Schlitz Genuine Gold

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A Scholid Budget Beer

Anthony Says:

For reasons still unclear to me, the name of this beer conjures up images of some sort of industrial solvent or motor oil. “Schlitz” sounds like a substance you’d apply to your brake pad to improve lubrication. It just doesn’t seem like something that would make for a pleasant drink. And to be certain, I’m sure there are many people who would agree with that assertion even after having tried it. Needless to say, I was slightly apprehensive before cracking open my first Schlitz in an untold number of years. Much to my surprise, however, I found myself quite satisfied with this iconic buck-a-beer.

Having poured a flat, headless shade of sickly yellow, I’m not going to try and pretend like Schlitz is an aesthetically pleasing beer. The nose is perhaps equally as off-putting: a barely detectable corn adjunct aroma mixed with pear and chlorinated water. When raising the glass to my lips, I was beginning to seriously question whether the money I’d spent on this six-pack could have been better invested in a hoagie or perhaps a couple taquitos. Nevertheless, the first sip of this beer was a pleaser: slightly sweet, but with a subtle bite of hops and a crisp smooth mouthfeel. A light chemical astringency is the only reminder of the cheap adjuncts that are typically added to beers of this price range.

Between the name, appearance and smell of this beer, I’d have expected the harsh adjunct flavors distinctive of mass-produced discount brews. All things considered, however, Schlitz is mild, relatively easy drinking and really quite refreshing. Served cold, this could be a nice budget session beer for the cottage or a buddy’s barbecue.

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Gatlin Says:

Americans reading this review might be surprised to learn that the Schlitz available in Ontario is actually brewed by Sleemans and not Pabst. The gold colored can is exclusive to Canada- as opposed to the traditional white. This was my first time trying this beer and I have to say that it wasn’t that bad. While I don’t usually buy cheap beers, this one would be up for consideration if I had to.

Technical Rundown:

Container: 341 mL aluminum can

Alcohol: 4.6 % by volume

Color: 3.4 SRM

Bitterness: 13.2 IBU

This beer produced practically no head off the pour. What little head that was produced faded very quickly leaving a completely flaccid liquid surface. The body is very light and straw yellow in color. Moderate carbonation was visible.

The nose was just as light as the color. A very faint apple aroma is detectable, followed by a lightly acidic maltiness. Surprisingly, the adjuncts are not strongly discernible in the smell.

Very little taste is apparent, even when you roll the liquid around for a few moments. A slight corn or rice adjunct flavour is noticeable. A very mild, somewhat bitter finish is rather cleansing. Perhaps the utter tastelessness of this beer makes it drinkable.

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Some Final Thoughts

Anthony Thinks:

Pros

• Mild flavors
  
• Fairly light presence of adjuncts
  
• Refreshing
  

Cons

• Lacklustre appearance
  
• Not much in the way of flavor
  
• Must be drunk while cold
  

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3½ stars. The ugly appearance of this beer is perhaps only matched by its smell. Nevertheless, you probably aren’t buying Schlitz for its aesthetic qualities. Taste-wise, this is a refreshing, mild and generally easy drinking brew. A solid discount beer overall

Gatlin Thinks:

Pros:

• Damn cheap!
• Not really any bad flavors

Cons:

• Mass produced macro-brew = poor craftsmanship
• Not exactly the best tasting beer

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All in all, this is a 4 star cheap beer. I wouldn’t order it for a date. However, if things take a turn for the worst and I start hanging out under the expressway, I may just become a Schlitz man. This beer would be perfect for a big college party

So, What’s On Your Mind?

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