My latest article for The Bulletin, out last week, takes a look at the latest year-round beer from GoodLife Brewing, High Altitude Lager, and frames that within an overview of the American lager style.

“We began with an idea to brew a super-light lager because we (production team) all like to drink light lagers,” said Tyler West, director of brewing operations, via email. “We brewed a small batch which was very well received throughout the company. As we were going through style guidelines, it seemingly fit the description of a classic American lager.”

“American lager” as a style is best typified by what we usually think of as mass market or industrial beers, such as Budweiser, Coors or Pabst Blue Ribbon. In the early years of craft brewing, such beers were derided as watered-down, cheap, and flavorless.

Indeed, they are typically pale, light-bodied, neutral in character, and fairly inexpensive — the result of decades of cost cutting, homogenization and efficiency by the corporate megabrewers in order to appeal to the widest possible audience. But historically? These beers were anything but cheap and flavorless.

More along with my review notes on the beer at the article.