Caveman Beer Reviews – Beck’s

Note: This is a series I call Caveman Beer Reviews, because I like to drink beer but am a caveman when it comes to beer knowledge. I know only the basics, and do not have a refined palate. I’ll review the beers on price and what they look, smell, and taste like to me.

Beer: Beck’s

Bottom Line: A moderately-priced, mildly bitter beer (but not bitter enough as to feel heavy). Similar to Heineken in taste, but cheaper.

Price: About $11.99 for a 12-pack of 12 ounce bottles (so about a dollar per bottle).

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Details

I bought this to take to a party. It was relatively well-priced and had a premium look, and seemed like it would taste well. I think it’s uncommon enough to make you look cool and charmingly quirky if you take it to someone’s house, while at the same time not being that microbrewery stuff that can make you look pretentious. Mass-market premium, if you will.

Origin: St. Louis, MO, USA. The bottle misleadingly says “Originated in Bremen, Germany”, but then, in small print, reveals that it’s made in St. Louis. Kind of like BMWs made in Mexico or South Carolina. (I’m not saying that this practice is wrong, but I think it’s misleading to put the German “origin” in big, prominent letters and then the place of manufacture in small print. It suggests sneakiness).

Alcohol: 5%

Looks: A green-glass beer bottle with cool-looking labeling. Has a somewhat “premium” look and feel. The beer itself has a light yellow color.

Smell: As expected. Normal beer smell.

Taste: Beck’s has a very similar-to-Heineken medium-bodied taste and feel. It’s mildly bitter, with a mildly bitter aftertaste. It is mild enough to be refreshing, and suitable for day drinking. It does have enough heft, though, to feel like real beer, and not cheap light swill.

I dislike that it makes itself look as though it’s German, when in reality it’s brewed in St. Louis. I’m also kind of bothered by the fact that it says “Brewed according to the German purity law of 1516”. What is that supposed to mean? It sounds like a marketing gimmick, to associate it with stereotypes of German quality (like BMW and Mercedes-Benz).

I will keep buying this, though, because it’s a cheaper alternative to Heineken, which costs about $14.49 for a 12-pack of 12 ounce bottles.

Hangover Factor: Normal for a non-light beer. It is somewhat heavy on the stomach if you drink more than a bottle, since it’s not watery light beer. I would not drink it in large quantities, since I’m sure I’ll come to regret it. I’m a male in reasonably good health born in 1983.

Photo by TigerLilyEdition