True Americana

Looking back across my columns over the many years, it’s quite obvious I’m an ale guy. Even here at the beginning of June, I still hold a preference for ale. Beyond my personal preference for the warm-fermenting beer, there are other reasons why more of The Beer Snob columns are ale-centric.
When taking into account the accepted beer styles, the various categories of ale far outweigh the number of different styles of lager. Really, the only lager styles of beer are those brewed by Germans, those considered to be American varieties, and the single Czech style.
English, Belgian, and Irish beer styles … only ale. There are three times as many American ale styles than there are lagers. Only the Germans have more lager styles than ale, and even those numbers are close, with 12 or 13 styles of German lager compared to 8 or 9 styles of German ale.
Regardless of these points, a great, classic American lager can be a thing of beauty and may be the perfect warm weather beer. Regarding beers for a hot day, not including pilsner, a distinct style, let’s remove the full-bodied, full-flavor lagers: no European amber lagers (Vienna and Oktoberfest), take out dark lagers (Munich Dunkel and Schwarzbier), and none of the Bock family.
And, although I’m quite partial to a Brooklyn Lager or a Blue Point Toasted Lager, these are American amber lagers, so we’ll leave them out as well. Let’s get down to the yellow or ‘golden’ lagers and, aside from the German Munich Helles and Dortmund Export, you’re really only left with American versions.
If we reject low/non-alcohol and light lagers on principle alone, we are left with a small set of, for better or worse, truly American styles of lager. Not long ago, the remaining styles were known as Standard American lager and Premium lager.
With examples such as Budweiser, Miller High Life, PBR and the like (non-light lagers), you know what to expect from these beers, especially a light body from the use of adjuncts like corn and rice. The Premium lager, like Michelob and Miller Genuine Draft were a step in the right direction, but still made use of adjuncts.
The Premium American lager category, with the rise of the craft beer revolution has morphed into the class of beers known as All-Malt lagers. Where the darker versions, like Brooklyn Lager, fell into the Amber lager category, the lighter colored all-malt beers have more recently been given the classification of American Pale lager.
Somewhat grainy and malty, with a hint of hops, this style will have more mouthfeel and body than a light lager, although will still be refreshing and generally clean. Higher carbonation levels will still impart a crispness and a possible dryness, but it will be nothing like the metallic sting of American adjunct light beers.
A smooth and friendly option is Full Sail’s Session Lager, very laidback. Refreshing and pleasing, tasty yet unassuming, this is what good lager should be. As an all-malt American Pale lager, with a heritage line that runs back to the pre-Prohibition beers of this country, this 5.1% ABV (alcohol by volume) is your Premium American Lager … Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.