[Luca]

I want to get a bunch of beer tonight and I prefer to save the premium stuff for special occasions. What's everyone's favorite cheap beer? I refuse to slum it with Bud Light or Heineken.

To give you a start: I have HEARD that Rolling Rock and Newcastle make good selections. I haven't tried either one in any great quantity (well I've had a little of each but it was a long time ago and I don't really remember). Any other recommendations?

TL;DR beer thread woooo

[Jerman]

I had some Red Stripe awhile back, and thought it was pretty good. However, I am someone who does enjoy the occasional Bud Light.

[Bryson]

I actually quite like Labatts. Strange, I know.

[alcimedes]

There's a beer around here called Grain Belt "Premium." Always sold as a Tier1 beer, but it's not that bad.

Beer snobs in general give it solid ratings for what's considered an affordable american lager.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/417/10364

[Luca]

I have to give Grain Belt another shot. The only time I had it was at this terrible, TERRIBLE bar in downtown Minneapolis where all the drinks were watered down. I'm serious, everything from the beer to the shots tasted like water had been added. It was full of dumbasses with popped collars who probably all drove BMWs.

EDIT: Found out which bar it was. The Lodge Bar on 5th street. Apparently someone on Citysearch agrees:

http://twincities.citysearch.com/review/40867666

Originally Posted by some guy on Citysearch No one I know likes that bar and I can see why. Drinks are watered down and the cover bands are awful. It gets way too crowded on the weekends and way too loud. The bartenders take forever and the girls who work there are slooty. The Lodge is just a magnet for slootys and dirty, college frat boys who pop their collar. I just don't understand why people would wait in line to get into this lousy bar.

[Bryson]

What's "slooty"? Like a cross between snooty and slutty?

[Mancomb Seepgood]

I think your definition of cheap needs to be refined.

Since when has Newcastle been considered a cheap beer?

Are you thinking in terms that it's cheap because it's widely distributed or because of its price?

[Luca]

Either that or an attempt to get around word filters (if that site has any). Snooty + slutty would be an accurate description, though.

But uh... back to beers!

EDIT: Newcastle? I don't even know what it costs. I just did some quick Google research and someone, somewhere on the Internet claimed that Newcastle was a good cheap beer.

Actually, I have one to add. Leinenkugel's! I always like it. The Honey Weiss is too pale but the standard is really good. They have a ton of variants too.

[Yontsey]

Agreed, I wouldn't classify Newcastle or Leinenkugel cheap. Anything that's like $8 a 6pack isn't very cheap.

Me personally, I still have the college mentality.

When I hear cheap, I think CHEAP.

My list would include (in order):
PBR
Bud Light
Budweiser
Keystone
Red Dog
King Cobra 40's

Any of those I would be happy with. When my friends and I drink, we go for quantity over quality, but I do love Heineken, Amstel Light, Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat and Summer Shandy.

If you're looking for a great combo and to get fucked up cheap, I recommend getting a King Cobra 40 and a Sparks. Drink half of the 40 and then pour the Sparks in it. It may sound gross, but it's delicious.

[dmegatool]

Originally Posted by Luca To give you a start: I have HEARD that Rolling Rock and Newcastle make good selections.

The Angry Video Game Nerd is drinking Rollin Rock so it has to be good. If not, he would be yelling about it There's even a video where he's drinking Rollin Rock on a Rollin Rocker (NES accessory).

[tomoe]

Does James Page still make beer? I remember that being cheap and tasty, circa 2000.

[Mugge]

Sometimes you can get regular Tuborg cheaper, but Ceres Top is usually the base beer in many traditional Århus bars.

[Jerman]

Originally Posted by Luca Actually, I have one to add. Leinenkugel's! I always like it. The Honey Weiss is too pale but the standard is really good. They have a ton of variants too.

Ooh, Leinenkugel's. Great stuff.

[screensaver400]

My buddy swears by Molson's (their Canadian Lager, that is). I've seen it at some supermarkets in SoCal, but never in a bar here. Of course, a Canadian friend of mine calls it grizzly piss. So maybe only Canadian-wannabes drink it. I'd guess the price is comparable to Bud and the rest.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/433/1312

Here's a review from that site's operators:

Presentation: 24 oz tall boy (can), with no freshness date. Boasts Canadian brewed and states that they are the oldest brewery in North America.

Appearance: Bright yellow hue with a tint of orange, lace sticks in the beginning.

Smell: Clean grainy aroma, faint cooked corn as well.

Taste: Wide lager crispness, ample carbonation with a light to moderate body. Clean grain with some husk on the side and a faint astringent quality to it. Hops are light with a flash of bitterness, then it is back to the light grainy sweetness that dons a touch of adjunct cooked veggie flavour. The graininess is quite refreshing and seems to be the forefront of flavour. Finishes clean and dry with soft malt in the back.

Notes: Better than Bud, Miller or Coors. Nothing spectacular though it is an all around good lager that quenches the thirst. A definite brew to pair with pepperoni pizza. (emphasis mine)

Serving type: can

[BuonRotto]

Is Leinenkugel's cheap? The fiancee luurves it, and I like it quite a bit, but I guess "cheap" for me means $3 or less, and around here, you pay about $3.50 for the Leinie stuff.

On that count.... need help. I can't think of one unless Negra Modelo or Blue Moon (the crappy wheat beer, which still make sit better than most crap) is on special.

[Boomerangmacuser]

I used to cross into the U.S. and pick up cases of Busch. Do they still make that stuff? Man, was it cheap.

Up here in the Great White North Eh, my cheap stuff of choice is Kokanee.

[Yontsey]

Originally Posted by Boomerangmacuser I used to cross into the U.S. and pick up cases of Busch. Do they still make that stuff? Man, was it cheap. Up here in the Great White North Eh, my cheap stuff of choice is Kokanee.

Yes sir, it's still in full effect.

[709]

Leinenkugel has a Summer Shandy out right now that is delicious...and believe me, I would never have thought to say that about a Leinenkugel or a bottled Shandy, but it is. Color me shocked.

Otherwise, don't you have New Glarus beers up there? It seems like you would. A lot of those are very nice.

[alcimedes]

I LOOOOOVE New Glarus beers. I drive to WI just to buy it at least once or twice a year.

[709]

Wait, they almost have to be in MN, don't they? I don't know their distributor personally, but it doesn't seem like a stretch that they would be in the Twin Cities.

[alcimedes]

It was a stretch to get them out of Madison. For a long time they wouldn't expand. Dude didn't think he could do it without hurting the quality of the beer.

I have yet to see a New Glaurus brew in MN, and believe me, I've looked.

[709]

Crazy. I can get the Fat Squirrel and Spotted Cow here in Michigan no problem.

As far as cheap/good beer goes, I'd recommend my perennial favorite of Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. It's simply the best widely-distributed Pale Ale on the planet, and can usually be had for 6-8 bucks a 6-pack.

[Yontsey]

I wish we got Yuengling out here in Ohio.....

ahhhh geezzz

[turbulentfurball]

OK, I've not actually tried it. I think it's about 20p a can, but I don't have the courage to actually buy the stuff. I'll try to pick some up and give you my thoughts

[Stone Of Love]

Wow, Love the thread, but having a hard time adjusting to everybodys tastes in beer!!

As a Michigan guy that grew up on Stroh's and Blatz, I love Canadian beer. I was a Labatt guy, and for the last couple of years a Molson Canadian guy, but lately I find myself drifting back to the Labatt Blue.

I wouldn't consider either a "cheap" beer, but what do I know.

As for "cheap" I like PBR. Get into upper lower Michigan or the UP, and play "Blue Roulette" Ask for a Blue, see what you get. A PBR or a Labatt. Its a win win in my mind!!

Anybody here ever drink a Top Hat beer?? Now we are talking Cheap shit!!

And if price isn't an issue, I'll take a Kokanee Gold every time!

[Kraetos]

Originally Posted by Boomerangmacuser I used to cross into the U.S. and pick up cases of Busch. Do they still make that stuff? Man, was it cheap.

Yeah, cheap for a reason. That shit's gross.

I mean, Busch Light is alright, but I have a friend who willingly drinks Busch heavy. Gold tops, he tells me. You're psycho, I tell him.

You want cheap? Keystone.

Slightly less cheap? Coors Light.

If its available in your area? Yuengling. Yuengling has the best quality-to-price ratio of any beer, ever.

(Holy hell thats first time I've spelled it right without Google assistance!)

And of course, there are always 40s:



$2 each baby. My friends and I drank 11 of these last night, in honor of Rondo's 11 steals

Get it? Steal? Steel?

...

Well, we thought it was funny.

[lightning_bug]

My liver is involuntarily contracting after I saw that picture of the 40 of Steel Reserve. Glad that I've come far enough along that I don't have to resort to getting that from the convenience store.

Good cheap beers (from my experience), cheap being under $6.00 / 6-pack:

* Carta Blanca
* Miller Lite
* Shiner Boch

Anything over $6.00 / 6-pack doesn't qualify as cheap for me, but that's what I generally buy. :P

* Cooper's Extra Stout
* Odell Cutthroat Porter
* Fat Tire (old reliable!)
* Samuel Adams Boston Lager (umm...reliable?)

If you need to get bombed cheap, cowboy up and get a Coors Original. Half-pouch of Day's Work chewing tobaccy and David Allen Coe Super Hits CD sold separately.

[tomoe]

To make a 40oz delicious (as it can be, being malt liquor), drink it until the top of the paper label, then add orange juice to it. I had a Colt 45 served this way a couple weeks back when it was hot as hell, and it was, against all my reservations, quite refreshing.

[709]

That's basically a shandy...but with OJ instead of lemonade.

I had a Shiner Bock this last weekend for my birthday, and I have to say, it was heavenly. (Though, this was after 3 shots of that American Absinthe wannabe).

[sunrain]

Yup, Shiner Bock rocks.