So, the major beer companies, Budweiser (InBev), Miller (MillerCoors), and Coors (MillerCoors), have decided for some reason that rather than improving their product they will put all their money into advertising. (This might not be entirely true, however it often seems this way.) One thing that I have seen in all three companies' ads is that they highlight an unremarkable part of the brewing process as if it is some brand new breakthrough method. Here are a few examples:
Miller Lite: Triple Hopped
A few months ago, Miller started to tout the fact that they "triple hop Miller Lite for that great pilsner taste." Right off the bat I'd like to point out that pilsners generally don't have a great taste. That's mostly the beer snob in me coming out, but pilsners are simply light lagers like Budweiser and Yuengling. Anyway, for those of you not familiar with the brewing process, hops are usually added multiple times through out the brewing process. As a home brewer I can only remember one time that I used less then three hop additions. In fact, most commercial beers have at least three hop additions. It's really not much of a selling point. My question for Miller is: Where did all the hop flavor go? Sure, it's great they had three hop additions, but it would have helped if they added more then a nominal amount of hops each time. One blog I read quipped that they probably rolled the kegs through a room containing hops three times.
Coors Light: Cold Filtered
All commercial beers are cold filtered. This is simply the process of bringing the temperature of the beer down to just above freezing so that the yeast and other particulates drop to the bottom of the fermenter. The beer is then drawn off the top. This is done to achieve a nice clean beer. Many home brewers have implemented this process when kegging. It is a good way to get the yeast out of your beer but really not something that belongs in a national ad campaign. It is really an unremarkable process. What is more remarkable about Coors Light is its similarity in taste to New Brunswick water.
Budweiser American Ale: Top Fermented and Dry Hopped Using Northwest Cascade Hops
Bud AA is probably the best product that Bud has ever put out. Just slightly better then Budweiser Y Clamato (if you don't know, check it out). I would feel semi bad calling out this beer if it was produced by a different company. But it's not, so fuck Bud. Bud American Ale is a middle of the road amber ale with a nice hop finish. When if first came out last year they gave it a good advertising push. They highlighted the fact that AA is top fermented and dry hopped using Northwest Cascade hops. Neither of these facts are very impressive. All ales are top fermented. That is what makes them ales. Ale yeast strains ferment on top, while lager yeast ferments on the bottom of the batch. This gives Ales a more complex flavor and lagers a cleaner easy to drink character (drinkability?) As for the hops I really actually like ales that are dry hopped with cascade. This is for me a selling point. However, it is worth pointing out that Cascade hops are the most common variety of hop in this country. I guess my only gripe is that they are trying to sell cascade hops as if they are something remarkably different. If you really want a beer that is dry hopped using cascade hops drink Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
It's interesting that all three major beer companies used this tactic to market their beer. Miller has gone so far as to put a “triple hopping” logo on their bottles. I'm sure you can find the same tactics used in car commercials and on cereal boxes. Olive oils will tell you if they are virgin, extra virgin, first cold pressed and what not. I guess the difference is in the presentation. Beer companies act like these processes are revolutionary. Well they are not. MillerCoors and Bud should spend more time on their product and less time trying to trick the American public.
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