Finally, an explanation

S

SFJoe

Joe Dougherty
I remember years ago having lunch at that Zac Pelaccio place in the Meat Packing District, what was it called, 5 9th? It's so over now you can't believe it.

Anyhow, they had PBR on the menu, which I hadn't tasted in probably 20 years. I thought to myself, "Is my memory so poor that I have forgotten that PBR actually tasted good?" It seemed unlikely, but I bought one to try.

I can go another 20 years with a clear conscience.

I never understood how PBR had mysteriously transformed itself into hipster brew, particularly since it is still dreck. Edward McClelland, writing on the new Salon Food site, has cleared it all up. Pretty interesting story of clever and cynical marketing.
 
I'm not exactly disagreeing, but as far as super low price point beer in a can, what's more palatable than Tecate or PBR?

I don't think I've seen a Yuengling's or Genesee since I spent a summer in Pennsylvania fifteen years ago.
 
Um, that's a total urban myth. The hipster origins anyway. The cynical marketing since PBR has gained a trust-fund hipster audience is true. But trust me, PBR was the beer of choice in the EV long before 2000.
 
Cheap beer seems to pair rather well with barbecue. Have a Lone Star the next time you're at Hill Country.
 
This was all explained in some over-hyped book a large number of years ago. The Point Where We Fall Over, or some such. And equally poorly.

It sucked in junior high high school college when I was of legal drinking age, and it sucks now.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Scott Kraft:
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Scott Kraft:
PBR was the beer of choice in the EV long before 2000.
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If I were more hip, I'd know what the EV is.
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The East Village.
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See? There you go.

It wasn't what we drank at Max Fish in 1990, but I missed the '90s.
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Max Fish was in the Lower East Side (LSE). And a relative newcomer. I'm talking about Tompkins Square, Alphabet City, Loisada - the true East Village. Horseshoe Bar for example. PBR was the house tap through the 80s. Probably still is.
 
Gotta disagree, Scott. I was in the EV in the 1980's. Everything was Rolling Rock.

...from the glass-lined tanks of Old Latrobe... to you.
 
I've drank a few beers in the Lutz myself. I'm not sure how the leap from the Lutz to PBR's current hipness happened. The influence of The Lutz in this transformation seems a tad overstated by the article. Particularly the references to the Lutz and indy-rockers, bike messengers and skaters. The Lutz is nowhere near downtown, and is more a neighborhood pub that has been adopted by many students from Reed College. I'd figure there are more history majors drinking there on a given night than bike messengers.

They are, however, dressed like bike messengers, but maybe that's what led to the confusion.
 
originally posted by slaton:
I don't think I've seen a Yuengling's or Genesee since I spent a summer in Pennsylvania fifteen years ago.
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Yuengling is easily found here in the East. I went to school in PA and couldn't drink it, but then I was a beer snob after drinking too many cans of Coors tall boys one night freshman year. From then on it was largely Heineken, Grolsch and Moosehead for me and not in copious quantities.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Gotta disagree, Scott. I was in the EV in the 1980's. Everything was Rolling Rock.

...from the glass-lined tanks of Old Latrobe... to you.
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Definitely available. But not the house tap at Horseshoe or the places on 7th that I can't name anymore, or 2A, which was probably my biggest hang in those days.
 
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by slaton:
I don't think I've seen a Yuengling's or Genesee since I spent a summer in Pennsylvania fifteen years ago.
Click to expand...

Yuengling is easily found here in the East. I went to school in PA and couldn't drink it, but then I was a beer snob after drinking too many cans of Coors tall boys one night freshman year. From then on it was largely Heineken, Grolsch and Moosehead for me and not in copious quantities.
Click to expand...

Yuengling Lager is great beer, always has been.
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
originally posted by Brad Kane:
originally posted by slaton:
I don't think I've seen a Yuengling's or Genesee since I spent a summer in Pennsylvania fifteen years ago.
Click to expand...

Yuengling is easily found here in the East. I went to school in PA and couldn't drink it, but then I was a beer snob after drinking too many cans of Coors tall boys one night freshman year. From then on it was largely Heineken, Grolsch and Moosehead for me and not in copious quantities.
Click to expand...

Yuengling Lager is great beer, always has been.
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Gennies are also fantastic. Love Rust Belt Beer.
 
In Connecticut, when I was in high school, the drinking age was 18, but any mature looking 16 year old could get served most places. In the town of Deep River, there was a blue collar bar that sold only beer and that beer was draft PBR at 25 a glass. That's the only place I remember it tasting good.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Gotta disagree, Scott. I was in the EV in the 1980's. Everything was Rolling Rock.

...from the glass-lined tanks of Old Latrobe... to you.
Click to expand...
\

It's true: Back then, I was living on East 13th Street near Third Avenue. Everything was Rolling Rock. And Mickey's Big Mouth Malt Liquor.
 
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