Dear Sam Adams - A Breakup Note

Dear Sam Adams,

This is a really tough letter to write. It’s taken me a lot of soul-searching to be able to find the strength to tell you what I’m about to, but deep in my heart, I know it’s for the best.

Sam Adams – I’m sorry. It’s over.

Dear Sam Adams - it was good while it lasted...

For the past few weeks, I’ve been seeing another beer – Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar Blues Brewery in Colorado. It started off as just a fling – just to try something new and exciting – but the more time we’ve spent together, the more I’ve realized that Dale’s Pale Ale and I were meant to be together.

It doesn’t mean I don’t still love you. There’ll always be a special place for you in my heart (and liver.) I’ll never forget the first time we met, in that TGI Friday’s restaurant in Huntington, Long Island. On my first day in America, you were my first introduction to ‘real’ American Beer, and some of the finest times in my life have been enhanced by your foamy deliciousness.

You were my ‘Friday night special’ when I lived on Long Island. When I was back home in Britain, imported bottles of Sam were my little reminder of where I’d decided my home was. Even recently, when hitting up the Renaissance Faire in upstate New York, you were the foamy ale I quaffed while checking out the girls in bustiers and corsets.

But the fact is, something’s missing. I need more from the beer in my life – something only Dale’s Pale Ale has been able to deliver. Ever since I first cracked open that little blue can, I’ve realized that I’m an unrepentant ‘hop head’ and Dale’s potent, hoppy recipe can satisfy me in a way your more sedate, sophisticated brew can’t.

Dale's Pale Ale - Crazy for the love of a hop-headed woman

Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure I’ll slip occasionally and we can briefly be together for old times sake, or when visiting a Casual Dining Restaurant that doesn’t stock my favorite Blues brew (very few do.) But we both know it can never be the same. Our time together was great – but now I think it’s time we accepted that I need to see other beers.

Thanks for being so great about this. You’ll always be special brew to me.

Militant Ginger.

Budweiser's American Ale

American beer has a somewhat undeserved reputation.

Sure, there's the homogenized, branded crap like Budweiser, Coors, Miller and Schlitz.

But there are also some fantastic beers - Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Brooklyn Lager, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Blue Point from Long Island.

In fact, American brewing has had a resurgence in recent years as consumers demanded a more sophisticated beverage - leading the pale-and-fizzy crowd to start branching out.

American Ale is Budweiser's response to popularity of artisan brewing. A dark, amber lager with an all-American label, it retails for about the same price as a six-pack of Sam Adams.

But is it any good?

The answer is a resounding NO.

Pop open a bottle of American Ale and pour it into a glass: You'll see the foamy head evaporate in seconds. Artisan ales keep that head for several minutes, if not longer.

While the color is a delicious amber, matching that of Boston Lager, the beer itself is rather tasteless, aggressively fizzy and has the sensation of being watered down. The only upshot is a very sharp malty bite after each mouthful - but that only lasts a second.

America Ale tastes like brown Budweiser lager, if we're being honest. If you like your beer fizzy and easy to drink, you'll be satisfied with this. If you're looking for something slightly more sophisticated, like Sam Adams, you'll be sorely disappointed. Even more so when you see that the price of American Ale is pretty much the same as a six-pack of Sam.

Budweiser American Ale is typical of the big-brand breweries. They'd rather spend marketing money peddling the same old crap than invest the time and effort into producing something special.

Budweiser American Ale? Avoid.