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From: clark@sdcsla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: Beer Evaluation (long)
Message-ID: <524@sdcsla.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 8-Mar-84 11:21:33 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsla.524
Posted: Thu Mar  8 11:21:33 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Mar-84 08:38:19 EST
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Cognitive Science Lab
Lines: 273

Home magazine (LA TIMES sunday supplement)
published the results of a beer tasting with a rather prestigious panel.
Using classic wine tasting methodology, they evaluated a number of domestics
and imports.  I reproduce the results below.  Note that within category and
rating, the beers are listed alphabetically.  Also note the lack of real
pejoratives.  Final note, one page had certain characters in the names
illegible, I filled them in where possible, others are represented with a 
'?'.  -- Clark (Quinn)

Domestics

  Premium Beers (Home magazine's designation)

    Coors Golden Lager            Outstanding                  6/$2.79
      Excellent head that leaves a fine, lacy wake of foam on the bottom of
      the glass; clean and mouth-filling body; fine malt.

    Schlitz                       Outstanding                  6/$2.58
      Fine bead of bubbles stays on and on in this pale-gold classic beer; not
      very hoppy, but enough so to satisfy thirst.
   
    Tuborg                        Outstanding                  6/$2.59
      Wonderfully complex golden brew with a creamy mousse, a hint of hops
      and clean taste; a refreshing beer and a good lager.

    Augsburger                    Good                         6/$3.49
      German-style, with toasty hops in deeper, golden-hue; fine head and
      clean finish.

    Budweiser                     Good                         6/$2.81
      Brilliant, clean and fresh in taste, with a long-lasting body of rather
      bland character; refreshing aftertaste.

    Coors                         Good                         6/$2.79
      Clean, smooth and mild taste and very subtle hops; leaves a foamy-lace
      curtain in the glass.

    Miller High Life              Good                         6/$2.79
      Creamy, rich head; still the "Champagne of Bottled Beers," vivid and
      alive, long in thirst-quenching taste and flavors.

    Pabst Blue Ribbon             Good                         6/$2.62
      Appetizingly bitter brew, with an old-fashioned beer character; fine
      head and clean finish.

  Super Premium Beers

    Anchor Steam                  Outstanding                  6/$5.42
      Tawny collar of creamy mousse over a dark, rich body; smooth and mouth
      filling taste; always a winner; a beer-lover's brew

    Liberty Ale                   Outstanding                  1/$1.09
      Marvelously rich and deeply flavored, wholly satisfying amber brew; 
      creamy mousse with intriguing hops; complex aroma.

    River City Gold               Outstanding                  4/$2.99
      Gold as the title declares, in a full-bodied brew in European
      style; delicate hops; fine malt in a marriage of flavors that lasts
      and lasts.

    Sierra Nevada Pale Ale        Outstanding                  1/$1
      Handmade amber brew from finest barley malt, with an inviting creamy
      head, fine bead; an almost-butterscotch richness in the taste.

    Ballantine India Pale Ale     Good                         6/$4.90
      One brew master declared it "outstanding," while others found it mild,
      but still rich in complex and classic flavors.

    Heileman's Special Export     Good                         6/$2.88
      Smooth, subtle, clean, almost sweetish; delicate hops, pale golden
      color and a fine and satisfying aftertaste.

    Henry Weinhard                Good                         6/$2.97
      Deeper gold, with evident hops in this full-flavored and mouth-
      filling brew, accounts for its wide popularity.

    Lowenbrau                     Good                         6/$3.29
      Subtle, but with undeniable hops in a really outstanding balance
      of impeccable brewing arts; fine creamy head.

    Michelob                      Good                         6/$3.09
      Brilliant and pale-gold brew beneath a rich collar of mousse, riding
      on a good, clean beer; sweetly neat finish.

Imported Beers

  Canada

    Molson Golden                 Outstanding                  6/$4.09
      From first taste to last, an intriguing delicacy of appetizing hops;
      an aromatic beer with a good head and a fine bead.

    Moosehead                     Good                         6/$4.38
      A more mild, less assertive brew of good clean taste and classic
      creamy collar; a beer of deserved popularity.

    Yukon Gold                    Good                         6/$4.79
      Subtle, clean and dry, with mild aromas; a pale-gold brew that is
      essentially light in body for easy quaffing.

  Mexico

    Bohemia                       Outstanding                  6/$4.53
      Subtle and appetizing bitterness; mouth-filling body with a mild
      zing.  Pale gold, brilliant finish and a fine head.

    Carta Blanca                  Outstanding                  6/$4.08
      Rich, gold and creamy, with lingering subtle hops of elegant 
      complexity; ever-popular and deserving of its fame.

    Dos Equis                     Outstanding                  6/$4.22
      A fine amber brew of intriguing complexity and good toasty flavors;
      appetizing and refreshing finesse.

    Carta Blanca Special          Good                         6/$4.08
      An amber brew of sweetish finish, staking its claim on another 
      category of beer aficionado who appreciates its milder zing.
  
    Tecate                        Good                         6/$3.91
      One of the best beers in popular pop-top cans on which to float that
      squeeze of lime. Ole! Good creamy collar when poured.

    Superior                      Standard                     6/$4.22
      Bland beer, usually popular in Mexico, but gave a less-than-exciting
      showing here; almost oxidized in taste.

  China/Japan/Phillipines

    Kirin(J)                      Outstanding                  6/$4.85
      Delicate brew, perhaps with some rice in its malting to lightly
      intrigue the taste; mild hops in its clean finish.

    San Miguel(P)                 Outstanding                  6/$4.75
      A really wonderful beer; clean, golden brilliance, and good, hoppy
      aromas in a splendid balance of brewing-craft elements.

    Sapporo(J)                    Outstanding                  6/$4.50
      A slightly sweet finish, with good hops character and a vigorous,
      bubbly collar of foam, but with larger bead.

    Tsingtao(C)                   Good                         6/$5.23
      From the People's Republic of China, a rich and creamy beer, clean,
      and thirst quenching.

  Australia/New Zealand

    Foster's Lager(A)             Outstanding                  6/$4.98
      Traditional taste from Down Under, where this leader is held in high
      esteem for its good zing in taste and rich collar of suds.

    Leopard Lager(NZ)             Outstanding                  6/$5.08
      An equally superior brew, equally fresh and clean; excellent delicacy
      in its balanced components; a beautiful beer.

    Steinlager(NZ)                Outstanding                  6/$6.10
      Hoppy, clean, fresh and thirst quenching, and as refreshing as the 
      snowy sights of the Milford Sound; really super suds.

    Tooth's K.B. Lager(A)         Good                         6/$4.98
      One brew master declared its sweetish, perfumy aromas "odd, 
      interesting, intriguing;" it certainly casts its own spell for the
      thirsty.

  Africa

    ?UL Brew Lager                Outstanding                  6/$6.59
      Truly an Old World lager beer, of Gold Medal-winning status, from
      Gambia, West Africa, with a refreshing, clean, Pilsener-style
      lightness.

  England/Ireland
    
    Bass Pale Ale(E)              Outstanding                  6/$6.38
      Fine amber color, inviting fragrance and an aroma of traditional depths
      from its well-malted components and brewing style.

    Samuel Smith's Pale Ale(E)    Outstanding                  6/$7.49
      Amber-bright, with centuries of tradition behind this brewery's proud
      offering; rich complexity in a fine lager beer.

    Watney's Beer(E)              Outstanding                  6/$6.32
      Toasty-bronze color, and butterscotch-rich in taste; a fine, clean,
      big brew you might even bring on with the roast beef.

    Harp Lager(I)                 Good                         4/$3.54
      A good lager brew, with little or no hops evident in bouquet, making
      the taste bland and mild but otherwise refreshing.

  France

    ?sher La Belle ?rasbourgeoise Good                         3/$3.30
      Creamy but light, almost bland, possibly from aged inventory; again,
      the problem of limited shelf life; better in France.

    Kronenburg                    Good                         6/$4.89
      From Alsace, this is a creamy-smooth, almost luxurious brew, with
      subtle hops, a fine head of rich foam and a clean bouquet.

  Germany

    Beck's Beer                   Outstanding                  6/$4.39
      A truly marvelous beer; connoisseurs agree on its singular excellence,
      subtle hops and long finish; favored for good reasons.

    Dortmunder Kronen             Outstanding                  6/$5.99
      For many of the tasters, the No. 1 beer in this group for its direct, 
      clean address of fine hops, delicate finesse and fine taste.

    ?olsten                       Outstanding                  6/$4.99
      A truly classic "bitter brew," with well-balanced, nicely evident
      hops that give it an appetizing, refreshing savor.

    St. Pauli Girl                Outstanding                  6/$4.98
      Subtle European hops, clean brew, gentle and refreshing, with a 
      good head and a fine bead of tiny bubbles.

  Czechoslovakia/Poland/Switzerland
 
    Lowenbrau Zurich(S)           Outstanding                  6/$6.59
      Superb! Beyond "outstanding" for the elegant, appetizing balance of
      all components in a most refreshing zing; a great lager beer.

    Pilsner Urquel(C)             Outstanding                  4/$4.56
      The ideal Pilsener of classic and judicious hops; the world's standard
      for fine lager beer; smooth, creamy and appetizing.

    Krakus(P)                     Standard                     6/$3.49
      Suggestions of caramel and some oxidation, possibly from inventory
      age and overcooked mash; acceptable as a curio, but certainly not
      exciting to the taste buds.

  Denmark/Norway
    
    Carlsberg Lager(D)            Outstanding                  6/$4.83
      A long time favorite of millions all over the world for its reach,
      creamy, satisfying wholeness of taste; very, very fine beer.

    Elephant Malt Liquor(D)       Outstanding                  6/$5.64
      One of the finest beers in this collection; a big brew of creamy
      taste and mouth-filling satisfaction; real body, almost chewy.

    Frydenlund(N)                 Outstanding                  6/$3.99
      Mildly sweetish, fresh and delightful; of certain appeal to a wide
      audience of thirsty beer drinkers.

    Giraf Malt Liquor(D)          Outstanding                  6/$5.53
      Honey-colored beer with full body, appealing freshness of taste
      and mild hops; very appetizing and thirst quenching.

  Holland

    Brand Beer                    Outstanding                 6/$7.17
      Here's the new one in the porcelain-white bottle; it pours a fine 
      collar of mousse, resting on a fine and appetizing body; a clean,
      refreshing brew.

    Heineken                      Outstanding                 6/$4.98
      For decades, the leading imported beer; it's always dependable, always
      fresh, clean, balanced and creamy smooth; gentle to bland in character.

    Orangeboom                    Good                        6/$5.69
      The nose sets it apart-good for some, not for others; but its fine
      lacy patterns gliding down the side of the glass speak of its
      traditional brewing.

    Grolsch                       Standard                    6/$4.85
      Slightly oxidized and rather thin in body, with an almost fruitiness
      in taste; a light kiss of hops.

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