Tastes Great - Less Filling by Glenn DeCarlo I think we all agree these are the good old day for beer lovers. Craft beer is nearly ubiquitous and growing stronger every day. Even in the most nondescript local bar you're likely to find at least a Sam Adams, Guinness, or "crafty" brew from the Big Boys on tap. Yet there's still something to be said for the not so good old days when as a youngster (ah, over 21 of course. ) we had Ballantine, Kruger, Piels, Schlitz, and a host of other lagers that marked a generation's passage into adulthood. Some of the brands of my youth are still around today and doing quite well. That's a guess of course since I've become a craft beer guy and rarely, if ever, buy any of my former favorites. To tell the truth, I was a Miller guy. Loved MGD and High LIfe and of course Miller Lite. I had friends, not me mind you, who spent hours each day trying to find ways to buy Miller Lite. That's what helped make their senior year in high school so memorable I guess. I remember Miller Lite seemed like a fine beer as a freshman in college too. I was such a devotee that I was actually upset if they were serving Bud Light instead. After all, what discerning palate couldn't tell the difference? In blind taste tests I was right 50% of the time, with only a minimal of cheating. While I may have been a budding beer snob most others in my crowd didn't care much about flavor. It was secondary to them. What mattered was the beer's ability to get them intoxicated enough to have the courage to flirt with the girls. The more attractive the girl the more preparation was needed. Invariably it didn't work out but by that time one really didn't care since the beer provided it's own solace. For the record I hereby acknowledge that Miller Lite is not a very good beer despite the sentimental value it holds for me. And that's why I couldn't be happier to see that Miller Lite has decided to go retro. Yes, the old can is back! For the few years, sales of Miller Lite have been dropping. Last year alone, sales fell 7%. That seemed to have pushed the marketing guys to switch back to the can design that was popular in the 1970s. It's the iconic white can with blue lettering and the retro logo. Happy days are here again it screams to millions of folks like me. Miller Lite is currently the fourth best-selling beer in the US which may or may not say something about the taste in beer of most Americans. It first appeared on shelves in 1975 as I was hitting high school and through 1991 proudly came in that same cherished can. Here's a bit of useless trivia for you - only the word Lite appeared on the front of those cans: the brand name Miller was omitted. That changed in 1992, when"Miller" was added prominently. Then in 1998 the can became silver. In 2001, that silver was changed to blue. By that time I was saying, along with many others, who cares. Now we've come full circle. Actually, I'm glad to see beer history getting the respect it deserves even if it was done just to increase sales. I know you're thinking that the public isn't dumb enough to fall for the old retro can trick but you're wrong. In the first few months of 2014, sales were up about 6%. And yes, I bought a 12 (or was it 15) pack, paying less than I would for most of the 4 pack crafts I usually buy. Was it worth it? Indeed yes. There's nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia you know. How else can you explain the popularity of TV Land or Turner Classic Movies? As for the taste, well, if it's served ice cold you can't taste the adjuncts or anything else for that matter, which all in all isn't really a terrible thing. Now all I want to know is it so good because it has great taste or because it's less filling? Hey Bob, I hope you consider publishing this. Even if you don't it was fun to write a few words about Miller Lite. And just in case you think that heyday of the beer is long gone, please note that Miller Lite won the World Beer Cup's gold medal for Best American-Style Light Lager in 1996, 1998, 2012, and 2013. Now that's one heck of a category. ----------- Glenn many thanks for sending in you article. It certainly was unique among all the ones I received this month. Great job! I'd like to invite everyone to send me their own columns about anything related to beer just as Joe did. I'll select the best ones and publish them here. So join in and get writing! Cheers! Bob |
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