Taste Test: Cheap, Domestic Cans of Beer

By Fritz Hahn



The competitors -- all of which can be yours for less than a buck each.. (Fritz Hahn/washingtonpost.com)

Last year, I convened a panel of friends and coworkers to taste and rate Caribbean beers. This time around, we took on domestic canned beers in search of the perfect brew for a holiday weekend cookout. We were looking for one with broad appeal, one that people could enjoy all day in the afternoon sun and one that was cheap. How cheap? My only rule was that each individual beer had cost less than $1, or no more than $6 a six-pack.

This was a blind tasting, with beers served in unmarked cups. Participants were asked to rate the beer on a scale of 1 to 5 on the overall taste -- this was relative, given the quality of beer -- and a separate score of 1 to 5 based on how refreshing the beer would feel on a hot summer day. (Temperatures were in the 80s on both tasting days.) The average scores for each beer were then combined to get the overall tally.

And before you ask, it wasn't a panel full of beer snobs: Testers ranged from a sommelier at a highly-rated restaurant to a self-described Coors Light drinker. Let's see what they said.

Overall Winner

National Bohemian

Combined score: 7.14286 (Taste: 3.7/5; Refreshment: 3.4/5)

Price: $8/12-pack at DeVino's in Columbia Heights

The surprise winner was Baltimore's own Natty Boh, which testers rated highest on flavor and third for refreshment. Some of the praise: "The best one -- actually tastes like beer!" "High carbonation and the most hops." "Zesty ... got a little more kick."

"Flavor! Weird!" wrote one Going Out Guru, who was obviously not expecting much after sampling a few other brews. Another praised Boh as "Mellow and smooth."

Of course, reactions were mixed. "Most assertive and palatable flavor," said one, damning with faint praise. "I would happily drink this beer because it doesn't have a nasty aftertaste," added another. Final view: "Not great, but at least distinctive"

Second Place

Miller High Life

Combined score: 7 (Taste: 3.4/5; Refreshment: 3.6/5)

Price: $4.99/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits

The Champagne of Beers proved popular with testers on both ends of the spectrum, who rated it second for both flavor and refreshment. "The best ... I wanted to drink it though a straw in a tall glass with ice," raved one. "Cold and fizzy. Would probably like this with a dog," said another. Of course, there were notes of caution. "The tastiest, but not exactly refreshing." Another taster opined he "would not want to drink multiples of this one -- If my thirst got the best of me, I would regret the subsequent bloat."

Third Place

Pabst Blue Ribbon

Combined score: 6.5 (Taste: 3.1/5; Refreshment: 3.4/5)

Price: $5.29/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits

One of the most popular bargain beers around town didn't exactly win over our testers. They praised the "rich" taste and said it "goes down smooth." "I wouldn't have to be drunk to drink this," said one. But its refreshment divided the panel. One called it a "tabula rasa" and wanted tp "knock 'em down on the beach," while another held that PBR has "too much body for a thirst quencher." One participant turned up her nose completely: "Sort of icky. Makes me want to drink something else. Anything else."

Fourth Place

Bud Light

Combined score: 6.07143 (Taste: 2.4/5; Refreshment: 3.7/5)

Price: $4.99/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits

On a hot day, this is the beer our panel wants most. "Very refreshing, due to the complete lack of flavor," said one wag. It got high marks all around for being "bright, cold and bubbly," but didn't get much praise beyond that. "I bet this is the cheapest -- minimally flavored fizzy water," offered one. Said one expert: "Very carbonated; tastes like soda water. Good as the fifth or sixth beer of the night."

Fifth Place

Schaefer

Combined score: 5.92857 (Taste: 3/5; Refreshment: 2.9/5)

Price: $3.99/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits

One tester said Schaeffer was "lighter and fruitier [than some of the others] -- tastes like there should be an orange slice thrown in." On the other hand, another said it was "way too sugary to be refreshing." For the most part, though, Schaefer was just considered bland. "No aluminum taste, no hoppiness -- a suitable accompaniment to salty food." Or this random dismissal: "Cold and carbonated -- good enough for when you're already drunk and it's hot." And one just summed it up: "Yuck."

Last Place

Schlitz

Combined score: 5.5 (Taste: 2.4/5; Refreshment: 3.1/5)

Price: $3.99/6-pack from Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits

"The beer that made Milwaukee famous" was not a favorite of our testers. Let's just run down the comments:

"Tastes a little bit of hops, a little bit of cardboard"

"Would only drink this if was served in a koozie."

"Kind of like drinking sparkling water with beer ice cubes. But it's easy to drink."

"Frothy -- definitely cheap tasting, like a [Milwaukee's Best] nose"

"Tasteless and slightly reminiscent of saliva."

-- Fritz