Michelob Golden Draft Light - Anheuser-Busch

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

1.68/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Macro Smackdown XVIII is yet another contest pitting the overdog (Michelob Golden Draft Light from Anheuser-Busch) against the underdog (Old Style Light from Pabst Brewing Company). Of course, given the fact that these are light beers, I don't expect them to have much bark or much bite. On to the show...

Medium amber, perhaps a half shade darker than OSL. The ivory colored cap is pretty impressive for the style and is a nice surprise. Not only that, but it looks like some foam will actually stick to the glass.

There isn't a bit of difference in the aromas. In fact, it's as if I'm smelling the same beer in two different glasses. Weak grain juice is about it. Maybe a whiff of noble hops, but that's probably pushing it.

Michelob Golden Draft Light is one of the least flavorful 'beers' that I've ever had. In fact, Michelob Ultra isn't too far down the scale. Light lagers are supposed to be light on flavor, but this is ridiculous. Each upending of the glass results in a mouthful of liquid that tastes like two parts sparkling water to one part macro lager. I'm sorry, but there's nothing to describe unless I start making shit up.

Although it's almost impossible to distinguish between two such watery beverages, I'm convinced that this beer's mouthfeel is at least one notch closer to water than Old Style Light's mouthfeel. Neither one seems aggressively carbonated, yet the burps are coming fast and furious. I don't really want to taste this stuff twice.

It seems to me that A-B products are only victorious in any given Macro Smackdown when they go up against Coors products. I like the corrugated-like cans that Michelob Golden Draft Light comes in, and the can's graphics are pretty cool, but the beer itself sucks like there's no tomorrow.

Serving type: can

07-15-2007 12:40:00 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

1.63/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

in my never ending quest to try the best and worst, i stumple upon this one.

poured into my glass the lightest of pale yellow the fizzy white head quickly reaches two inches before settling back down. light touches of corn and grain are all the things you can find and they get old might, might quick. light feel, is almost absent of any kind of flavor in the finish

overall they are almost all the same and universally just ehh. ut what can you do.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 18:54:24 | More by mikesgroove

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

1.48/5  rDev -35.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

There we are at the Buffalo, MN American Foreign Legion Lodge for my niece's wedding reception, and the common misconception is that the only beer that is provided gratis is this, the most popular beer in Minnesota, and the only thing on tap. The tap handle said "Michelob Golden Light", no "Draft", which made me wonder if it was another beer...nope, just more confusion.
Pale yellow, in the plastic cup, with a slim head.
No aroma.
All water, all the time....a glint of beery flavor appears, then blinks away in an instant..this is definitely for people who don't care what they put in their mouths, and haven't a clue, nor care, how much better beer can be...
...anyone who thinks they're drinking beer when they drink this?...I just pray for them...
...just picture the clamor when we realized the whole bar was free, and there was no need to stick to this swill!

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2005 10:09:14 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

2.13/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Nothing is quite as much fun as drinking with your in laws and being called a snob. So I drank what they were drinking. Stupid of me but I still bet my rDev will be high on this.

Beer served in a pilsner glass. Beer is yellow and clear and forms a thin white head of small bubbles that falls away leaving no lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate and steady. Looks like beer.

Aroma is flat and grainy with a strong corn element. Smells like precursor to a lot of piss or the floor of a baseball stadium bathroom, the kind where you pee on a pile of ice in the middle of a bathtub sized troth wtih 10 other guys you don't know.

Grainy, thin, slightly dry, thin, aftertaste, thin. I call these beers road sodas to encourage people to drink and drive. There's nothing to it, nothing to say. There's probably trace formaldehyde in this beer slowly giving the consumers cancer. Time for some bad beer epidemiology.

Serving type: can

06-23-2010 18:37:38 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

2.08/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Had this on tap at the brewery in STL.

A - Golden yellow, highly carbonated with very little head. No lacing at all.

S - Smelled of corn and that's about it.

T - Fairly typical of light lagers. Grain and a little malt . No hops and a little watery.

M - Thin and watery. Very light bodied.

D - Not a staple beer. It is drinakble and okay for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2006 15:44:29 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

2.38/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Acquired via trade from cpolking so a big “Thank You” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light yellow color, with a thin white head that fades very quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains light malts, grain, adjuncts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with some mildly bready flavors of grain and adjuncts. Then a light malt sweetness comes in. The malt character isn’t very faint as you would expect. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly bready.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, light body, medium-to-high carbonation, finish is clean.

O: Not very flavorful, goes down very easily and not filling at all since there isn’t much to the beer, very mild kick, good representation of style at least, typical fizzy yellow light beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 02:35:18 | More by TheManiacalOne

Wasatch

Utah

1.95/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Pours a nice clean/clear yellow color, nice carbonation, small white head, with some minimal sticky lacing left behind. The nose is slightly malty, grainy, and ricy. The taste is malty, slightly sweet, with too much grains/rice. Light Body. A thirst quencher only.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 23:42:11 | More by Wasatch

Bighuge

Minnesota

2/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This beer is pale and clear. Almost as pale as white grape juice. A decent sized dirty white head is erected, but falls just as quickly. The carbonation looks lifeless. Smells tinny, corny and veggie like. Nothing appealing at all on the nose. The taste is like corn as well. And grainy. Quite bland and uninteresting. Mouthfeel is carbonated, but weak. Fizzy and unappealing. All in all, I'll pass on this next time. Unless there is absolutely no other option.

Thanks for letting me raid your macro selection ZAP.

Serving type: can

06-09-2004 04:23:18 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

1.95/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Remember those ribbed bottles from about a decade ago? High-larious, although I guess they saved a few bottles from being dropped.

One of the weakest 'beer'pearances I've ever seen, at least before the low calorie craze. Super light yellow, no head, lace or retention. Zilch aroma.

Taste, as you'd expect, no malt or hop quality to speak of. Nothing tastes 'bad', just nothing tastes. So it's a good palate cleanser if you think drinking water is for pussies. There's just not much to speak of here, when water is the predominant 'quality' in a beer. I've had worse, this isn't painful to drink or anything, unless you're jonesing for some beer or a buzz.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 17:04:50 | More by Beerandraiderfan

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I feel like getting on my knees and kowtowing to the west, to Minnesota, specifically. My dear trading partner, Chaz, has sent me some of the more seemingly elusive beers from The CANQuest (TM) and although they may not be truly enjoyable, I am having fun with each and every one of them. Rock on, brother!

From the CAN: "Smooth Tasting Premium Draft"; "A premium cold-filtered draft beer with the exceptionally smooth taste you expect from Michelob".

You CANnot expect much from this style or you will be sorely disappointed. I expect very little and so these types of beers usually live down to my expectations. I got (maybe) a finger of bone-white head from my Glug, but while I was typing, it vanished into the atmosphere. Color was a light lemon-yellow and it had the transparency of one of the slides that I plan to use on the overhead projector tomorrow. Come on, give me something to work with! Throw this dog a bone so that he may do so in return. Nose smelled like watery silage which, in case you are just tuning in, is the fermented corn cobs stored in silos for feeding pigs later on after the harvest season. It is sweetish and actually not off-putting until you smell it in glass after glass of beer. Mouthfeel was thin and watery and I was beginning to doubt my objectiveness at this point. By Gar, I have reviewed this beer in one of its forms or another on a seemingly endless basis, which is why many have begun to question my sanity. Finish was equally thin and watery and I thought wistfully of the O'Doul's Amber that I had just finished, which others had dunned and I had enjoyed. I did not enjoy this. I would not waste cooler space on this. What more needs to be said?

Serving type: can

10-16-2011 12:50:29 | More by woodychandler

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.03/5  rDev -11%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3.5

REVIEW 800!

Poured into Das Boot.

Poured very vigorously yielding about 8 fingers of creamy off white head. With all the head, it is hard not to have decent retention. Color is a clear golden yellow.

Aroma: Smells of massive corn. The wide opening in the glass allows for maximum aroma. Low level of grassy hops. Do they triple hop brew this one? Maybe they should. Maybe some rice flavors.

Taste: With the heavy glass, it is pretty hard to drink out of. I get a lot of corn flavors and low level of grassy hops. These are the hops that probably get thrown out of other breweries for being too old. It is very bland.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and bubbly. Lots of carbonation with a light bodied. Ends very grainy and dry.

Overall, this is nothing special, but a solid go to cheap macro. Easy drinking and light as can be. I did a das boot to finish this one off. Great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2010 02:06:32 | More by mothman

ZAP

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev +52.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Seems to have developed into the college beer/softball beer of choice for many in the area....I actually think it is pretty good for an Macro Light...Details follow...

Nose is unremarkable...typical adjunct cooked corn smell...very light smelling though....the body of this beer seems a bit bigger than most light beer...doesn't feel watery...has a nice sweet flavor...creamy texture...

While this may be overrated by some of the macro lovers, I think this underrated by a lot of Micro lovers...a billion times better than Bud Light and also better than Miller Light, Coors Light a host of others....a great lawnmower/easy drinker macro light..

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2004 04:21:03 | More by ZAP

Tone

Missouri

2.95/5  rDev +29.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear, yellow/golden color. 1/3 inch head of white color. Decent retention and slight lacing. Smells of yeast, adjunct, pale malt, and slight hop. Fits the style of a Light Lager. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with a high carbonation level. Tastes of grain, sweet malt, pale malt, yeast, and adjunct. Overall, a pretty average light lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 01:16:31 | More by Tone

kylehay2004

Florida

2.08/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Enjoyed at the brewery in st Louis. 1.5 finger head with poor retention on a clear bright golden body. This beer is pretty much odorless. Flavor Is also really mild with mostly light grain and rice. No hop or supporting flavors but also not bitter or off putting. Light body ad high carbonation. Incredibly boring beer. Obviously easy to drink but also it's lack of flavor will bore you into not wanting another.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 20:15:52 | More by kylehay2004

mynie

Indiana

3.1/5  rDev +36%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is one of the most surprising beers I've ever drank.

Dark gold with a tight head. Nothing special, but nice. Much nicer than your average macro and even a few steps above regular Michelob.

A surprisingly strong smell, very crisp malt and grain. None of the usual foul barley odor found in AB products. Tastes pretty much like it smells, not very strong, but a nice, crisp malt that leave the palette clean.

Creamy, smooth mouthfeel and it goes down perfect. This is the kind of college kid beer that I wouldn't mind actually drinking every once in a while.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2004 21:09:12 | More by mynie

tone77

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to cpolking for sending this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a pale yellow color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is very mild, some sweetness to it. Taste is also mild, a touch of sweet malts, light and easy drinking. Feels light in the mouth and while nothing offensive, there is nothing to separate it from other light beers.

Serving type: can

04-14-2012 19:04:48 | More by tone77

TastyTaste

Minnesota

1.78/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This stuff is marketed heavily in Minnesota, and the upper midwest (in fact, i think it is only distributed here). It is clear gold, with a white head. i drank it out of it's unique paneled bottle. It's very bland and non-intrusive. A little malt, an absence of hops, still it watery tasting, and not worth your while.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2003 05:28:36 | More by TastyTaste

rye726

Colorado

1.63/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Not too bad for a light macro. This pours a clear yellow with the average macro head. Lots of carbonation bubbles. Nose and taste and very grainy with a bit of ricey hops. The body is also very light. Too much carbonation to enjoy. This stuff doesn't have much going on, but it is not too bad either.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2008 06:27:11 | More by rye726

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Light malty almost skunky aroma. Full head and fizzy. Pale gold and crystal clear. Light in overall taste, what's there is malt, then light to medium dryness from hops. Very carbonated. Crisp and thirst quenching, just not enough flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2002 21:38:29 | More by garymuchow

Redrover

Illinois

1.83/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Sampled at the International Falls, MN Country Club.

The beer pours a very pale yellow with a large chemically looking head. No lacing.

Hardly any aroma at all, if you strain you may bet a bit of grass or hay.

Taste is slightly better. A bit of sweetness and the faintest whisper of grains. Hops are virtually nonexistent.

Thin mouth that the carbonation can not over come. Drinkable in a pinch., but there must be something better on about any beer list.

Serving type: can

08-01-2005 18:23:15 | More by Redrover

budgood1

Minnesota

1.13/5  rDev -50.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

had this over the weekend too.....probably the worst beer ever made....maybe even worse than coors light. it's like drinking bad tasting seltzer water. i imagine the only redeeeming quality of this beer is..........um..........well i can't think of one right now, but it was free anyway.

Serving type: can

03-25-2002 00:55:45 | More by budgood1

pmcadamis

Illinois

1.98/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I found this lone can in my future father-in law's fridge...he doesn't drink BMC crap, so I'm assuming someone left it after a party or something. Anyway, I feel compleled to try any beer that I've never had...so here it goes.

A - Pale yellow with a flimsy white cap that disappears quickly. No lace, no love.

S - Corn husk and sugar. More assertive than most light macros, and not offensive in any way. Pretty boring though.

T - Clean cornflakes and some sugar...again, nothing offends the palate. A very clean beer. Towards the sweet-n-clean finish, a slightly soapy note comes through.

M - Crisp and clean with some foamy-ness onthe finish at the end that muddles up the feel and ruins the palate.

D - Extremely boring and nearly flavorless, this is clean and flavor-free....like sparkling water. Honestly, this ain't half bad for a light macro lager but that ain't sayin' much.

Serving type: can

04-22-2008 22:07:55 | More by pmcadamis

jera1350

Minnesota

1.6/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Extremely pale yellow body with a fizzy white head that shrinks down quickly.

Cheap graininess, a bit earthy and a hint of banana at the end.

The taste is so bland and watered down that it's really hard to pick out any flavor whatsoever. Light grain, little sweetness and that's about it. I've had well water with more flavor.

Thin and watered down with light bubbly carbonation that is almost fuzzy feeling.

Nothing good to be had from this one. Not worth even a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 20:52:49 | More by jera1350

Frozensoul327

Michigan

2.65/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A good light version of it's full flavored brother. Poured out to a decent golden yellow color, with a weak head, no notes of lace around the glass. Odors were watery, but consisted of hops and grain, with corn in the background. Flavor was consistant with odor, corn, weak hops and a note of tartness. Finished crisp and well for a light lager. Worth a try for light lager fans.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2005 00:55:38 | More by Frozensoul327

hardy008

Minnesota

1.8/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Reviewed from notes.

Pours pale yellow with a thin white head which disappears quickly. Smells of light grain, a little bit of hops, and not much else. Taste just like it smells. Light grain, and small hop presence. Mostly tastes watered down.

Light bodied, a lot of carbonation, no real aftertaste. Nothing here which merits trying this again. I had this at a holiday get together with the relatives, and decided to try it.

Serving type: can

01-06-2012 02:48:32 | More by hardy008