a splash of lemon. The finish is clean, with just a suggestion of slightly biscuity grain in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A somewhat watery body with sharp carbonation and crisp finish.

Drinkability: As usual with these beers, if you’re into the flavor profile there’s nothing holding you back.

Verdict: While it’s still bland and thin compared to the rest of the beer world, MGD actually has a decent wedge of malty character for this style. Still, given a choice between this and its cousin High Life, I’d choose the latter every time.

Grade: D+

Lone Star Beer Review

Brewery: Pabst Brewing Co. | Beer: Lone Star Beer
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.7% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

Founded in 1884 by brewing baron Adolphus Busch, Lone Star Brewing Company was the first large-scale mechanized brewery in Texas. The brewery was located in San Antonio, but production was stopped in 2000 and the brand new belongs to Pabst, and production of Lone Star beers is contracted.

Lone Star Beer, marketed as "The National Beer of Texas" is the company's flagship brew and dates back to 1940. Pitched as a budget brand, Lone Star is a local Texas favorite that is now available across the country.

As for ingredients, Lone Star only lets slip that "malted barley and corn extract from the Central and Northern Plains" along with "the choicest hops from the Pacific Northwest." Well, it's more information than you usually get with these kind of beers.

Well y'all, I suppose it's fixin' to be 'bout time to crack this summbitch open, ain't ya' think?

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden body capped by two fingers of fluffy white head that burns off quickly and leaves no lacing.

Aroma: Lemony hops over a relatively rich grainy malt body. Somewhat promising so far.

Taste: Up front, a dash of spicy and lemony hops. Underneath, a relatively rich cereal-grainy backbone. It’s much maltier (well, grainier) than it is hoppier, but doesn’t feel unbalanced. Just a little sweet grain in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a clean finish.

Drinkability: Like every beer in this category, drinkability is there in spades for those that enjoy the flavor.

Verdict: I’m sad to say it, but Lone Star is a piss-poor representation of Texas beer. It’s has a bit more malt bite than most of it’s competition, but at the end of the day it’s just another in a sea of faceless beers in this style.

Grade: D+

Schlitz Review

Brewery: Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. | Beer: Schlitz
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.6% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company dates back to 1856 when Joseph Schlitz took over the small brewery he worked at after the death of the original owner. Schlitz, eventually known as "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous," would become one of the most dominant brands of beer, and the Schlitz company was the largest producer of beer in the world at various points throughout the first half of the 20th century.

After its peak in the 70's, however, Schlitz faded into near-obscurity, becoming a shadow of it's former self and serving as a budget beer. However, with the revival of throw-back heritage brands over the last few years, Schlitz is on the rise again. In addition to the budget formulation of Schlitz being reviewed here, there is also a version based on the 60's formulation in circulation now.

 Let's hop in the wayback machine and see what made Milwaukee so "famous," shall we?

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden body capped by two fingers of fluffy white head that feature good retention and patchy lacing. Looking good so far.

Aroma: Faint grains and equally faint lemony hops. Rather standard.

Taste: The flavor profile is a balance of sweet, grainy malt and lemony and grassy hops. There’s also a metallic flavor lurking around the edges. It’s balanced well, but still rather weak. Just a bare whiff of husky grains in the clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation and a crisp finish.

Drinkability: Average for the style. That is to say, for fans of the flavor, this is an exceedingly easy drinker.

Verdict: While I held some hope that perhaps Schlitz was something more than the offerings of the big three (and that hope seemed vindicated upon seeing the beer in the glass), alas, it’s just the same old crap. Still, I hold lots of hope for the 60’s formula version that's available now.

Grade: D+

Miller High Life Review

Brewery: Miller Brewing Co. | Beer: Miller High Life
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.7% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

Miller High Life is the oldest beer in the Miller Brewing Company lineup by far, having been around since 1903. Known as "the champagne of bottled beer," it was originally sold in tiny champagne bottles and occupied space in the fledgling premium American beer market.

Over time though, the market evolved and High Life became a near-forgotten budget brand, taking a back seat to Miller's flagships MGD and Miller Lite. During the past few years though, High Life has made a bit of a comeback. It's now positioned as an earnest, no-nonsense throw-back low-cost beer, thanks to plenty of clever marketing.

Let's pop the cork on this everyman's champagne and take a taste of the high life, shall we?

Appearance: A crystal-clear straw body capped by two fingers of bubbly white head that feature surprisingly good retention and decent patchy lacing.

Aroma: Husky and grainy pale malt with lemony hops. It’s thin and very clean, but not offensive.

Taste: Just as promised, the flavor profile is composed of grainy and husky malt with a twist of lemony hops. It’s pretty bland in general, but not bad for the style. The aftertaste is clean, with just a hint of husk and grassy hops remaining.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with crisp medium-high carbonation and a hint of dryness in the finish.

Drinkability: As always with this style, drinkability is the aim, and they’ve hit their mark here. Sure, it’s a little plain, but it gets the job done.

Verdict: Miller High Life is one of the best examples of this perpetually weak style out there (please excuse the backhanded compliment). If I had to pick one American Adjunct Lager out of a cooler at a party, I think this would be it.

Grade: C

Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) Review

Brewery: Pabst Brewing Co. | Beer: Pabst Blue Ribbon
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.7% | IBUs: ~12
Serving Method: 16 oz. can poured into Pilsener glass

The flagship of the Pabst Brewing Company, Pabst Blue Ribbon is a beer with a long and varied history. Originally known as Best Select before the brewery was called Pabst, PBR dates back to the 1840s. The Blue Ribbon name comes from the blue ribbons that were once hand-tied around the neck of the bottles.

Sales peaked in 1977 at 18 million barrels. Over the next few decades, sales dropped off over 90%, getting to the sorry state of under one million barrels by 2001. However, the brand experienced a revival over the coming years, thanks to popularity amongst hipsters (not judging) yearning for an earnest, traditional, and cheap alternative to Bud/Miller/Coors. PBR is now a budget beer pitched at a dichotomous group of old-schoolers and hipsters.

Unlike many beers in this style, Pabst is actually pretty forward about the ingredient list. The malt bill includes six-row barley along with "a carefully balanced carbohydrate profile" from good old corn syrup. As for hops, there's a "unique" mix of Pacific hops and an "imported Yugoslavian variety."

Well, my skinny jeans are still at the cleaners, but I suppose we should jump on in anyway.

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden-straw body capped by a little over two fingers of bubbly white head that burn off quickly and leave no lacing.

Aroma: A thin pale malt body with just a whiff of flowery hops.

Taste: Grainy pale malt makes up the bulk of the profile, and unfortunately brings an off metallic flavor to the party. There is a thin wave of hops if you go hunting, and if you happen to catch them, you’ll find bare notes of lemon, grass, and banana. Pale malt and a hint of dark fruit in the finish.

Mouthfeel: A medium-light body with medium-high carbonation and a crisp finish.

Drinkability: This is an easy drinker, perfectly suited for a summertime Dashboard Confessional show.

Verdict: While the hipsters may be more interested in the can design than the beer inside, PBR is actually not too terrible of a beer. I suppose the highest compliment I could pay this beer is that I could easily believe this was a poor attempt at an easy-drinking lager from a mediocre craft brewery.

Grade: C-

Corona Extra Review

Brewery: Grupo Modelo S.A.B. de C.V. | Beer: Corona Extra
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.6% | IBUs: ~10
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsener glass

Corona Extra is one of the most popular beers in the world, hands down. And like it or not, for the bulk of the population this single beer has become the default definition of Mexican beer despite the fact that it's essentially identical to the stuff sold in red, white, and blue cans.

With decades of clever marketing behind the brand, not only is Corona the beer most associated with Cinco de Mayo, but it's almost become the official beer of relaxing on a white sand beach. Marketing is a powerful thing, and a lifetime of peaceful beach scenes centered around ice-cold golden beers in beautiful clear bottles clearly works.

One of the most characteristic things about Corona is that clear bottle it's sold in. There's a continuum of beer containers ranging from the perfect UV protection of a can through to the skunk-inviting whisper of protection offered by a clear bottle. Clear bottles look great, but lead to off-flavors (especially in delicate beers like a soft lager); I think the fact this beer is sold in a clear bottle speaks volumes about the quality/image ratio here.

Anyway, I may not have any fresh lime slices on hand, but let's go ahead and dive in.

Appearance: A drastically pale straw body capped by less than a finger of white head that fizzes out rapidly and leaves no lacing.

Aroma: Just a whiff of corny and grainy malt. Meh.

Taste: A grainy malt body accompanied by some slightly skunky hops with notes of lemon and grass. The aftertaste is grainy and clean. At the end of the day, there's nothing offensive here, but really nothing pleasant either.

Mouthfeel: A medium-light body with good carbonation.

Drinkability: All that's holding you back is the way it tastes.

Verdict: Don't be fooled by the Spanish on the bottle, Corona Extra is just another bland and watery American Lager. I'm usually not a big fan of fruit served with beer, but in this one's case a lime certainly can't hurt.

Grade: D

Bud Ice Review

Brewery: Anheuser-Busch, Inc. | Beer: Bud Ice
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 5.5% | IBUs: ~10
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsener glass

Ah, the North American ice beer. Unlike their bigger German cousins, American and Canadian ice beers are essentially just your typical crappy adjunct lager frozen to remove some of the water and boost the alcohol content a bit. The problem is, when you filter that water out, you end up filtering out yeast cells and protein particles as well, resulting in a more potent, yet less flavorful beer.

Introduced in 1994, Bud Ice is one of the most popular ice beers out there. While it lacks a little of the punch found in the competition, it's claimed to have more flavor. Despite all this, Bud Ice is best known for those "duby duby doo" penguin ads.

Also, for some unknown reason, there's also a light version of Bud Ice. If anyone can explain that one to me, I'll buy you a beer.

Anyway, with the temperature above 100 in Houston today, the ice-shaped bottle is enticing. Let's get to it.

Appearance: A crystal-clear, paler-than-pale straw body with a bubbly white head that burns out rapidly and leaves no lacing.

Aroma: Sweet, grainy malt with the barest hints of hops. Clean and thin.

Taste: It's all grainy, ricey, and slightly sweet malt up front. Then... there's really nothing to back it up. If you go looking for it, you may be able to pick out some grassy hops towards the end, just don't bet on it. The aftertaste is grainy and rather short-lived.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and watery with lots of fizzy carbonation.

Drinkability: The only thing holding you back is the utter blandness of it all.

Verdict: Let's do a mental exercise. I want you to imagine a bottle of Bud Light with a percent more alcohol and perhaps a little more grainy malt. Can you see it? There, now I've saved you from ever bothering to try this. Bleh.

Grade: D-

Landshark Lager Review

Brewery: Anheuser-Busch, Inc. | Beer: Landshark Lager
Style: American Adjunct Lager | ABV: 4.7% | IBUs: ~10
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsener glass

As far back as I can remember, there's been one nagging question in the beer community that kept resurfacing: "What would a beer made by Jimmy Buffet taste like?" Well, a few years ago we got our answer, and it took the form of Landshark Lager.

To be blunt, this beer is simply a product of marketing. I'm not necessarily bashing that—I work in marketing for God's sake—I'm just saying it needs to be taken into account. Someone at AB had the brilliant idea of releasing a beer for parrotheads and the "Margaritaville Brewing Co." was born. What's in the bottle never really mattered.

Perhaps I'm just being a cynical old git, though. Perhaps Jimmy really cared and wanted to produce a relatively full-flavored adjunt lager; really crank out the best version of the style on the market. I'm willing to be an optimist for a second here.

Let's dive in.

Appearance: A crystal-clear, golden-straw body with two fingers of fluffy white head that features decent retention and lacing. Not too shabby.

Aroma: Typical macro: corny and grainy malt with some bare hints of grassy hops.

Taste: Bleh. A sweet base of corny and grainy malt with a few notes of sour apple and grassy hops on occasion. The aftertaste is grainy and short-lived.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with good carbonation.

Drinkability: Easy enough to drink, but it's just so bland that there's not much motivation to keep going.

Verdict: While it's hardly a surprise that Landshark is not a good beer, it's certainly no worse that your standard macro lager. Call it "Corona With a Shark On It."

Grade: D+