Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: The Missing American Blonde  (Read 9064 times)

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #60 on: May 10, 2016, 08:07:36 pm »
I'm brewing one on Friday. I'll be sure to document.

Offline JJeffers09

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1127
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #61 on: May 11, 2016, 04:52:44 am »
thanks guys ;D

maybe I should ask the questions I have been dying to know "Hi majorvices, what exactly is your major vice? blondes perhaps?"
« Last Edit: May 11, 2016, 04:55:20 am by JJeffers09 »
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin

AHA Member
Indiana Brewers Union (IBU)

Offline war2112

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 78
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #62 on: May 14, 2016, 10:16:34 pm »
Help me out here please...

What the heck does the BMC mean that I keep seeing?

My inferred guess from the context in these posts is that it is short for Budweiser/Miller/Coors.

Is that correct?


Offline santoch

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1000
  • Riverview, FL
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #63 on: May 14, 2016, 10:18:54 pm »
Yes, BMC = Bud/Miller/Coors
Looking for a club near my new house
BJCP GM3/Mead Judge

Offline war2112

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 78
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #64 on: May 14, 2016, 10:29:24 pm »
Yes, BMC = Bud/Miller/Coors

Thanks, Santoch.

And though I am not a fan of either 3, I cannot in all seriousness knock them. After all, I have been drinking Budweiser for many years with the occasional Coors thrown in. I am a new brewer with only 2 completed batches under my belt. I now have an APA conditioning in bottles and a stout in the fermenter.

As someone else has said, the BMC do have their place in the sun. I may scoff and call them swill but who am I to judge. After all, I have been a repeat customer for many years.

Now, one I really get this little microbrewery going in my apt I do hope to never purchase them ever again!

Offline tommymorris

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3869
The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #65 on: January 14, 2018, 05:35:08 pm »
Reviving an old thread.  The American Blonde is no longer missing. According to this article it’s the next big thing with 62% increase in sales in 2015 and 41% gain in 2017. Their just called Golden Ales now.

The Washington Post: For the first time, the three best-selling beers in America are light beers. Can craft brewers catch up? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/01/13/for-the-first-time-the-three-best-selling-beers-in-america-are-light-beers-can-craft-brewers-catch-up/

PS. You have to read about 1/3 through the article to find the part about Blonde Ales.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2018, 09:38:26 am by alestateyall »

Offline skyler

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 956
  • Hmm. Human music. I like it.
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #66 on: January 17, 2018, 11:03:17 am »
We’ve reached a critical mass where younger yuppies now drink craft beer without having a taste for flavorful beer. This is the same demographic who elevated Corona and Heineken at the expense of BMC back in the ‘90s.

So now we have a place in craft breweries for more watery styles like “Mexican Lager” and “Golden Ale.” They can still be good beers, but they are usually more marketable product than work of art. I like to think that the $6 Mexican Lager is subsidizing my $6 IPA.

I am more surprised by the disappearance of wheat beer (American and Bavarian) from the market. I live walking distance from Widmer (and 6 other breweries) and they’re the only brewery in town that does one consistently.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #67 on: January 17, 2018, 11:07:31 am »
We’ve reached a critical mass where younger yuppies now drink craft beer without having a taste for flavorful beer. This is the same demographic who elevated Corona and Heineken at the expense of BMC back in the ‘90s.

So now we have a place in craft breweries for more watery styles like “Mexican Lager” and “Golden Ale.” They can still be good beers, but they are usually more marketable product than work of art. I like to think that the $6 Mexican Lager is subsidizing my $6 IPA.

I am more surprised by the disappearance of wheat beer (American and Bavarian) from the market. I live walking distance from Widmer (and 6 other breweries) and they’re the only brewery in town that does one consistently.

I think the "watery" styles, as you say it, are attractive for another reason: lower ABV. The craft beer world has utterly failed the consumer who wants to be able to have a couple beers and still be able to stand. Sadly, I've been buying Miller High Life, alongside my staples of Guinness and Yeungling, just because it's another decent (though admittedly far from great) option that's under 5% abv.

The ABV levels of craft beer are just silly. I realize profit margins drive that to an extent, but that doesn't really help the consumer.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline tommymorris

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3869
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #68 on: January 17, 2018, 11:43:37 am »
To each his own, I like Blonde Ales, Cream Ales, Kolsch’s, Light lagers, etc. I often buy them in tap rooms.

Offline Robert

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4214
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #69 on: January 17, 2018, 12:16:36 pm »
We’ve reached a critical mass where younger yuppies now drink craft beer without having a taste for flavorful beer. This is the same demographic who elevated Corona and Heineken at the expense of BMC back in the ‘90s.

So now we have a place in craft breweries for more watery styles like “Mexican Lager” and “Golden Ale.” They can still be good beers, but they are usually more marketable product than work of art. I like to think that the $6 Mexican Lager is subsidizing my $6 IPA.

I am more surprised by the disappearance of wheat beer (American and Bavarian) from the market. I live walking distance from Widmer (and 6 other breweries) and they’re the only brewery in town that does one consistently.

I think the "watery" styles, as you say it, are attractive for another reason: lower ABV. The craft beer world has utterly failed the consumer who wants to be able to have a couple beers and still be able to stand. Sadly, I've been buying Miller High Life, alongside my staples of Guinness and Yeungling, just because it's another decent (though admittedly far from great) option that's under 5% abv.

The ABV levels of craft beer are just silly. I realize profit margins drive that to an extent, but that doesn't really help the consumer.
Don't be sad, Phil.  I will confess my own secret: I too have a weakness for Miller High Life.  It may be made by processes that are highly, well, processed, but the result is a decent beer, however unsensational it may seem to those whose palates have been completely stripped by caustic triple imperial whatnots. Then again I brew Pilsner and other pale lagers,  so you see my baseline.
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question.

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6076
The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #70 on: January 17, 2018, 12:55:17 pm »
To each his own, I like Blonde Ales, Cream Ales, Kolsch’s, Light lagers, etc. I often buy them in tap rooms.

+1 ...when I can find them in the sea of hop blasters or high ABV taps. To me they’re more interesting because there’s nothing to hide behind.

I have a 5% ABV Irish Blonde Ale planned using 84% UK Pale Ale, 8% Flaked Barley, and 8% Malted Oats with 30 IBU Palisade hops that I am looking forward to.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
« Last Edit: January 17, 2018, 01:02:17 pm by BrewBama »

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Re: The Missing American Blonde
« Reply #71 on: January 17, 2018, 01:04:39 pm »
To each his own, I like Blonde Ales, Cream Ales, Kolsch’s, Light lagers, etc. I often buy them in tap rooms.

The sad thing is when those are available from the few local places, they're usually in the upper 5% range. Last time the local brewpub had a Kolsch it was 6.0%, and not very kolsch-y.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.