Budweiser (Original) Review

Name: Budweiser 
Style: American Adjunct Lager
ABV: 5%

What can be said about Budweiser? Well, for starters it's become as American as Apple Pie, Baseball, McDonald's, Ted Nugent, and the Liberty Bell all rolled into one, despite being first brewed by German Immigrants.

Brewed by Anheuser-Busch, it's a staple of American culture and is one of the most widely recognized brands in the world. It's been referenced in movies & TV shows, produced some of the most memorable commercials in recent memory and can be found at the majority of professional sporting events, grocery stores, and households in the US.

Now I must confess, I never have had a Budweiser before. When I first started drinking beer, I was drinking primarily Miller Lite and Natty Ice. I never really took notice to Budweiser mainly because when I was first starting out in college, it was more expensive and no one was really drinking it. It wasn't until I was a junior in college that I discovered craft beer and have since never really gone back to Macrobeers, doesn't mean I'm a snob but it's more out of personal taste. Every beer serves some sort of purpose. If someone offers me a beer, I'm gonna take it no matter what it is; only a mad man/woman would refuse free beer.

I was rummaging through my fridge when I noticed a few bottles of Budweiser sitting on the side shelf, more than likely left over from the Wild game house party we had a couple weeks back. Being the opportunist I am, I've decided to review The King of Beers itself.

Budweiser pours a clear straw yellow color with tons of carbonation flying up from the bottom. Fizzy head stays around for a couple of minutes before dissipating into a filmy top.

The nose consists mainly of cereal grains, grass, cardboard and some malt sweetness. For what it is, it isn't particularly good. The aroma brings back memories from my childhood while trying to grab some food for myself at one of my parents' get-togethers, I would always catch a whiff of Budweiser coming from one of the many open bottles that I would just so happen to walk by.

The flavor is also pretty consistant with the smell with cereal grains, cardboard, sweet corn and malts. Again, it's taste is not what I would call "great". The taste brings back memories of sitting in my dorm drinking Miller Lite while playing Call of Duty 4 with my roommates, and both are very similar in taste.

The body is light and the carbonation is extremely heavy It tries to come off as crisp, but it just comes off as more aggravating on the palate than anything else.

I wasn't expecting much when I decided to review this and my expectations were rightfully set. The smell and flavor are rather bland and it feels like club soda when drinking. To Budweiser's credit however, the flavor is not what I would consider offensive or skunky like other adjunct lagers out there. Doesn't mean it's good, far from it, but they could've done worse in the flavor department. Would I ever buy this for myself? No. Would I turn it down if it's offered to me for free? No. My philosophy is just because a beer is not well-liked by beer enthusiasts doesn't necessary mean you have to be a prick about it.

Bottom line: Budweiser may be well known in our culture, but it's rather bland and forgettable when it
comes to flavor.

Budweiser (Original) - 4/10