I Like Busch Light

There was a time when I behaved like a complete beer snob, snubbing everything corporate and non-craft, but I've come around.  There's been a lot of talk among the craft brewery industry and its followers recently regarding this subject, and my sentiment is this:

And taste is purely subjective.

Yes, I would most certainly prefer a proper craft beer over any other, but sometimes I just can't get what I want.  When that happens, my go-to beer is Busch Light.  And even when I can have the craft beer, sometimes what I want is still a Busch Light.  

I know many of you are cringing and screaming, "WHY????"  

1.  As the can says, "Great taste in an easy drinking light beer."  Great might be pushing it, but I certainly find it an easy drinking light beer.

2.  It the perfect base for any Red Beer.  If you aren't familiar with Red Beer, it's generally some sort of mass-produced lager mixed with tomato juice, V8, Bloody Mary mix, and the like.  Personally, I'm partial to Spicy V8.  You probably won't be able to walk up to a bartender and request a Red Beer in most places without getting a "Wha???", but it's very common in both Nebraska and Montana.  Think of it as the poor man's version of a Bloody Mary.  During my snob days, it's how I got rid of the "crap" people left in at my house after a party.  Now I often buy the "crap" on purpose so I can enjoy a nice Red Beer on a weekend morning.

3. Busch Light is "water beer".  Light, refreshing, not bitter, a teeny bit sweet and very easy to drink.  I can drink it all day without getting extremely drunk, and the after-affects are next to nothing.  Unlike it's Anheiser cousin, Bud Light, it doesn't cause me headaches or intestinal distress (which just kill me, even after just one).  

4.  It can be found at every bar and event in Montana.  And it's cheap.

5. It is almost always in my dad's fridge.  Dad will at least try the "good stuff" with me, but the only craft brew you're likely to ever find in his fridge (and that's not very likely at all) is Boulevard's Wheat, something I do not care for at all.  Busch Light it is!

I recently enjoyed a great big birthday, and my keg of choice was Busch Light.  WHY???? Especially since many of my wonderful friends gave me all sorts of the "good stuff" as gifts.  I was quite happy to save all that for a time when I could really savor it, though, and drink Busch Light because:  (a) we were going to be enjoying it for several days and all day on party day, (b) a lot of my guests were "that kind of beer" drinkers, and (c) I didn't want to get filled up on craft beers or get wasted on booze.  Busch Light treated me very well and I thoroughly enjoyed the fun.

So, no, I'm no longer a snob.  I consider myself more of a geek. You can gag, mock and disparage me all you want, but it won't change the fact that I like Busch Light.   I appreciate it for what it is, and appreciate it when that's what the occasion calls for it.  It's got it's place in my world.

And now I'm going to go grab an IPA.