Beerlandia: Yuengling Traditional Lager
The beautiful thing about beer is that the spectrum is so broad that there is, quite literally, a beer out there for everyone. On one end you have your beer-flavored “domestics” if you’re really on a budget, with a perpetually expanding roster of world-class craft beers on the opposite extreme. And then you have your midpoint. The “midpoint” is the perfect average beer that you still enjoy, doesn’t break the bank, doesn’t win any awards, but does everything you need it to. For me, that’s Yuengling.
Beer: Yuengling Traditional Lager
Brewery: Yuengling Brewery
Country: Pottsville, PA, USA
Style: American Amber Lager
ABV: 4.5%
Beerlandia Advisory: Prepare your tastebuds for America’s oldest and finest brewery.
Saying that I have experience with Yuengling is putting it lightly. It’s been my go-to cheap beer for nearly 8 years now. If I snapped my fingers and all the empty Yuenglings that I’ve generated suddenly filled the room, the local fire department would need to use the jaws of life to get me out of here.
For the price point, this beer looks nothing like you might expect. It pours quite a dark amber with a thin yet strong head that lingers longer than any other adjunct lager out there. You’ll have to take my word for it because I had to wait for the review beer to thaw out. The color is very representative of what a traditional lager should be. It’s a very fizzy beer, which comes with the territory.
“Saying that I have experience with Yuengling is putting it lightly.”
The aroma is a little grassy, a little hoppy, but mostly malty. The maltiness is not necessarily offensive unless you’re playing Roxanne and going in for the 20th sip in the last 60 seconds. All in all, these odors work together to let you know you’re drinking a beer, but there is not much detail to go into.
The malt is also present in the taste, as well as something else you don’t get in many “domestic” beers: hops. They are just underneath the malt, not strong at all, but there is definitely a slightly bitter finish that underlines them. Crisp and cold - mine is basically frozen - these tastes work together to make a highly drinkable and session-able beer.
There is heavy carbonation, as with most beers like this. There are not really any surprises to be had here other than the extra oomph that the hops add to the finish. It’s the kind of beer that you can basically drink like a soda.
A true American lager
As someone who has spent a lot of time and money exploring the craft beer scene in America, it’s too easy to shit on the average adjunct lager. This beer does have its place, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be piss-water. Backyard barbecues, college house parties, baseball games - it is a beer that evolved out of American culture. Yuengling fills this role but does it without sacrificing what it means to be a beer. ◉
Written by Seth Barham
