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Though I may be a Bruguru, I’m sad to
say that I have not yet achieved the status of Beer God. It’s not for lack
of trying, of course, and I must say I thought I came close a few years
back. A few co-workers, after reading my beer column in the Yankee Brew News, got down on their knees and made worshipping
notions while chanting, “We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!” I suspect that
they were more impressed that such a thing as a newspaper dealing
exclusively with beer existed at all than they were with my writing skills,
but it was a fun moment nonetheless.
Fun though it was, it didn’t make me a Beer God. No, there is only one Beer
God (though the Sumerians, in their infinite wisdom, did have a beer goddess
called Ninkasi), and he’s my idol. Literally. A small gray stone idol to be
exact, clutching a bottle of JW Dundee’s Honey Brown Lager. He seems to have
scampered off to parts unknown these days, but only a few years ago he was
everywhere: on billboards, TV commercials, and radio spots, and of course at
your local beer retailer.
Beer God was a lot of fun. OK, so he had rotten grammar. He had great
commercials, and they more than made up for it. I remember one billboard
sign that had the Beer God shouting at passing traffic, “You in sixty-three
Impala! Pull over now, sell car, buy Honeybrown Lager!” I wonder how many
six packs of Honey Brown you could get for a sixty-three Impala? Not many I
suspect.
Beer God’s radio ads were even more fun. One has him arranging a “We Are the
World” type musical ensemble designed to promote the Beer God’s favorite
cause, Honey Brown Lager. We are advised not to drink any other beer, “Or
Beer God Make You Pay!”. Another clip explains how a kindler, gentler Beer
God has decided to use advertising in lieu of earthquakes and pestilence to
encourage us to drink beer. Of course, we’re warned he may go back to his
old ways if lots of Honey Brown Lager isn’t sold.
These are really funny clips, and I’m glad I saved them from the company’s
website (you can listen to them
here). Sadly, it
seems High Falls Brewing has given up on the Beer God as a promotional
spokesman for Honey Brown Lager. The beer itself, though, is still going
strong.
High Falls Brewing Company, formerly the Genesee Brewing Company, is the
nation’s fifth largest brewer and has been around since 1878. The company
rolled out Honey Brown Lager in 1994, and it has become one of their most
popular brands. High Falls calls it a “dark, pilsner-style beer”, whatever
that is. Manitoba clover honey is added during the brewing process.
How did the beer come to bee (pun intended)? The bottle offers the following
origin:
He was a fiercely independent American brewer, dedicated to creating a
lager like no other. She was a Canadian, a third generation beekeeper from
the plains of Manitoba. They met over a creamy pint in a brewpub on the
coast of Oregon in 1993. The rest is history.
JW Dundee’s Honey Brown Lager pours to a delightfully golden brown color
with a medium bodied, spritzy head formation that quickly fades after
pouring. The brew has generous carbonation; a steady stream of bubbles rises
from bottom to top at a vigorous pace. The nose gives an ever so faint hint
of chewy caramel malt and a touch of sweetness. The palate is lighter than
you’d expect but at the same time quite flavorful, there are subtle hints of
husky malt and a touch of honey character. The finish is rather sweet.
This is a very drinkable brew, and a surprisingly good one. It won’t offend
drinkers who regularly partake of the Bud-Miller-Coors Trinity, but it has
enough flavor to satisfy a beer connoisseur. Match it with food, too; I like
it with chicken or pork, even more so when they’re accompanied by rich
sauces.
Try a six-pack today. The Beer God has spoken.
Update 5/28/2015:
Sue me. Taco Mac had Honey Brown Lager on and I got excited.
Yeah, it's not the best beer in the world, but it does have hints of
caramel, toasted and honey malts and a pleasant malty sweetness in the
finish. I still love it, and at $4 for a full 20-ounce mug pour, I love it
even more.
Update
12/5/2019:
Chanced upon a Honey Brown Lager tap at Harrah's Valley River Casino today
and enjoyed the light toasted malt flavor with hints of honey and a
satisfying soft sweetness. A pretty good deal at $4.67 for a pint. Total
Wine sells it for $11.99 a 12-pack in bottles, and (sometimes) $17.99 for a
30-pack. The latter is about as sweet a deal as you can find for a beer that
is drinkable and flavorful and that I always enjoy.
    
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled (D)=Draft
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Try?
