Labatt Blue Light - Labatt Brewing Company Ltd.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

1.02/5  rDev -53.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Despite being thirsty and there being only this and hard liquor, I regret trying to swallow even one mouthfeel. It has no head, is yellow, and smells like beer and soap detergent. The taste is acidic water. Metallic ugh! aftertaste.Fizzy carbonation, watery.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2006 03:06:27 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

2.23/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Try as I might, I can't come up with an interesting theme for today's Macro Smackdown XIX. The only thing Labatt Blue Light and its competitor (Sapporo Light) have in common is that they're both non-U.S. light lagers... with blue labels. Let's see which one comes out on top.

Acid-washed straw, a lighter and brighter hue that can be seen on the other beer. The head is a lighter and brighter shade of white and is surprisingly attractive given the style. I'm even seeing the beginnings of some decent lace deposition.

The nose is pretty much a dead ringer for an American macro lager, non-light division. The beer smells like reasonably fresh grain with almost no hop notes and no off-aromas. Not bad... not bad.

Even by light lager standards, Labatt Blue Light is woefully underflavored. Each mouthful delivers a hint of beer-like flavor that is quickly washed away before it can gain a toehold on the taste buds. That keeps it from being offensive, but then why bother drinking beer at all? I wonder if the brewery simply mixed Labatt Blue with distilled water.

It's difficult to judge relative differences when the mouthfeels are as light as these two. I'll give this beer the edge because it has more carbonation. At least there's the illusion of a mouth party, even if the guests leave a lot to be desired.

Labatt Blue Light isn't horrible beer... hell, it's barely beer at all. It's the winner of this competition largely because of the intangibles; appearance and mouthfeel primarily. Congratulations to our northern neighbors for their second MacSmack crown.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2007 13:13:55 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

So he goes for another mixed sixer of the best of the worst from the grocery store this weekend. I grabbed six more "gems" and did my best to get them all down. served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 08/22/2010.

the last one of the night for me, i decided to end it with a foreign selection, lol. the pour was the same as the rest with maybe a touch more amber to the initial color but that was about it. really just an overally carbonated fizzy water.

very light aroma, nearly non existent with the light grains and hints of corn and rice. just really nothing you would want to brag about drinking. clear, well carbonated and actually a touch of a refreshing nature to it made for a decent little beer, but the flavor just was not there at all for me.

overall i have ha worse, but this was not terrible for a light beer. still though a little more of anything would have helped.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 02:55:42 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes.

Poured into a pint glass. The color is a pretty light golden color. A good dose of carbonation bubbles and a semi-decent white head. The nose is a bit grainy without much there. Nothing horrifically off-putting, though there is a bit of a metallic astringency, which starts to come out more in the flavor and especially the feel. Not a good beer and I would not recommend this.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 01:30:50 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a crystal clear, yellow body with no real appreciable head formation -- looks dead right along with my hopes for a quality brew.

Smell: The beer smells of sweet, glistening corns and bargain bin grains. Ah well, you can't win'm all.

Taste: Sweet, downright scandalously corny taste with a lesser touch of simple grains. It's all quite watery, mind you. Light, faint touch of bitterness, though not discernible hop flavors. Empty, watery finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Disappointing and groan-inducing, though, being the light version of the Labatt blue, it's at least less awful.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2010 00:51:41 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

1.6/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Standard macro brew with a huge water aftertaste. Not my favorite to start with but it seems that this one if the regular Blue diluted with water. Try this from a can in a christmas party and let's just say that next year I'll make sure to bring my own brew.

Serving type: can

12-27-2003 02:13:38 | More by Phyl21ca

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev +41.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Blue Light displays a crystal-clear straw gold body beneath an average sized head of bright white foam that holds fairly well given the style, and leaves some nice rings of lace dripping back into the glass. The nose is surprisingly hoppy for a light beer as well, with notes of floral, spicy, and even lightly herbal hops. It's a little fuller in the mouth, with a medium-light body and delicately bristling pinpoint carbonation that softens to become creamy-smooth. Hops return in the flavor, and it's much nicer than the hop-less, thin and dry light beers so common in the United States. The malt balances it well, and it finishes with some lingering spicy and floral character. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2007 22:01:25 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

3.08/5  rDev +40.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours an almost clear color with a faint tint of yellow. The head is white and frothy, but gone quickly. The aroma is a little above average. It has a very light feel with mostly pale malt and adjunct aroma. There is little hop scent. The taste is above average. It has a refreshing, light flavor with little malts or hops, but a clean, dry finish. The mouthfeel is decent. It is an extremely low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a decent light beer. It is drinkable on hot days or at a party. There's not much to brag about, but it's not bad enough to bitch about.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2004 02:34:59 | More by WesWes

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

1.73/5  rDev -21%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a weizen glass.

A: The beer is an extremely pale gold color, with a very thin white head that fades instantly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The pungent aroma is of grain, corn, adjunct and a little malt.

T: There’s a little bit of corn syrup sweetness & malt that hits first, followed by a watery grain flavor that remains for the after-taste.

M: Crisp but not as smooth as it should be, very high carbonation, light body, clean and dry finish.

D: Not very tasty, goes down very easy, possibly the least filling beer I’ve ever drank. There are definitely worse light beers out there but the selection would have to be pretty limited for me to choose this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2006 02:07:35 | More by TheManiacalOne

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

2.1/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Mmmm...expensive can in my hotel fridge, because I'm too lazy to go out for a beer, right at this moment...

This beer pours a crystal clear very pale straw colour, with one finger of thin soap-scum-like white head, which actually clings to the sides of the glass, rendering some lace as it quickly melts away. It smells of acrid corn mash, and some well-thought-out skunk. The taste is very light (I know, it should go without saying) white grain, and a subtle skunkiness. The carbonation is quite low, the body thin, yet somewhat cloying, smooth, I guess, and it finishes like an echo of a derivative of a stalk of barley or corn kernel.

As usual, the beer-as-literal-water trope works here, and at least the off-flavours are kept to a minimum. My lack of sleep is kind of giddy about the what this can of swill cost - but hey, the small bottle of water is about the same price, so, what the hell.

Serving type: can

02-05-2010 21:50:32 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

2.4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm wouldn't exactly say other people are underestimating this beer, but I don't think it's quite offensive enough to warrant its score. This is a basic light lager, just adjunct beer-flavored water. Tastes a bit like a corn lager, reminds me of Miller Lite. I guess having less flavor means it has less bad flavor and that makes it a decent lawnmower beer, maybe.

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2007 21:56:56 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

1.15/5  rDev -47.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Okay this is simple, imagine Labatt's Blue which is relatively lighter american style lager, now imagine that same beer watered down. I don't know how they can get away making artificial beer, this just isn't beer. It smells of a mild malt sweetness very faint, no sign of hops here just chemical ridden stench. This is one poorly made beer that just over did it on the water and left out beer. Appears yellow and very fizzy (artificial carbonation), with a very thin head even when I poured it straight into the glass with no tilt. The bubbles are still rising from the bottom of the glass much like seltzer water, which also explains the mouthfeel of this beer. In the taste it is a very nasty watered down flavor that isn't sweet and isn't bitter it's just straight gross and unappetizing. There is no finish to speak of here, just blandness absolutely no flavor. You may have to take in a keg IV of this on to get a buzz, it is that watery. I don't ever picture myself drinking this beer ever again, no matter what.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2003 01:44:13 | More by WVbeergeek

Wasatch

Utah

2.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a clean/clear golden yellow color, nice carbonation, little fizzy white head, minimal sticky lacing. The nose is slightly malty, but mostly grainy. The taste is kinda malty, grainy/ricy. Light Body. Kinda Drinkable, not that bad, but still... I use to really like the regular version moons ago.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 00:49:03 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

1.68/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Pours a white, one finger-head that vanishes quickly leaving no lace. Clear, very pale amber color. Light carbonation and very light bodied. Nose is not detectable. Starts with more malts than hops but sweetness fades to a boring finish. Could be used as a lawn mower beer when you need to pound down 2-3 and not have much effect. $1.50 for a 340ml from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2005 22:22:58 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

2.42/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer has a golden yellow crystal clear body with a lot of tiny bubbles. There is a thin wisp of a head that swirls around and last for a bit.

S- This beer has a very soft aroma of dry grain with no smell of hops or sulfur.

T- This beer has a very soft raw grain note with a slight salty note to it. There is a slight tartness to the finish that comes through when it warms a bit.

M- This beer has a very light mouthfeel and a light fizzy finish.

D- This beer has a very soft flavor but it doesn’t have a big fizz that dominates the flavor. Not that exciting but not flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2007 01:47:23 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

1.75/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

11.5 oz brown long neck twist, no freshness date. Head retention lacks but it is clear and very pale.

Odd musty, almost cheesy aroma. The smell is too clean and in an odd way seems incredibly stripped … oh yeah it’s a light beer.

Bland upfront and through the finish, crispness is lost and there is an underlying slickness in the mouth. Vague grain and bitterness though the bitterness could be from the hops or faintly astringent malt or both. I gather it is both. Nice to see the Canadians brew a real crappy light beer. NOT!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2002 15:11:34 | More by Jason

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

1.95/5  rDev -11%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Consumed the only way it should be, cold out of somebodies hockey bag, in the dressing room between games.

Pours a clear corny yellow, straw, thin white head forms, quickly settles to nothing, looks pretty vile.

Smell is weak, corn, some honey notes, light floral, sugary, water, not very good.

Taste is similar, almost no flavour, corn, water, a bit sweet but otherwise virtually tasteless.

Mouthfeel is light bodied, medium carbonation, goes down easy. I feel like this was hydrating me. As macro light swill goes, this wasn't the worst I've ever had.

Serving type: can

11-13-2009 15:18:25 | More by Viggo

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Poured a clear, gold-brass with a respectable 1 finger, creamy white head which unfortunately collapsed soon after. Visible carbonation was strong.

S: The nose was light with fresh grains and a very faint lemon herbal hopping.

T: very faint as well with fresh lemon notes and light lime accents. Theres a light sourness in the finish. Overall for a macro, not bad, doesn't offend, but certainly doesn't impress.

M: very light, fizzy with a light tarntess.

D: For a macro, mediocre drinkability but with a slightly off finish that hurts the enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2008 22:58:43 | More by beerthulhu

plaid75

New York

2.75/5  rDev +25.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a light straw hue with a one finger white foamy head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell featured light malts and a touch of corn.

The taste was clean and neutral with a light grain and drying hop.

The mouthfeel was typical of the style.

Overall a typical light beer. Easy to drink.

Serving type: can

11-15-2009 18:32:05 | More by plaid75

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.05/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Still playing with CANs. CAN you dig it? I CAN!

It began with a finger of bone-white head, but it quickly lapsed into wisps. Color was a pale straw-yellow with NE-quality clarity. Nose was lightly sweet with cereal. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium with a light, lager sweetness on the tongue. Finish was light, airy, mildly sweet. Ho freakin' hum! I feel like I am drinking the same beer in a CAN over and over with only the label as any change. Doesn't anybody have any imagination? No wonder people could not identify their "favorite" brand in "Beer Wars" - it's all the same! NOT impressed!

Serving type: can

08-17-2009 18:51:48 | More by woodychandler

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

2.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a straw yellow colour, maybe 2 shades lighter than water (maybe!). A thin stream of bubbles that rise up the center and meet a generous white bubbly head over top. A beer this light in colour cannot be promising, and rarely (if ever) is good. The BA rating system has a 2/5 listed as "-not impressed". I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed - the clarity is unbelievable, it literally resembles water. Literally.

The aroma manages to stay considerably neutral. Some faint hint of malt, no hops of course, but more importantly, no adjuncts either. The adjuncts are the macro lagers worst feature and this seems to bypass that. It is sweet with a touch of corn syrup character, but largely the aroma is simply absent.

The carbonation carries a little sting as it goes down your throat. The beer seems to coat your mouth in an unwelcome aftertaste as well.

The flavour (like aroma) is nearly void of any features less the barely notable suggestion of malt and dash of corn syrup. It does come across (to me, anyhow) a little more tasty than other macro lagers. Although, even that said, there really aren't enough features to qualify this as quenching even.

In all honesty - even in social situations - I would opt for water over this more often than not. The only thing to its credit is that it's less offensive than regular Labatt Blue ( but that does not say much...)

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2007 03:47:20 | More by biegaman

Brad007

Vermont

2.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

I don't normally review macro lagers but since Labatt Blue was one of the first beers I ever drank regularly (before my introduction to crafts in 2002), I thought I'd review it anyway.

Pours a straw yellow color with a head that fades fast. Aroma is one of malt that smells somewhat like corn. I didn't expect much in this dept, which is fine. Taste is somewhat syrupy and sweet with the consistency of I don't know, corn. Supposedly, it's not supposed to have any adjuncts. However, it's just the taste I get. It goes down smooth and that's it.

If you're looking for a break from crafts, this would probably not be the best choice. However, if you're just looking for a cheap beer to knock back on a lazy day, this is not too bad.

Serving type: can

06-25-2007 00:30:21 | More by Brad007

Dogbrick

Ohio

1/5  rDev -54.3%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Had a can of this and a can of Michelob Light at a Bluejackets game. Back and forth I went between the two, back and forth, Labatt and Michelob, Michelob and Labatt. There literally was no difference. Both had next to no aroma or flavor. Both sucked sour frog ass. Taste tests between two crappy beers are not fun. At least they were free.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2003 07:33:48 | More by Dogbrick

ZAP

Minnesota

1.45/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

I've never been a huge fan of Labatts but it's on tap all over up here and better than the alternatives at some of the places..I decided to try a master cylinder of their light...I expected more from this...it is extremely light in color like Bud...the nose has a sourish smell...the taste is hardly there...this rivals Coors Light for the most watered down beer out there...if you strain you get some slight grain pushing in...drinkability??? $hit I could can a 12-pack of this in an hour with no problem(I could can a 12 pack of water in an hour too, and this isn't much different)...It also features a dry finish which I don't care for in a beer that has little or no flavor..
Glad I just got one of these..

Serving type: can

06-26-2002 21:30:36 | More by ZAP

Tone

Missouri

2.83/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, pale yellow. 1/3 inch head of a white color. Slight retention and slight lacing. Smells of a yeast cleanliness, tart malt, and some metallic - adjunct aromas. Fits the style of a Light Lager. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of yeast, metallic - adjunct, and slight pale malt. Smooth overall, slightly better than average light lager.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 22:17:31 | More by Tone