Big Flats 1901 - World Brews

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into a pilsner glass. 3270 (Nov. 22, 2010 - if a Julian date) on the bottom, no info.

A - One of the better looking American Adjunct Lagers out there, in fact one of the better looking brews period. Sure it's crystal clear and pale straw yellow but the dense two-finger white head cakes the glass in beautiful, thick lace.

S - Grainy straw and a boat-load of sweet corn in the nose. While this isn't really offensive in the least, Big Flats doesn't offer much in the way of aroma...

T - Heavily grainy pale malt seems über cheap as does the corn adjunct flavor and husky straw finish but really, this might be one of the better tasting beers of it's style, which is how I'm judging it.

M - The lingering sweetness distracts a bit but this lager is smooth and soft with a heavily carbonated but not intrusive crisp, light finish.

D - I won't lie, I'm going to dump this beer. I have no interest in consuming it, but in reality, not only is it NOT offensive, it's also highly drinkable. It's a shade better than the BMCs out there and DEFINITELY good for the price. $3 for 6 cans? Sure, in a pinch this will work.

Serving type: can

01-03-2011 12:59:15 | More by BeerFMAndy

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I actually had this beer on my wants for no good reason except that I liked the look of the can. BeerFMAndy humored me, and sent one down is his great box of WI brews. Thanks!

Can poured into a pint glass. Pours a crystal-clear pale gold with a thin white head capping it off. This pops and fizzles away to nothing quickly. No lace left behind. The nose is slightly skunky, with scents of lemon cleaner and musty hay. The mouth is very bubbly and crisp, albeit thin. Not unexpected though. There actually is a small amount of flavor here, some buttered corn, grass, with a sweet finish. I've had worse Adjunct Lagers for sure. I didn't hate this. In fact, I could see myself drinking this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 18:59:55 | More by Onenote81

WesWes

New York

3.08/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours a pale straw color with a thick frothy white head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a dry, pilsner malt scent along and little to no hop aroma. The taste is average as well. It has a light, pilsner malt and adjunct flavor. It has a touch of malt character, but nothing going in the hops department. It goes down quick with a bit of skunkiness in the finish. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a pretty forgettable beer, although it's not much different from the rest in the market.

Serving type: can

02-07-2011 20:46:23 | More by WesWes

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to woodychandler for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a pale yellow color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of grains and corn. Taste is crisp, mild, corn and grains, not a lot going on. Feels light in the mouth and has good drinkability. Overall just another mediocre adjunct lager.

Serving type: can

01-29-2011 15:46:41 | More by tone77

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.05/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A $2.99 6-pack found (exclusively!) at the nearby Walgreens - too interesting/budget-friendly to pass! 12 oz. can poured to a pint glass.

Label features a mammoth waterwheel set squarely amidst a roaring river. Quality-guaranteeing superlatives such as: 'PREMIUM BREW', 'Genuine Brew' [in fancy script], 'Brewed From Only The Choicest Hops', and 'It's the water that makes it.' No idea what '1901' has to do with anything. Regardless, great self-promotion...

'Brewed by Brewmaster's Choice, Rochester, NY'

A: As standard as they come: straw-golden and ultra-refined clarity. Initial burst of carbonation and a finger+ of cottony froth. Disintegrates quickly, leaving little more than a postage stamp patch of film offset to one side. Zero lace.

S: An unappealing vegetable/DMS smell at first, but fade in seconds... from then on, corny sweetness and light cereal maltiness. Neither off nor exciting, just the expected.

T: I'm not a connoisseur of the style, but I have downed these generally benign brews from time to time over recent years (parties, leftovers, etc). With that basis for comparison, this falls squarely within the 'norm', sorta sweet, mildly hopped (spice mostly) and drying finish (a bit peppery).

M: Mellow mouthfeel, not a huge carbonation. Not as thin as some adjunct lagers (a plus), but not quite as smooth/clean (kinda sticky actually).

O: Not so bad, really, although I admit to consuming a couple right after a day spent pruning, digging and weeding - so a beer like this kinda hit the spot. Easy to drink and refreshing enough, despite some quirks with the mouthfeel. Probably wouldn't buy it again, although the cheap price tag should make it an attractive alternative to BMC/PBR-type options.

Serving type: can

03-23-2011 22:48:19 | More by msubulldog25

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.05/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz can served in a pilsner glass.

L - clear bright yellow with a decent sized white head that thinned leaving a few spots of lacing.

S - grainy aroma, smells pretty typical for the style.

T - once again it's typical for the style, grainy and somewhat sweet with no real bitterness to it.

F - light to medium bodied with a crisp feel.

O - very much typical for the style at a lower price than BMC, PBR, Shlitz or Schaefer

Serving type: can

11-29-2011 22:28:39 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

Beerbuddha

Louisiana

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- From the can the beer pours a very clear golden color with tons of bubbles and huge white head which dissipates quickly.

Smell- Has a very grainy quality to the aroma. Not much else. At all. Even after they use the "choicest hops". Their words not mine.

Taste- Can we say adjunct grain? That's ok though because let's be honest it's a cheap American Adjunct lager. And for the price this one really isn't all that bad. On that note enjoy this one VERY COLD.

Mouthfeel- Watery and highly carbonated.

Overall- I picked this up at Walgreens for $3.49. No that's not a typo. $3.49. A six pack. Should we expect this one to be the next Pliny? Of course not. But for the price it really isn't all that bad. I say if money is tight and you need a beer get yourself to Walgreens.

Serving type: can

12-29-2010 19:51:08 | More by Beerbuddha

biggred1

Indiana

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Clear, pale yellow with a fluffy off white head. Corn grits and not much else in the nose. Squeaky clean and grainy.. not much going on flavor-wise. Light bodied and effervescent. Typical adjunct lager but no different than the big guys. I guess you could do worse than Walgreens $2.99 swill.

Serving type: can

01-05-2011 03:40:49 | More by biggred1

CHickman

New York

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours clear yellow with a massive 3 finger cloudy white head that faded very slowly; left decent spotty lacing.

Smells of grains, sweet malt, corn and light caramel. Pretty basic and light noise overall. Tastes just like it smells with grains, sweet malt, corn, caramel and some light citrus hops.

Very basic and almost boring, this beer has just enough flavor to be alright. It's like a mix between a Coors Light and a decent pale ale that unfortunately leaves a skunky taste in your mouth.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp, with a watery feel and high carbonation. Par for the course for this style of beer.

Pretty easy to drink, and at $2.99 per 6 pack I bump this up to highly drinkable for those who are not looking for flavor. This is not a good beer, but it's not a bad beer either - it's just a beer to drink for the sake of drinking beer. If you're short on cash then this is your beer.

Serving type: can

02-27-2011 20:54:01 | More by CHickman

keeganfrank

Ohio

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Straw-colored brew with a fluffy white head that dissolves somewhat quickly. Very mild flavor- sweet grain and vegetables. Taste is very smooth. Grassy, crisp and a little sweet. A slight metallic tinge in the aftertaste. This beer is nothing amazing, but I could easily drink it all day. Especially when it's $2.99 for a sixer.

Serving type: can

03-15-2011 01:52:54 | More by keeganfrank

ElCommodoro

Texas

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Now, I used to think that this beer was freaking amazing for its price range (cheapest beer money can buy). Then I had a couple later on that I thought were really nasty. I've been drinking it from time to time since and unless my taste buds are just not working this month, it seems like this brew is VERY inconsistent. Sometimes, it tastes corny and boozy. Other times, it has an unpleasant taste reminiscent of the big name brews. Still other times, it just seems bland and neutral. Can anyone back me up on this? Is this beer different every time? What's the deal?
So, all I can say about this beer is it's inconsistent. You're not buying beer when you buy a pack, you're buying adventure. Adventure for only $3. Still a good deal. But this is no longer my favorite budget beer. It's my second favorite. I kind of like the surprise. My favorite budget beer now is Schlitz gusto. It's ALWAYS good.

UPDATE: Schlitz Gusto has gone up in price and I'm no longer into how dry it is, so this is once again my favourite budget beer. It is still very inconsistent, but it is almost always worth 50 cents a can. My last 6-pack had an excellent sweet lager taste, much like a cream ale. The one I'm drinking now tastes almost exactly like liquid Sugar Smacks cereal, which is not to say that it's overly sweet, it's just got that exact weird flavour that Sugar Smacks has (I think it's corn bran flavour). So, still an adventure with every can, but still better than buying bland, overpriced crap like Lonestar or Bud.

Serving type: can

04-03-2011 05:08:11 | More by ElCommodoro

Nerudamann

Arizona

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a can into a stein glass.

Look - pale straw color, clear, with about 2 fingers worth of off-white foam that dissipates somewhat slowly.

Smell - typical adjunct lager type of smell, very cereal-like and thing.

Taste and Mouthfeel - also very cereal-like and thin in the taste. There's a general muskiness, but otherwise not much of a taste at all. A little bitter in the beginning but that fades fast. Texture is not too badly balanced, but still more toward the watery side.

Overall - just another typical tasteless adjunct beer. Not impressed.

Serving type: can

05-07-2011 06:03:24 | More by Nerudamann

tito42

Missouri

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a can to an imperial pint. Purchased sixer at Walgreen's for $2.99, the ultimate value beer. BA lists the brewery as World Brews, which may manage the brand, but the beer itself is brewed in Rochester, NY, I believe at the Genesee Brewery that produces Dundee beers.

A: Golden straw with active carbonation and a pure white head that dissipates quickly but leaves decent lacing.

S: Sweet corn and malt with just a hint of something floral.

T: Sweet adjuncts with just a hint of something citrusy or floral. No off-taste that I might find in other adjunct lagers.

M: A little thicker mouthfeel than many adjuncts, with a touch of hops bitterness at the finish.

O: The definition of an average beer in one of the worst styles made. I'd rather have a PBR or Schlitz, but this is budget beer even compared to PBR or Beast. There is nothing offensive about this beer, albeit nothing really good about it either.

Serving type: can

06-27-2011 02:51:15 | More by tito42

dangerpint

Virginia

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

$2.99 6-pack sold at Walgreens quite wallet friendly beer 12 oz. can served in my favorite glassware from the brands brewer Genesee
Label is appealing with a large waterwheel rolling in a raging river. the label as read 'PREMIUM BREW', Genuine Brew 'Brewed From Only The Choicest Hops', and 'It's the water that makes it.("really"? we did'nt know that.) Big flats '1901'label has instresting grapics on the label and big self promotion and to think all that hoopla is what sells ajunct filled beers."Brewed by Brewmaster's Choice, Rochester, NY" a Genessee brand

As standard as regular beer comes, straw-golden colour and extra filtered clarity. Initial start of medium carbonation and two fingers of fluffy head. Disintegrates too quick, leaving little more than a very extra thin layer of of head.Nose starts as a not very appealing vegetable smell at pour, but not to worry will fade in seconds, from then on,light corn sweetness and light cereal maltiness. Neither off nor exciting, just whats expected for this style.I'm definitely not a connoisseur of some mainstream ajunct beers, but I have downed this style of beer once in a while in past years With that keeping that in mind this beer falls in the regular american ajunct beer style , kind of sweet start, mildly hopped and dry finish.
nice mellow mouthfeel, low carbonation. Not as heavly carbonated and thin tasing as some big name adjunct lagers, which is a big bonus for my taste , but not quite as smooth as could be, but as good or better than most ajunct beers at $4.50 or less price. Not too bad, really, although I have admit to consuming a six pack right after a long stressfull work day so beer period would definitely do the job.So in all fairness i wanted try it agin. I found it easy enough to drink and refreshing though, mouthfeel does not stand out.Head is nice 2 fingers of foam but dissipates too quickly. This beer is nothing to write home about, the cheap price tag makes it an Formidable Competitor to big name ajunct beers.and at $2.99 your wallet can sleep easy.!!!!

Serving type: can

08-02-2011 23:44:04 | More by dangerpint

marc956

Texas

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Along with many on this site, I am a beer snob. With this beer consider the price when you review it. As long as it's cold, I find it to be on par if not better than High Life, Corona, Lone Star and other lagers yet costs about half, sometimes less. I'm giving it 3.0 eh, but it deserves better.

Serving type: can

08-20-2011 22:34:55 | More by marc956

neenerzig

Ohio

3/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My grandmother, who knows nothing about beer or what I would think makes a good beer, was nice enough to buy a can for me out of the blue she just gave this to me one day and told me she picked it up for me because she knows I like beer and like trying all different types and kinds of beers. I certainly appreciate the thought, thanks grandma! Poured into my mug, this beer is a clear, fairly light to medium golden color. The fluffy white head was a good inch thick when poured, eventually settling to a nice thick ring lining the inside of the glass after a few sips with bits of film cover on the surface of the beer here and there. Lots of bubbles rising up to the top of the mug. Had a grainy aroma, typical for this style. Not an offensive aroma, just kind of meh. Has a grainy flavor with some caramel sweetness and a bread like quality as well. No bitter metallic shit taste here like I have experienced with some beers of this style, and certainly more flavor overall than a lot of beers I have had of this style. Maybe just a tiny hint of hop bitterness at on the very back end. Or maybe not. I could see this being most enjoyable to drink outside in July when it is 90 degrees out and you pull one of these out of the cooler. Not a bad beer, one of the more enjoyable ones I have had of this style. Has a crisp, light bodied mouthfeel with light to moderate carbonation. Not too bad here, but nothing I'd go out of my way to drink again.

Eric

Serving type: can

01-19-2012 04:35:44 | More by neenerzig

tim28

Missouri

2.95/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Found this one at the local Walgreens. $2.99 for a six pack of cans. Poured into a pint glass

A: Very light, straw yellow in color. Small head.

S: Standard adjunct lager. Not much to smell.

T: Actually, not that bad. Somewhat sweet, malty finish. A lot better than I expected.

M: Thin. Somewhat watery.

D: A very easy drinking beer. I don't know how many I'd actually want to have in one session, but I'm sure someone would like to pound a bunch of these.

Overall: Not a horrible beer, but not good. You get what you pay for. For $2.99, I didn't expect much, and that's what I got.

Serving type: can

12-12-2010 22:52:37 | More by tim28

rodney45

New York

2.95/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A: Light yellow and very clear. Nice pouring head, but disappears quite rapidly.

S: I smell a little apple and citrus, slightly grainy. Has a bread undertone.

T: Like most beers of this style its extremely hard to find some distinct taste to put your finger on. The malt is more prominant in this beer than many in the style. Hops are non existant. If i had to name a few subtle tastes it would be apple and citrus, but they are so faint that it isnt worth mentioning. Slightly sour, but not to the extent some people have said.

M: Light, smooth, very easy going down.

O: This beer is for nothing more than drinking on a hot summer day if the water company suddenly told you that your local water supply was contaminated with parasitic ameoba. Honestly, this beer isnt that bad. Ive paid double this price for a single beer that i didnt enjoy as much as this beer's sixpack ($2.99 7/18/11). And now i have 5 more. They will be saved for a hot summer day outside.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 07:52:50 | More by rodney45

nukem5

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Big Flats, American Lager brewed by Brewmaster's Choice Rochester NY.

A: Nice golden color with an attempt at some lacing, pours a nice thick head which disappears rather quickly 3.0

S: Smells of typical American lagers in which you get a load of grainy pale malts but I did not expect some grassy notes, expected a plain no smell no taste beer. 3.0

T: Grassy and grainy for sure maybe some corn adjuncts in there with all the malts. Slight fruity taste, an almost non-existent hop flavor lingering at the back end. 3.0

M: Light bodied and not much to talk about but nice carbonation level. 2.5

O: Overall I could have this again, no big hurry but will consider it on hot day at beach and don’t want anything to high in ABV to bog you down.
3.0

Serving type: can

08-25-2011 02:19:27 | More by nukem5

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I was accompanying TheLibrarianGirl on a late-night trek to Walgreen's in search of some beloved, though soon-to-be discontinued facial moisturizer. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a six-pack of beer I did not recognize. Big Flats! And for the price of $3.49!

Appearance: Pours a clear, thinly-hued, light yellow body with an initially charged, white head that soon settles into a inner-glass encircling ring.

Smell: Nose of displaced, ultra-light malts, faint spicy hops, and grains ruefully dipped in chemical solvents.

Taste: Superficial maltiness, a hint of powdered sugar sweetness. Though the choicest hops were utilized, what's present is incredibly light, giving only a touch of spiciness and even less bitterness. Nearing the swallow, there's a little twitch of chemically harshness, like you're drinking a really, really watered down malt liquor. This very, very faint virulence lasts into the thin finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin-bodied, a bit watery, but, as the can says, "it's the water that makes it." Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: A light, lackluster lager, but, being so cheapo-beapo, I can't really hold that against it. Drink it quick, drink it cold, friends.

Serving type: can

01-05-2011 20:06:29 | More by ChainGangGuy

busternuggz

Arizona

2.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Bought a six pack for a friend at a Walgreens for $2.99, so I'm expecting good things.
Poured from a 12 oz can into a pilsner glass.
Very clear, pale yellow with a 1/2" bubbly head that soon fades to a thin layer. Head comes back some with a swirl. Leaves some spotty lacing.
Not much going on in the smell but it's not bad. There's a grassy hop presence and a little corn husk, and a little general cheap beer smell.
The taste comes on well balanced and clean, then damp corn husk and a bit of soapiness hit the palate. Finishes with some stale maltiness, a touch of sweetness.
Pretty nice texture for an AAL. Comes on light and carbonated, ends soft and smooth.
Drinkability, eh. There's some weird tastes but the texture is nice. I'd probably drink fewer of these than Bud Lights.
The soap and damp corn husk tastes are weird, but otherwise it's ok for an AAL.

Serving type: can

01-14-2011 04:45:18 | More by busternuggz

Lukafer

Indiana

2.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an incredibly light yellow with a a good amount of white head. Smells grainy but not horribly so. Tastes grainy, but not in a bad way. Taste very lttle alcohol, very little anything but what I do taste isn't really bad. Mouthfeel is thin, drinkability is high. This beer is totally with $2.99 a sixer, I imagine it'd be great on a hot summer day.

Serving type: can

01-20-2011 02:02:46 | More by Lukafer

Beejay

Virginia

2.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Less than 4 bucks for a sixer?!?!? How can I go wrong?

A: Crystal Clear, and light yellow. A soft white head, that dissipates rather quickly.

S: Slightly sweet, perhaps a touch of skunk and metal, or maybe just a hint of vegetable.

T: Taste follows smell, simple, slightly sweet, partly malty. perhaps a touch of metal in the finish. But for less than a buck a beer, it really isn't as bad as a lot of other AAL's I have had.

M: Light in body, fairly high in carbonation, and clean finish.

D: For the price, it isn't too bad, but it is certainly not anything I am going to stock regularly. Average at best.

Serving type: can

03-04-2011 04:17:47 | More by Beejay

Shaw

Florida

2.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Excited to try Walgreens brand of beer. On sale for $2.68 a six-pack. Normally it's $3 for six, which still makes it one of the cheapest beers I know of.

Pretty pale with a short white head and lots of carbonation.

Mild sweet grain-like aroma.

It doesn't really taste like anything. Mild grain flavors and a barest hint of hops. No off flavors, which is a positive thing.

The body isn't actually that bad. It's not that watery: there's some substance to this.

Overall this isn't that great a beer, but you shouldn't expect it to be. Walgreens is trying to be similar to Bud, but cheaper.

Serving type: can

02-05-2011 04:09:15 | More by Shaw

aepb1

Florida

2.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- straw yellow body with a white head

S- choisest hops... grainy sweetness mostly

M- medium body with a higher end of carbonation, crisp

T- grains, some butter, sweet

O- decent american adjunct, nothing outstanding and the best part is the crispness of the mouthfeel

Serving type: can

11-11-2011 01:29:56 | More by aepb1