A low calorie pale lager brewed by the renowned Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, Keystone Light is a staple on American college campuses and in the refrigerators of weight and wallet conscious people across our great nation. I recently decided to sample it for the first time in order to see whether it deserves its place as the crown jewel of the economy beer bracket. Most commonly found in a standard size, "specially lined" cans that comprise packs of 30, Keystone Light has long been known for its creative marketing which caters heavily to its status among young beer drinkers. As the vast majority of Keystone Light is consumed either from a can or from a cup a can was emptied into, I used this as the basis for my test. Naturally, considering the importance of cold temperatures to the quality of a Coors product, I chilled the beer to 34 degrees Fahrenheit (~1C for those stuck using archaic measurement systems) prior to consumption.
Pour: Using a standard 12 ounce glass mug (.33L), beer was pale, almost sickly, yellow, with a thin head and minimal fizzling after the pouring was done.
Body: Lithe, with a clear presence of material but distinct lack of heaviness. It was appropriate for a pale lager; strong enough to be a beer, but ultimately smooth and clean, rather than evocative of liquid food. Carbonation was sufficient but not overpowering
Taste: Slightly malty, clean, with a clear lack of hoppiness or bitterness. It was very consistent, leading in with a pleasing aroma of fresh bread and slight caramel touch, before finishing with a flourish of roasted grain as pure as the Rocky Mountain water with which it was made. Perhaps a subtle hoppy bitterness to compliment the bread would have improved the complexity, but it's not something to be expected out of a pale lager.
Impression: A high quality beer, and one I wholeheartedly recommend for a nice day relaxing at home watching football, sitting at the beach with friends or family, or enjoying festive gatherings. The taste and body far exceed the standard expected out of a pale lager, the carbonation allows for proper sipping while not impeding chugging, and the smoothness and consistency of the taste make the beer refreshing without being watery or weak. While the taste could use slight improvement and the sapped yellow color fails to inspire confidence, overall, it is an excellent product and one which justifies its current stature in American culture.
Grades:
Pour: B+
Body: A
Taste: A
Overall: A-
Pour: Using a standard 12 ounce glass mug (.33L), beer was pale, almost sickly, yellow, with a thin head and minimal fizzling after the pouring was done.
Body: Lithe, with a clear presence of material but distinct lack of heaviness. It was appropriate for a pale lager; strong enough to be a beer, but ultimately smooth and clean, rather than evocative of liquid food. Carbonation was sufficient but not overpowering
Taste: Slightly malty, clean, with a clear lack of hoppiness or bitterness. It was very consistent, leading in with a pleasing aroma of fresh bread and slight caramel touch, before finishing with a flourish of roasted grain as pure as the Rocky Mountain water with which it was made. Perhaps a subtle hoppy bitterness to compliment the bread would have improved the complexity, but it's not something to be expected out of a pale lager.
Impression: A high quality beer, and one I wholeheartedly recommend for a nice day relaxing at home watching football, sitting at the beach with friends or family, or enjoying festive gatherings. The taste and body far exceed the standard expected out of a pale lager, the carbonation allows for proper sipping while not impeding chugging, and the smoothness and consistency of the taste make the beer refreshing without being watery or weak. While the taste could use slight improvement and the sapped yellow color fails to inspire confidence, overall, it is an excellent product and one which justifies its current stature in American culture.
Grades:
Pour: B+
Body: A
Taste: A
Overall: A-
Last edited by nukchebi0 (2011-09-16 03:05:56)
