Now I Get It

If there is one thing all serious beer drinkers agree on (almost by definition), it is that mass-produced American lagers are terrible. Budweiser, Miller, Coors--each of them deserves every bit of the abuse they receive. Watered-down, nasty tasting, foul aftertaste, etc etc.

I know why we drink 'em--they're cheap, readily available, and intoxicating. I knew guys in high school who would drink aftershave for a buzz, and even Bud Light is definitely a step up from Brut.

So the question has always been, why brew such crap? I mean, yeah, so people will buy it, but there are plenty of other beer recipes that might work.

Right now, I'm finding out why. I'm trying an imported lager called Czechvar, which is known in Europe as Budweiser. Czechvar was first brewed in Ceske Budejovice in the late 13th century, and rumor has it that the American Budweiser is an attempt to recreate it. Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser Budvar (the brewer of Czechvar) have been in a legal battle over the rights to the "Budweiser" name for longer than I've been able to drink legally.

Makes sense. Czechvar has a great crisp taste, clean flavor, and just a bit of bite on aftertaste to let you know it's there. American lagers are a very obvious, very pale imitation--sort of like Star Wars Episodes I, II, III--you can see the similarity, which make the imitator all the more pitiful.

This may be my new lawn-mowing beer.

Mental note: Get a lawn.

Czechvar. Five stars. Ted sez check it out.