Beers you can't find anymore

I remember several cream ales that may or may not be around yet. Little Kings comes to mind ... Google says it's still being made. It was pretty popular in mid-Missouri when I was there.

My old high school history teacher wrote a couple books on pioneer breweries. He says that the big switch from ale to lager in the US came in the wake of the Revolution of 1848 in central Europe. When the monarchies cracked down, political refugees from Bavaria and Bohemia fled to America and brought their brewing skills and taste for lager with them. The Civil War accelerated the change as the uninitiated discovered they preferred the more subtle taste of the German brew. Canada didn't get the mid-19th century influx of German refugees, and the macro breweries up there still produce quite a bit of ale.

For the brewer, lagers are harder to produce than ale. They require a lower temperature during primary fermentation and must be stored (lagered) for several weeks in a cool environment before fermentation is complete. Anchor Steam deviates from that rule of thumb, but historically they only did so in a pinch.

 

There's a liquor store not too far from my son's apartment in Brooklyn that has a life-size cardboard cutout of Billy Dee endorsing Colt 45. I have never had the nerve to go in and ask how much it'd cost to buy it.

 

James Coburn pimped Schlitz Malt Liquor when he was at the height of his cinema tough guy trajectory, early '70s or so. I haven't seen SML in quite a while.

 

Everybody tried malt liquor back in the day. I remember going through a Miller Malt phase. Bright red can. It was horse piss, just like Olde English 800 and Mickey's Big Mouth.

 

What are the names of the books?

I went to the Bud brewery in St. Louis and the museum mentioned that trains and refrigeration was why big brewers were able to come about. The point about immigration patterns is interesting. Mexican beers (and Banda) are a reminder of the German immigration to northern Mexico and Texas.

 

Here are some links. The books are by small regional publishers and mostly out of print. He has one recent book out on Kindle.

https://www.amazon.com/Badger-Breweries-Present-Wayne-Kroll/dp/B000KL3HSG/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1645230298&refinements=p_27:Wayne+Kroll&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Wayne+Kroll#customerReviews
https://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-Breweries-Their-Bottles-1840/dp/B0026C4VJQ/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1645230671&refinements=p_27:Wayne+Kroll&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Wayne+Kroll
https://www.amazon.com/BEER-GOBLETS-MORE-Wayne-Kroll-ebook/dp/B07X56TTJC/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1645230671&refinements=p_27:Wayne+Kroll&s=books&sr=1-3&text=Wayne+Kroll
Steven Libbey’s review of Wayne Kroll’s book on 1800s Wisconsin farm breweries | MrBottles.com - Wisconsin Antique Bottle Collectors Resource

As a young man Wayne pitched in the minor leagues until an injury ended his baseball career. Here are his stats: Wayne Kroll Minor Leagues Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com

As a teacher he played an important role in my life.

As well as the reign in Mexico of the Austrian Maximilian I, who supposedly influenced the popularity of Vienna-style lagers now represented by Dos Equis Amber and Negra Modelo, a couple of my favorites off the Mexican menu.

The historical Milwaukee brewers got a big boost from the Chicago Fire of 1871, which wiped out many of that city's breweries. The city needed a lot of beer to keep the rebuilding process well-oiled.

 

Thanks.

I think the perception of Mexican beer is hurt by Corona, but the brands you mentioned are pretty good and I prefer them over BMC.

I read an article recently about craft brewers making Mexican style lager and had one at https://www.ankrolab.com/.

 

I have quaffed them all, I'm afraid. With differing results. Bad aftertaste always a result.

Imagine drinking a cannonball of shit beer or malt liquor at a barbecue and then attempting to eat good food.

 

Have you ever had Cave Creek Chili Beer? It was a microbrewed Mexican style with jalapeno. I think the pepper worked well. A brewpub up here called Brewfinity does a clone called Jorge. I think Cave Creek itself is history, so it qualifies as a Beer You Can't Find Anymore.

I used to vacation fairly often at Isla Mujeres in Mexico. There were a couple beers produced in Merida that were cheaper than the major brands, Montejo and Leon Negra. Both were very good for the style. Around Christmas we'd enjoy Noche Buena, a holiday beer. I've seen that one seasonally at well-stocked liquor stores in the States. Montejo and Leon were bought up by Modelo in receent years.

The Mexican beer industry has been swallowed up by the giants, InBev and Heineken, just like elsewhere in North America. It has affected distribution and brand variety for the worse, I think. I used to be able to get a bottle of Bohemia at Mexican restaurants, but it has become harder to find. Modelo brands, including Corona, seem dominant.

 

I have not had Cave Creek Chili. I tend to not like heavy additions to beer outside of the traditional ingredients.

I wish I could ever take your trips.

 

Nothing hard to find about it, but my Mexican beer of choice is Dos Equis Amber.

 

Negra Modelo is my Cinco de Mayo go-to.