American Light Lager

Question 1

American Light Lager

Category

Answer 1

1. Standard American Beer

Question 2

American Light Lager

Overall Impression

Answer 2

• Highly carbonated
• Very light bodied
• Nearly flavorless
• Designed to be consumed very cold
• Very refreshing and thirst quenching

Question 3

American Light Lager

Aroma

Answer 3

• Low to no malt aroma (Can be perceived as grainy, sweet, or corn-like if present)
• Light to no hop aroma (Spicy or floral hop character if present)
• Clean fermentation desirable

Question 4

American Light Lager

Appearance

Answer 4

• Very pale straw to pale yellow color
• White, frothy head seldom persists
• Very clear

Question 5

American Light Lager

Flavor

Answer 5

• Relatively neutral palate
• Crisp, dry finish
• Low to very low grainy or corn-like flavor (might be perceived as sweetness due to low bitterness)
• Very low to no hop flavors
• Low to very low hop bitterness
• Balance between slightly malty and slightly bitter
• High levels of carbonation may accentuate the crispness of the dry finish.
• Clean lager fermentation character

Question 6

American Light Lager

Mouthfeel

Answer 6

• Very light (sometimes watery) body
• Very highly carbonated
• Slight carbonic bite on tongue

Question 7

American Light Lager

Comments

Answer 7

• Designed to appeal to as broad a range of the general public as possible
• Strong flavors are a fault

Question 8

American Light Lager

History

Answer 8

• Coors briefly made light lager in the early 1940s
• Modern versions introduced first by Rheingold in 1967 to appeal to diet-conscious drinkers
• Only became popular after Miller Brewing marketed heavily to sports fans
• Beers in this genre became the largest sellers in the US in the 1990s

Question 9

American Light Lager

Characteristic Ingredients

Answer 9

• Two- or six-row barley with high percentage (up to 40%) of rice or corn as adjuncts
• Additional enzymes can further lighten the body and lower carbohydrates

Question 10

American Light Lager

Style Comparison

Answer 10

• Lighter-bodied, lower-alcohol, lower calorie version of American Lager.
• Less hop character and bitterness than a Leichtbeir

Question 11

American Light Lager

Vital Statistics

Answer 11

• IBUs: 8 - 12
• SRM: 2 - 3
• OG: 1.028 - 1.040
• FG: 0.998 - 1.008
• ABV: 2.8 - 4.2%

Question 12

American Light Lager

Commercial Examples

Answer 12

• Bud Light
• Coors Light
• Keystone Light
• Michelob Light
• Miller Light
• Old Milwaukee Light