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Brew Masters Private Reserve
Anheuser-Busch
- From:
- Anheuser-Busch
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- American Lager
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- 80
- Avg:
- 3.49 | pDev: 17.19%
- Reviews:
- 104
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jun 05, 2022
- Added:
- Nov 13, 2005
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 3
Decades ago, Budweiser brewmasters started a tradition. During the holidays, they'd collect the purest liquid from the brewing kettles; pre-sparged, first wort. This first stock - unusually smooth and rich despite its robust alcohol - was reserved for A-B friends and family, until now. Note from the brewers: this an all-malt beer; NO rice or corn. Imported hops. 20 Plato. It's also a completely different recipe than Budweiser.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by hunteraw:
Reviewed by hunteraw from China
3.5/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Happy new year! Opening this Christmas gift and sharing it with family... I'm going in trying desperately to be fair and ignore the name of the brewery on the label.
Appearance: Coppery-gold, with a big head that fades and leaves no lacing. Average looking.
Smell: I know this is all-malt, but it still smells macro-y - weak hops aroma, alcohol vaguely in the background. None of the squeaky-clean scent I associate with good pilseners. Malt, however, is more present than in your typical BMC macro lager, with a slight caramel note to it.
Taste: Reminds me of Tafel Lager, which I had in South Africa. Solid for the style. Slightly sweeter than I'd prefer, but with decent malt depth. Hops are light, but I suppose that's to be expected. Alcohol content is very clear when you swallow, unfortunately.
Mouthfeel: Thicker than typical macro lager, lingering aftertaste that you could not describe as pleasant.
Drinkability: Alcohol taste at the swallow detracts from drinkability, as does the slight sweetness and less than pleasant aftertaste. That said, clearly superior to the flagship products! I wanted to like this one, I really did, but I can't give it a "good" in any aspect.
Jan 02, 2007Appearance: Coppery-gold, with a big head that fades and leaves no lacing. Average looking.
Smell: I know this is all-malt, but it still smells macro-y - weak hops aroma, alcohol vaguely in the background. None of the squeaky-clean scent I associate with good pilseners. Malt, however, is more present than in your typical BMC macro lager, with a slight caramel note to it.
Taste: Reminds me of Tafel Lager, which I had in South Africa. Solid for the style. Slightly sweeter than I'd prefer, but with decent malt depth. Hops are light, but I suppose that's to be expected. Alcohol content is very clear when you swallow, unfortunately.
Mouthfeel: Thicker than typical macro lager, lingering aftertaste that you could not describe as pleasant.
Drinkability: Alcohol taste at the swallow detracts from drinkability, as does the slight sweetness and less than pleasant aftertaste. That said, clearly superior to the flagship products! I wanted to like this one, I really did, but I can't give it a "good" in any aspect.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin
1.75/5 rDev -49.9%
1.75/5 rDev -49.9%
I was lucky enough to taste a 2006 Vintage at a bottle share. I'm hoping that was simply past its prime, because the beer tasted a lot like bran cereal soaking in water. Not something I want a liter of.....
Dec 02, 2014Rated by SD-Alefan from South Dakota
3.75/5 rDev +7.4%
3.75/5 rDev +7.4%
Bottle (2007)
Had a 5oz. sample
Held up surprisingly well.
Lots of nicely-rounded malt flavors, some dark fruit and a bit of leather.
Not bad.
Oct 19, 2014Had a 5oz. sample
Held up surprisingly well.
Lots of nicely-rounded malt flavors, some dark fruit and a bit of leather.
Not bad.
Reviewed by ehammond1
3.47/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.47/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle (2006)
Thanks for opening this with me, UCLABrewN84!
(Aged for 6 years)
Clear light amber with some carbonation and a small white head that leaves dots of lace down the glass.
Sweet, fruity aroma of apple juice and bready malt.
The sweet flavors are similar to the aroma, with an earthy and sweet apple juice flavor playing the largest role along with bread and simple grain. Low bitterness.
Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Good enough, and far better than I anticipated.
Jun 13, 2012Thanks for opening this with me, UCLABrewN84!
(Aged for 6 years)
Clear light amber with some carbonation and a small white head that leaves dots of lace down the glass.
Sweet, fruity aroma of apple juice and bready malt.
The sweet flavors are similar to the aroma, with an earthy and sweet apple juice flavor playing the largest role along with bread and simple grain. Low bitterness.
Medium bodied with low carbonation.
Good enough, and far better than I anticipated.
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.58/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottle I brought to share at DarthKostrizer's tasting.
2006 vintage.
Pours a clear brown with a khaki head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, apple juice/cider, and some slight vegetal aromas. Taste is the same along with some slight brown sugar flavors. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is actually a pretty good beer that has held up for 6 or so years. If I was given this blind, I would never guess it was an AB product.
Jun 03, 20122006 vintage.
Pours a clear brown with a khaki head that settles to a thin cap on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, apple juice/cider, and some slight vegetal aromas. Taste is the same along with some slight brown sugar flavors. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is actually a pretty good beer that has held up for 6 or so years. If I was given this blind, I would never guess it was an AB product.
Brew Masters Private Reserve from Anheuser-Busch
Beer rating:
80 out of
100 with
121 ratings
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