Let me start off by saying I was incredibly surprised by what I tasted. I am not a fan of Bud or really anything Anheuser-Busch and really hesitant about purchasing their “craft beer” since it still uses their own yeast strain but I will give pretty much anything a try. Here are my thoughts:
Beechwood Bock
Nice amber color with with a decent focus on caramel and chocolate malts. I would call this “Bock Lite”.
Vanilla Bourbon Cask
A sweet tasting beer with very limited hints of the bourbon cask but the vanilla is rather prominent. I was pleasantly surprised by the light flavor and color of this beer but I would call this “Vanilla Bud Lite”.
North Pacific Lager
I was impressed with this beer and the favorite of the three. The light combination of Cascade and Palisade hops gave it a citrus kick that enhances the lager experience without overpowering the light crispiness that is associated with a lager. I would call this “Bud Lite IPA”.
Conclusion
While I do appreciate that Anheuser-Busch is trying something different I can’t help but say that their attempt is mediocre at best. Flavors are really mild with only hints of their target qualities. The only reasoning I have for their light flavors is that any residual flavor lasts for a second so one has to continuously drink to keep up on the flavor and a light lager is the only style to make that happen without unwanted consequence.
I give their effort a solid 6.5 out of 10. It is a giant step from the watered down lagers and pilsners they typically deliver but they use the generic safety net that is the “blah” american lager taste to appeal to the masses.
