Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site sdcsla.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcsla!clark 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------