# "Old School" Beers



## TMMKC

A few weeks ago, we threw our annual summer party and...on a lark...I bought a 12-pack of Olympia and threw it in with the Miller Lite and Red Stripe. I hadn't tasted Oly in many years. It's surprisingly good and incredibly cheap. It proved to be a popular choice.

I now see that Schiltz (which is owned by PBR I believe) will soon be available in its original recipe. From what I understand, when Schlitz changed its recipe many years ago, it totally sunk the brand.

I know there are many beer drinkers on the fora. What's your favorite "old school" brand? My personal favorite is Miller High Life, The Champagne of Beers (if only for the very cool "banquet" bottle).


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## Laxplayer

Leinenkugel's is my favorite, but I also like Blatz, Pabst and Grain Belt. 

In college, my friends and I always bought the old school beers: PBR, Old Style, Leinie's, Stag, Stroh's, Old Milwaukee, Hamm's and Falstaff (now gone). Busch has only been around since the 50s, but is my favorite of the A-B brands. 

I brought a case of Pabst to our block party, and it was very popular with my neighbors.


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## DukeGrad

*The old brews!!*

Nice forum.
Hi LaxPlayer my friend.

I miss my Ballantine Black India Ale, the original one my friends. Also, Rheingold, and Piels beer as well.
And Rupperts Knickerbocker!!
God almighty, what rot gut. But I loved them.
I remember a lot that I enjoyed over the years, oly and strohs I enjoyed.
Too many beers now, to complicated. This is why I drink the scotch malt whiskey.

Nice day gents


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## Lawman

Regular old Ballantine Ale. I still drink it whenever I can get my hands on it.


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## Laxplayer

DukeGrad said:


> Nice forum.
> Hi LaxPlayer my friend.
> 
> I miss my Ballantine Black India Ale, the original one my friends. Also, Rheingold, and Piels beer as well.
> And Rupperts Knickerbocker!!
> God almighty, what rot gut. But I loved them.
> I remember a lot that I enjoyed over the years, oly and strohs I enjoyed.
> Too many beers now, to complicated. This is why I drink the scotch malt whiskey.
> 
> Nice day gents


Hi, Jimmy.
Must be local beers you guys have listed. I've never heard of Ballantine, Piels and Rupperts. Rheingold I have heard of, but never had. Though unless you have spent time in the Midwest, you probably have not heard of Grain Belt, Blatz and Leinie's.

It's funny, I have seen PBR on tap at some upscale bars along side the imports and micros.


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## TMMKC

Laxplayer said:


> It's funny, I have seen PBR on tap at some upscale bars along side the imports and micros.


PBR is grown in popularity in the past few years by virtue of the fact that it's an "anti-brand" in many respects. It has a cult following on college campuses and with newly-minted grads. The funny thing is, because it became popular by virtue of what is ISN'T (a big brand like Bud or Miller, or a higher priced micro), PBR is very cautious about marketing itself too loudly. There has been a lot written about it within the ad trade media the past couple years...do a Google if interested. Fascinating stuff.

One "old school" beer that bears mentioning is Carling's Black Label from Canada. A truly vile brew that actually tasted a little bit like the can it came out of...very "tinny."

Does anyone remember generic beer? Plain white can with "Beer" printed on it in black. If memory serves, Falstaff made it out of their Omaha brewery.


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## Laxplayer

TMMKC said:


> PBR is grown in popularity in the past few years by virtue of the fact that it's an "anti-brand" in many respects. It has a cult following on college campuses and with newly-minted grads. The funny thing is, because it became popular by virtue of what is ISN'T (a big brand like Bud or Miller, or a higher priced micro), PBR is very cautious about marketing itself too loudly. There has been a lot written about it within the ad trade media the past couple years...do a Google if interested. Fascinating stuff.
> 
> One "old school" beer that bears mentioning is Carling's Black Label from Canada. A truly vile brew that actually tasted a little but like the can it came out of...very "tinny."
> 
> Does anyone remember generic beer? Plain white can with "Beer" printed on it in black. If memory serves, Falstaff made it out of their Omaha brewery.


A friend of mine had a few of those cans as decorations in his dorm room. His were white with a red stripe around the top and bottom of the can. It had BEER in big red letters across the middle. I'm not sure what they tasted like, he wouldn't open them. They made an interesting shelf display next to his, um...."water pipe". :icon_smile_wink:

_Try an association. like..uhh... Let's say the average person uses ten percent of their brain. How much do you use? One and a half percent. The rest is clogged with malted hops and bong resin._
_-Tommy Boy_


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## DukeGrad

*Generic brew*

My friend

Yes, white or yellow can. With BEER on the label. Cheap. Made by Falstaff, or one of them.
Not bad, big saving in the PX!
Not a bad, cheap beer.
Carling, yes. Remember Mabel?
The ad calls out for Mabel, Black Label?
God, am I old or what.

Nice day


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## Zingari

I must admit to liking the 'sweet' bitter beers from Badger. Some great names amongst them:


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## johnm

Sadly I can't have beer anymore but I suppose my favorite is Orval from the Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval in Belgium. Their modern brewery opened in 1931 and I believe they produce the finest Trappist beer today. 

As far as light american macro lagers that became popular post prohibition, I just can't celebrate them any more than I could celebrate short sleeve dress shirts


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## DukeGrad

*johnm*

johnm,

We are talking about class beers here my friend. Fancy drinking beer!! Not that garbage from Belgium. That would not match with a great Brooklyn Piels my friend, let alone PBR!
LOL

Nice day my friend


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## DukeGrad

*Favorite old beer*

Actually was reading TMMKC note. And myself have enjoyed Olympia in the past.
On any given day, a hot one at that. After a hard day of work. The first beer that goes down, tastes like it was made in heaven.
Nice day


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## rgrossicone

DukeGrad said:


> Nice forum.
> Hi LaxPlayer my friend.
> 
> I miss my Ballantine Black India Ale, the original one my friends. Also, Rheingold, and Piels beer as well.
> And Rupperts Knickerbocker!!
> God almighty, what rot gut. But I loved them.
> I remember a lot that I enjoyed over the years, oly and strohs I enjoyed.
> Too many beers now, to complicated. This is why I drink the scotch malt whiskey.
> 
> Nice day gents


I love the Brooklyn Brews...I threw a party at my old place, and served Rheingold, Piels and Schaeffers...Shaeffers was the fan favorite, followed by Rheingold, which is also tasty...the Piels on the other hand was like drinking carbonated terpentine.


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## AJLP

National Bohemian.
Schell's Deer Brand.


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## Droog

Old Milwaukee


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## maxnharry

rgrossicone said:


> I love the Brooklyn Brews...I threw a party at my old place, and served Rheingold, Piels and Schaeffers...Shaeffers was the fan favorite, followed by Rheingold, which is also tasty...the Piels on the other hand was like drinking carbonated terpentine.


I remember touring the Schaeffer brewery in PA as a boy. Can't forget Utica Club, Carlings and Mickey's big mouth


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## eyedoc2180

*Rolling Rock!*

Rolling Rock was a mild trend at Penn in the 70s, as it substituted nicely when you couldn't afford Heinekens! Regional brands Reading and Ortliebs were around then (are they still?) and were foul enough to make you swear off drinking. Yeungling is both old school and modern, with several great varieties to choose. I still toss back a 'Rock now and then. Bill


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## TMMKC

eyedoc2180 said:


> Rolling Rock was a mild trend at Penn in the 70s, as it substituted nicely when you couldn't afford Heinekens!


I recall that ordering a "bucket of Rocks" was pretty popular at the bars I frequented in the late 80s and early 90s. Rolling Rock actually goes well with a lot of foods, as it has a pretty mild flavor that doesn't overpower what you're eating.


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## Laxplayer

*Ol' 33*

I always smile when I see a bottle of Rolling Rock. In college, guys used to tell the girls that drinking Rolling Rock made um, a certain "substance" taste better. :icon_smile_big:


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## eyedoc2180

Laxplayer said:


> I always smile when I see a bottle of Rolling Rock. In college, guys used to tell the girls that drinking Rolling Rock made um, a certain "substance" taste better. :icon_smile_big:


By George, I think you have stumbled upon their next ad campaign!:devil:


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## dwebber18

I too enjoy a nice PBR from time to time. I usually go for the microbrews but PBR is probably the only beer of good price that I enjoy.


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## TMMKC

Several years ago _Men's Health_ magazine did a blind tasting of mass-distributed U.S. brews like Bud, PBR, Miller, Coors, etc. Believe it or not, Schlitz won the taste test. It prompted me to go buy a 12-pack (for the incredibly cheap price of $5, if I recall). Not bad tasting beer, but I swear I had a hangover by the time I was into the second can!


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## Naval Gent

Schmidt. 

It came in the cans with all sorts of amimals on them. $1.99 a six in the early '80s. Add a $2.75 roast beef sandwich and the Frat House TV, and you had a pleasant evening's entertainment for a fiver during the lulls in the campus social season.

(Some guys preferred Mickey's, in the green wide mouth bottles)

Scott


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## The Louche

^

I drink Mickey's all the time even though I've been out of school for 5 years. It's $3.49 a sixer and has exceptionally high alcohol content - what's not to like!?


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## maxnharry

You also have to give props to Yuengling. An old school beer that has seriously met the test of time.


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## eyedoc2180

Naval Gent said:


> Schmidt.
> 
> It came in the cans with all sorts of amimals on them. $1.99 a six in the early '80s. Add a $2.75 roast beef sandwich and the Frat House TV, and you had a pleasant evening's entertainment for a fiver during the lulls in the campus social season.
> 
> (Some guys preferred Mickey's, in the green wide mouth bottles)
> 
> Scott


Ah, you're warming my heart. Schmidt's 16 ounce cans if near Philly, Rheingold 10 oz. "big mouth" bottles if near NYC. Those were the days. Throw in a cheesesteak and your aformentioned animal house TV, and away we go. (Adding a memory, when the TV got boring, we played "couch football" using the couch itself as the goal line, and couch cusions as padding. 3 on 3, mano a mano. It took a few of those Schmidt's to get up the courage to do it!)


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## TMMKC

^Ahhh....Schmidt Wide-Mouths...brings back good memories of trips to Minnesota. Pair it with a helping of Tuna Hot Dish and you're livin' large!


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## The Louche

Some chi-chi beers are old school too. I believe that Bass's red triangle is the oldest commerically registered logo still in use. Now that's old school.

Bass is damn good too.


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## DukeGrad

*Bass??*

Gentlemen

We are talking classic beer here. Bass, and Pilsenr Urquell are not in the same league as a good Piels, or Rheingold.

Have nice day


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## TMMKC

^Well, if that's the case, how can we forget Lowenbrau? I still enjoy Lowenbrau from time to time.


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## The Louche

DukeGrad,

I suppose we are confused as to definition and connotation. Old School may _connote_ "cheap, good, domestic" (i.e. Piels, PBR, Bud, Genny Cream) but it technically is definied as "old school." I'd say both Bass (as per my explanation above) and certainly Pilsner Urquell (the oldest golden beer in the whole world) stand-up to the technical definition of "old school." Maybe we should change the name of this thread to avoid confusion - perhaps "Good Old Boy Beer that American College Kids Drank in the 60s and 70s..."

Good point you make, though...


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## Penang Lawyer

My older brother was a brewer. Learned his trade at Beverick Breweries in Albany NY. The Brew Master was a family friend and thats how my brother was able to become a brewer. He learned beer making in the German tradition. After completing his training he went to work for Piels, Schaffer and Reingold. I could not print what he called those beers. Guinness is my favorite if not severed cold.


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## DukeGrad

*Bass/Urquell*

Gentlemen

Gentlemen

I agree, there are 2 types we all enjoy. I always have a taste and heart for the rotgut, so to say.
Actually, I also did enjoy Colt 45!

I enjoy both Bass, and Urquell.Drank these while in Europe some years back my friends.
And still enjoy these.
Anyway, nice day


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## JerseyJohn

DukeGrad said:


> I miss my Ballantine Black India Ale, the original one my friends. ...


+1 for the old Ballantine India Ale! Years ago, my wife and I grilled lobster tails and had them with Ballantine IPA, and she still remembers that meal. Nowadays, I like Harpoon IPA, but I wonder how it would compare with the old Ballantine.


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## DukeGrad

*Harpon*

Gentlemen

Harpon does a nice IPA, I like the Ballantine Black Indian Pale Ale as much though.

Nice day


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## mrkleen

We used to be able to get some of the really great local beers here in Boston at a good price. That was before Harpoon got their name out, and Sam Adams started winning awards and going national.

For cheap beers, old school beers - I always liked Schaffer and Miller High Life.

My favorite cheap beer these days is Michelob Amber Boch, which isnt as bad as it sounds...and can be had in a few spots in Boston for under $3 a pint.


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## Miket61

maxnharry said:


> You also have to give props to Yuengling. An old school beer that has seriously met the test of time.


I was shocked to see it in Atlanta at a restaurant a couple weeks ago. Not as shocked as I was to see Magic Hat at a grocery store.

When I was growing up in Philadelphia, my grandfather drank Gibbons, which was made in Wilkes-Barre. Their slogan - "Drink Gibbons, it's Good."

Of course, being Pennsylvania, my grandfather would buy a case at a distributor, have one bottle after dinner while watching television, then put the empty bottle back in the case to return them for the deposit when he was done. The only way to buy less than a full case is through a restaurant, and then it's up to a six-pack and the selection is limited.


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## topbroker

About the only standard American lager I can stomach is Rolling Rock, which does have a pleasant flavor and nice memory associations from college days. I used to drink Michelob then, too, but have re-visited it without being impressed.

I confess to being a total beer snob. I spend more on beer than on the rest of my groceries and household goods combined.

I think the resurgence of PBR stems in part from Dennis Hopper's great scene in _Blue Velvet_: "Heineken? F*** that s***! Pabst Blue Ribbon!"


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## mrkleen

PBR's new found popularity comes from the fact that it is so aggressively priced.

Usually the cheapest beer in any particular bar you might be in...which is attractive to college kids and young professionals.


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## yanks1184

*PBR and Hipsters*

There is also an odd new found love of PBR by the hipster crowd...not sure why...


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## Acacian

Utica Club!


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## Laxplayer

yanks1184 said:


> There is also an odd new found love of PBR by the hipster crowd...not sure why...


Vintage tees, old school sneakers and old school beer..Nostalgia.


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## Clay J

Here's one that most haven't heard of; Hudy Delight. Brewed In Cincinnati, Ohio by Hudepohl since the early 1970's... Certainly cheap, but kindof nostalgic since its hometown brewed and not too bad tasting. I really enjoy Ballantine Ale too, although it is somewhat scarce in Cincinnati.


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## TMMKC

topbroker said:


> I think the resurgence of PBR stems in part from Dennis Hopper's great scene in _Blue Velvet_: "Heineken? F*** that s***! Pabst Blue Ribbon!"


:icon_smile_big:THAT is one of my favorite all-time movie lines!

There's a local sports bar/burger joint here in KC that sells PBR by the bottle. It goes really well with a cheeseburger and fries.


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## Preu Pummel

After living in Berlin a while, they all taste like hell.

Maybe a Leine, or Coors, maybe a Michelob Ultra, but good god these beers are bland.


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## agnash

*Salt*

PBR with just a pinch of salt to give it flavor.


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## Marker3

I rediscovered "gusto" and the original recipe Schlitz. (The same beer I used to sneak out of my dads fridge in the garage back in the 60's). I really prefer it to these mass produced light beers of today. You know, "Tastes great, less filling" ... which I think was a thinly disguised ploy to get us to drink more and spend more. You drink a couple of Schlitzes and you are satisfied.


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## herfitup

TMMKC said:


> PBR is grown in popularity in the past few years by virtue of the fact that it's an "anti-brand" in many respects. It has a cult following on college campuses and with newly-minted grads. The funny thing is, because it became popular by virtue of what is ISN'T (a big brand like Bud or Miller, or a higher priced micro), PBR is very cautious about marketing itself too loudly. There has been a lot written about it within the ad trade media the past couple years...do a Google if interested. Fascinating stuff.
> 
> One "old school" beer that bears mentioning is Carling's Black Label from Canada. A truly vile brew that actually tasted a little bit like the can it came out of...very "tinny."
> 
> Does anyone remember generic beer? Plain white can with "Beer" printed on it in black. If memory serves, Falstaff made it out of their Omaha brewery.


Bar Louis in Foxboro has $1 PBR cans on Tuesday nights when they have $1 burger night. They order 28 cases a week and when it is gone it is gone. They don't serve it the rest of the week unless they have a few left over from Tuesday night.

I grew up with Genesee 12 Horse Ale as the beer of choice in collge followed by the Genny Cream Ale. The 12 Horse is history but you can still get Genny Cream Ale. Carling Black Label wasn't bad in bar bottles back when I could get it.


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## Starch

Preu Pummel said:


> After living in Berlin a while, they all taste like hell.
> 
> Maybe a Leine, or Coors, maybe a Michelob Ultra, but good god these beers are bland.


The curmudgeon in me compels me to not two things (at least):

1 - The last post in this thread was over four years ago, and was put up shortly after the thread started;

2 - I'm pretty sure the whole subject of the of the thread was "bland" beers. There are vast quantities (in count of labels, at least, if not in cases or ounces) of non-old-school microbrews available in the US. Walk around a store where I'm located and you'd be hard pressed to think there's anything but. The most exuberant local ale-monger features at least 100 variety of beer. On the other hand, while Olympia itself is something like 60 miles away, the beer is hard to find. When it comes to microbrews, I'm sure a fair number of them taste like various versions of hell, but manymanymany of them are anything but "bland."


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## WouldaShoulda

Thanks for digging this up!!

I just bought me a six-pack of National Premium that has been reissued recently and made by Fordham Brewing in Delaware. I want to like it but haven't tried it yet.

It was the more expensive version of National Bohemian (Natty Boh) from back in the day. You can still get Natty Boh but it is made by Heilman thus it is just awful. 

I was at a Brewer's Warehouse recently and saw some Stegmaier there. I got a hangover just reading the label!!


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## walrusbt

yanks1184 said:


> There is also an odd new found love of PBR by the hipster crowd...not sure why...


I think there is a nostalgia factor....even for those who weren't around when people drank it, simply because they've heard of it. I'm in my 30s and had my first PBR a year ago. It was fun to drink something I'd heard references to, knew the logo, etc. - I wasn't impressed with it, but enjoyed sampling what was an "old school" beer.


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## Snow Hill Pond

TMMKC said:


> One "old school" beer that bears mentioning is Carling's Black Label from Canada. A truly vile brew that actually tasted a little bit like the can it came out of...very "tinny."


One of my fondest memories is driving down to Florida with college buddies for vacation and buying cases of Carling Black Label. As I remember, it was cheaper than a comparable quantity of generic bottled water. I don't remember tinny, but I do remember it being watery.

Although not a beer technically, we used to drink Little Kings (Cincinnati). It came in 6 or 7 ounce glass bottles.

As a kid, I recall seeing commercials for Falls City Beer, a local brew out of Louisville (KY), presumably.

Rolling Rock is an old brew that used to have a bad rep until it got yuppified. I think it's still the same bad stuff, but it just got cool to drink.

When I lived in NC, I had friends who would go home to Pittsburgh for the holidays and bring back Iron City Beer. No great shakes, but they loved it like it was mother's milk.


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## Jovan

If you guys haven't tried Batch 19, you need to. It's based on a pre-prohibition recipe found in an old warehouse dated 1919. Very good. Strong, yet refined.


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## Snow Hill Pond

walrusbt said:


> It was fun to drink something I'd heard references to...


_
"No, we don't fit in with that white collar crowd,
We're a little too rowdy and a little too loud,
There's no place that I'd rather be than right here,
With my red neck, white socks, and blue ribbon beer!"_

It ain't Cole Porter, but what is?


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## dks202

Two of my old favorites....

original Coors when it had to be refrigerated because it was not pasteurized. 

Also Lone Star Handy Keg for the same reason.

Both were essentially draft beer in a can. they had to stay cold from factory to your house. I think Uncle Sam told them at some point to stop for health safety reasons.


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## my19

I grew up near the southern tip of New Jersey, so the Old School beers for me came from Philadelphia and eastern PA and from New York. My grandfather would order Neuweiler's by the case, and Yeungling's was a regular long before it acquired its current cachet. Ortlieb's and Schmidt's were always around, along with Ballentine and Piels and a few others from New York. 

When I visit, I'll still sample a Yeungling or two. But here in Texas, I usually stick with Shiner Bock.


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## mdinz

I still have fond memories of playing darts and drinking Black Label in a bottle at my local dive called the 8Ball when I was living in Ann Arbor. In the late 90's it was a buck a bottle at the bar, couldn't beat that, free cover, and proper bristleboard darts.


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## pleasehelp

I'll expose myself as the least classy/cultured person on these message boards:

For general sipping, my favorite old school beer is Coors original banquet beer.

At a BBQ or after hunting, if it is really hot outside and the beer is cold, I love Bud.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Here's to good friends, 
The night is kinda special, 
The beer we pour must say something more somehow...


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## Jovan

pleasehelp said:


> I'll expose myself as the least classy/cultured person on these message boards:
> 
> For general sipping, my favorite old school beer is Coors original banquet beer.
> 
> At a BBQ or after hunting, if it is really hot outside and the beer is cold, I love Bud.


You need to upgrade, friend. There are many superior beers in the same price range!


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## Pentheos

mdinz said:


> I still have fond memories of playing darts and drinking Black Label in a bottle at my local dive called the 8Ball when I was living in Ann Arbor. In the late 90's it was a buck a bottle at the bar, couldn't beat that, free cover, and proper bristleboard darts.


Did I see you there? I remember many drunken nights there...trying not to get into fights, leering at seedy ladies...if I recall correctly, the urinals were 3-4 bathtub-like things guys would stand around...


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## upthewazzu

Jovan said:


> You need to upgrade, friend. There are many superior beers in the same price range!


I brew my own beer so I suppose I'm a bit of a beer-snob, however I never judge a man based on his beer choice. I have many friends that just don't like homebrew/craftbrew and there is nothing I can do to change that. If a man enjoys a Coors or a Bud, more power to him.

As for old-label beers that I'm fond of, PBR and Rolling Rock are about the only two that I enjoy. Although, I do like to kill a case of MGD about once a year or so, those are good for the tailgates.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Pentheos said:


> Did I see you there? I remember many drunken nights there...trying not to get into fights, leering at seedy ladies...if I recall correctly, the urinals were 3-4 bathtub-like things guys would stand around...


Ok, now you guys have peaked my interest. I was in A2 from 2000-2004. Where was this 8Ball? Over by the municipal airport? Near campus? Over by the Gandy Dancer? The only drinking places I remember were Dominicks (near the law campus) for the sangria and Fraser's Pub on Packard.


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## pleasehelp

Jovan said:


> You need to upgrade, friend. There are many superior beers in the same price range!


I don't defend my choices, just confess them. In terms of what is in my fridge, it is probably all Dog Fish Head (which obviously doesn't qualify for Old School).

There is something about drinking ice cold Bud out in a hot field after hunting for a few hours that just feels right...


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## upthewazzu

pleasehelp said:


> There is something about drinking ice cold Bud out in a hot field after hunting for a few hours that just feels right...


In this same vain, an ice cold Bud Light on the golf course is what I imagine heaven is like.


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## WouldaShoulda

my19 said:


> I grew up near the southern tip of New Jersey, so the Old School beers for me came from Philadelphia and eastern PA and from New York. My grandfather would order Neuweiler's by the case, and Yeungling's was a regular long before it acquired its current cachet. Ortlieb's and Schmidt's were always around, along with Ballentine and Piels and a few others from New York.
> 
> When I visit, I'll still sample a Yeungling or two. But here in Texas, I usually stick with Shiner Bock.


Settling Back with a Schmidt's in a paper cup with a plastic shower cap like cover at the crappy old Vet stadium??

Fights usually broke before the seventh inning stretch, especially if the Mets were in town and winning.


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## Pentheos

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Ok, now you guys have peaked my interest. I was in A2 from 2000-2004. Where was this 8Ball? Over by the municipal airport? Near campus? Over by the Gandy Dancer? The only drinking places I remember were Dominicks (near the law campus) for the sangria and Fraser's Pub on Packard.


You law-school types never ventured far. The 8Ball is on 1st street, a seedy little downstairs joint. I frequented the place from '99 to '01, then I got too busy with my grad program.


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## filfoster

TMMKC said:


> A few weeks ago, we threw our annual summer party and...on a lark...I bought a 12-pack of Olympia and threw it in with the Miller Lite and Red Stripe. I hadn't tasted Oly in many years. It's surprisingly good and incredibly cheap. It proved to be a popular choice.
> 
> I now see that Schiltz (which is owned by PBR I believe) will soon be available in its original recipe. From what I understand, when Schlitz changed its recipe many years ago, it totally sunk the brand.
> 
> I know there are many beer drinkers on the fora. What's your favorite "old school" brand? My personal favorite is Miller High Life, The Champagne of Beers (if only for the very cool "banquet" bottle).


Several years ago, I bought a 12 pack of Schlitz on a whim. The first sip took me back to the days when my negligent parents would let me take a sip from their bottle of beer. What a flavor!

I have tried to convert everyone who will try it to buy it.

Now, here in Cincinnati, the local distributor has gotten into a urinating contest with Schlitz over some stale dated inventory and there is NO SUPPLY and none in sight. I have standing requests to friends and family for as many cases plus $10 for as many cases as they can haul back from any trip to a Schlitz venue.


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## MaxBuck

I don't really regard it as "beer," but a cold Coors Light is very refreshing on the golf course. My normal actual beer beverages tend more toward IPAs.

Old school? I recall Rolling Rock being the best beer I could afford in college; bought 'em by the 12-pack and stowed them in my dorm fridge. Never caught the PBR bug.

Had a college friend with an interesting approach to buying beer for a party. First case was Budweiser. Second case was Hamm's (about 3/4 the price of Bud). Third and successive cases were Buckhorn (second label from Hamm's; about half the price of Bud and truly foul). I don't recall ever drinking more than one Buckhorn before leaving to find a more convivial place.


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## JerseyJohn

I don't know if it qualifies as an "old school beer", but given a choice of regular old picnic quaffing beers, Corona is the one I go for if it's available. If we're talking regular "American" beers, I usually prefer good ol' Bud. I've never understood the recent appeal of PBR. I had a friend who liked it back in its pre-hip days, but I always preferred Bud (or Ballantine ale, if I really want to date myself). I tried PBR once but didn't see any reason to switch - I thought it rather bland.


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## GatorFL

JerseyJohn said:


> I don't know if it qualifies as an "old school beer", but given a choice of regular old picnic quaffing beers, Corona is the one I go for if it's available. If we're talking regular "American" beers, I usually prefer good ol' Bud. I've never understood the recent appeal of PBR. I had a friend who liked it back in its pre-hip days, but I always preferred Bud (or Ballantine ale, if I really want to date myself). I tried PBR once but didn't see any reason to switch - I thought it rather bland.


PBR is only good on draft. Cans/bottles are just so-so. I'm with you on Corona--it's always good. Needs to be ice cold though.


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## JerseyJohn

With all due respect to the English, _all _beer should be ice-cold :biggrin: !


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## Sese

There is a very good beer from Munich, Bavaria called Augustiner Bräu. Many consider this small brand to have the very best beer around. It used to be produced by monks (now it's a private company) under not only traditional german beer law rules but highly organic in many details up to the way they let corn fall inside the brewery. It's not easy to get but if it is available give it a try.

https://www.augustiner-braeu.de/augustiners/html/en/Sortiment.html


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## Jovan

Now that's more like it, Sese. I wasn't aware that to many here, "old school beers" meant "cheap swill that barely resembles the original formula".


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## Sese

That's like many other fine food or drink items. Only when you start to get to know the good stuff you realize how much you missed before and how different it is from the average.


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