Bud Light Platinum

By Tom

I stopped by my local beverage center today and saw that they were doing a tasting...of Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Platinum.  I thought to myself, “seriously?”. I did want to at least taste the new Platinum and I saw this as a good opportunity to try it for free.  No need to try BL Lime - I actually like that one under the right circumstances. The BL Platinum is sweeter version of Bud Light with a 6% ABV and it comes in a cool blue bottle.  AB Inbev, who owns Budweiser, is trying to win back some people who have left the fold for better craft beer.   If I was at a party and that’s all there was, I’d probably have a few too many, but I wouldn’t choose it over anything decent.

The girl doing the samples was young and very pretty...I think she liked me because I got a cool hat.

OK, anyone who asked could get one too. I also tried 3 of the “Shock Top” beers: Raspberry Wheat Ale, which was actually OK, not too sweet, very light; Lemon Shandy which is horrible, I don’t like lemon in beer, all other citrus - yes, lemon – no.   Finally there was Shock Top Wheat IPA. It doesn’t taste like an IPA, it only has the very mildest hop flavor but I think it’d be an acceptable hot day beer. This one in particular might be a good starter beer for someone looking to broaden their horizons from the macro brews. A baby step. That’s the best I can say for these “macro-craft” beers.

I don’t think I’d ever actually buy any of these unless the choices were extremely limited. I felt a twinge of guilt as I, donning my new Bud Light Lime cap, paid for my bombers of Hop Stoopid and Hop Manna IPA.   Hop Manna is a really nice, refreshing IPA which is significantly lower on the bitterness scale than Hop Stoopid, somewhat reminiscent of Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra. Though Hop Manna is made here in NY by Shmaltz Brewing, the cascade, citra and centennial hops give it that wonderful west coast aroma and taste.  Mission accomplished!