LaCrosse Lager - City Brewing Company, LLC

icefisherman

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +43.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

for the price bout $7 a 15 pack here you can not go wrong. when comparing this beer to the big 3 i think it winns hands down. as for the aperance i didnot have a glass to poor it in so im gunna guess that it is yellow as hell. it smelled like beer from a can. taste like the best beer ive drink in a long time. and i could drink this beer doing any thing.

Serving type: can

01-12-2005 17:01:12 | More by icefisherman

MarathonManCL

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +37.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The thing that makes this beer better than your typical mass produced lagers is the spring water and how this beer is brewed.
The artesian spring water in LaCrosse Wisconsin is some of the purest water in North American. This beer is fully kraeusened which naturally carbonates the beer. The double brewing process takes longer and combined with the artesian spring water makes this beer special. I have sampled beers around the world and can honestly say that this beer is one of the best beers for the price. This beer comes from the City Brewery in LaCrosee Wisconsin. The appearance is good, a golden color with a semi sweet aroma. The taste is very smooth as a result of the kraeusening. The 30 pack 12oz can cases sell for about $13.99 in the Northwest Chicago Suburbs. The price is greast for a beer of this quality. I highly recommend it for a everyday beer at a great price.

Serving type: can

12-03-2010 03:34:07 | More by MarathonManCL

Redrover

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +33.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz brown longneck. No freshness date.

This beer pours a very light yellow (kind of the European Pilsner color). Minimal head and lace. Smell is decent. You pick-up some hops & grain.

This beer surprised me. Given the moderate price and the initial appearance when poured, I really didn't expect very much. I was pleasantly surprised with taste. Well balanced with hops slightly in the forefront. There is some grain that adds sweetness, but it was a good sweet. Excellent carbonation. Very small and active bubbles. Very good with spicy food.

I really picked this up on a whim when I was picking up some of this brewery's very fine pale ale. However, the taste made sure that I will buy more in the future. Truly an unexpected find!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2003 20:19:31 | More by Redrover

morimech

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

The Old Style beer of yesteryear.
Nothing sets this apart in the appearance or aroma. Typical macro straw yellow color with a short-lived white head. Some spotty lacing is left on the glass. Has a sweet malt aroma. Has a pleasant sweet macro flavor with a touch of apple. A little more hops in the flavor and bitterness than your typical Bud or Coors. Light body and fizzy but finishes nice and clean. This is superior to much more expensive macro beers at a budget price.

Update: After a couple of years, this has become my cheap beer standby. Cannot beat the price/taste point. I have upped the score.

Update 2: This beer deserves a spot in the top 50 in Pale Lagers. It is better than most that is listed at half the price.

Serving type: can

01-27-2009 22:42:01 | More by morimech

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a medium amber color with sparse white head. No retention, no lacing.

Smell is very light. Only a slight sweetness detected.

Taste is unexpectedly full bodied. There is a very strong malt presence that gives this beer great flavor and a refreshing character.

Great taste retention with a long lingering malty sweetness.

Very nice to drink, Refreshing. A very enjoyable tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 22:22:38 | More by tgbljb

MNJR

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This brew costs about $16.00 out the door for 30 cans. So, it is exceptionally inexpensive. The rumor is these guys found the old 1960's Old Style recipe in an old file cabinet at the Lacrosse brewery. This is therefore supposed to be the authentic "old" Old Style in all but name. This is an very good beer for the price. It is light but has flavor, and is an excellent thirst quenching beer when you drink it really cold. The flavors are of slightly bitter grain, with an "almost sometimes" cross between banana and citrus poking its way through. Hops are light and not too noticeable. I can see where it might be a bit watery, but you don't buy this stuff expecting something that's not a bit light on ingredients. Hey, what they do with whatever goes into this beer for > $.50 a can is not to be scoffed at. This is way better than Milwaukee's Best, Stroh's or any other lowest of the bottom shelf brands. Buy this stuff and drink a lot of it - your wallet will thank you and you won't sacrifice much quality over big brand macro-brews. Of the cheap beers, this and PBR are my top two of all time.

Serving type: can

01-27-2010 00:14:04 | More by MNJR

BarrelBrother

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +28.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I agree with most of the "positive feedback" reviews on LaCrosse Lager. For an inexpensive, easy drinking, do the yard work type of brew LaCrosse is a cut above. Crisp & clean with no aftertaste and a nice,bright, straw yellow appearance make this a nice brew for deck parties or picnics, especially at $10-11 for a 30 pack in my area. I'll take this any day over the usual Miller or Budweiser beers that usually fill a backyard cooler at a party. I'm not saying this is a great brew, but a nice easy drinkin' session beer that your guests will find pleasing with burgers & brats.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2004 03:20:26 | More by BarrelBrother

kilustration

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 30pack. What a pleasant surprise! Smooth taste, nice head, decent color. This may be my new beer of choice, just ahead of PBR and Hamms. Beats all the BMCs. Cant beat the retro looking can. May even try the Lacrosse Lager Light version too. Worth a try!

Serving type: can

03-14-2010 19:32:39 | More by kilustration

Frozensoul327

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a darn good American Macro. Screw all you beer snobs who can't drink a Mass-Made Beer from a can. You don't know what you're missing. Pourd out to a nice clear golden yellow color with a nice head that stayed to nearly the bottom of the glass. No lace noted in the glass. Looked like a classic beer with a foamy white head. Medium carbonation. The aroma was a little weak, but traces of hops and corn were noted. The taste was really good for a macro. Pronouced flavors of hops, malt and corn, with a smooth overall flavor. Very good. Felt good going down, leaving a crisp, slightly sweet and malty aftertaste. This is an excellant beer for the money. Highly recommended for lager fans.

Serving type: can

08-21-2005 20:54:20 | More by Frozensoul327

Mdog

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pale gold, fading head. But it's meant to be drank out of the can!

Smell: Sweet, maybe a touch of vegetable.

Taste: Grain sweetness, some crispness.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, light.

Drinkability: Very good, easy to drink.

This is probably my favorite "cheap" beer. I find it to be better tasting than the macro-brews. It has enough taste to be enjoyable, but it is light enough to have a bunch if you're drinking with a crowd. Supposedly this is the same recipe as Old Style. I like it!

Serving type: can

03-24-2007 18:10:01 | More by Mdog

biggred1

Indiana

3.55/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Clear gold with a fizzy white head that quickly shrinks to a tight collar of foam and leaves scraps of sliding lace on the glass. Sweet malt,soft lemon and hay make up the nose. The flavor is nice, grainy and corny with a decent mild (cluster?) hop bite. Light bodied and seltzery. Finishes squeaky clean. Not a bad lawnmower beer.

Serving type: can

09-04-2009 23:04:39 | More by biggred1

musicjustintime

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A decent, affordable, American lager. At $12.99 for 30 of these puppies, how the hell COULD you go wrong?! It's got 'nuff hoppiness, yet it's not TOO bitter. Very smooth and probably a wonderful summertime brew to just pound. Why pay a ton of money to help beat the summertime heat, to burp, and to piss....when you can pay $12.99 for THIRTY of these bad boys and beat the summertime heat, burp, and piss???!!! (In all honesty..don'tcha git da same effect and results from ALL SUDS?!?!) I'd recommend this to any Bud drinker...or any macro-drinker....'cause it's CHEAPER AND PROBABLY A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE BIG SWILL SHIT! AND, you're not paying for the advertising. Yeah...in fact...I HIGHLY recommend this. Bottoms up, my beer-loving pals!! Nice job, La Crosse Lager brewers.

Serving type: can

06-27-2006 18:59:00 | More by musicjustintime

Ricochet

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is Strohs 101. If I had a Strohs to compare it with, it would be pretty close, but Strohs has a little less of the follow through of this beer. Poured with no head, mild carb, darker yellow, so a notch above average. Smell also above average with the hops and the malt of this sticking out, like a Strohs. This is okay in my book. Taste was, a better than average American lager. Almost like Yuengling's premium, there was a thickness to this which gave the mouth a plus, mostly the corn flavors were noticeable, but they blended with the alcohol and made this a plesant drinker.

Well, it was the first time I saw this at my regular, thought I would give it a try for no other reason than City buying the Latrobe brewery and putting those peeps back to work. This isn't bad at all and if I see it more around Cleveland, it is cheaper than Strohs and when Yuengling runs dry, it will make a good carry over until I get to PA.

Serving type: can

11-05-2006 03:27:05 | More by Ricochet

NOOGIE

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Look: Poured 12 oz can into pint glass. Medium foam, which stays with the beer for the full drink. Normal stained yellow beer color.

Smell: Lot of water in the smell, almost to much really masks the other smells. The only thing I can smell is some malted barley.

Taste: Really sweet, with some barley and yeast in the taste. Then the watery taste is also in the drink.

Mouthfeel: Lot of water in the mouthfeel, also a sugary residue is left in your mouth.

Drink: Easy going down, but it fills you up fast. Also this is one of the sweetest beers I have ever had that wasn't flavored.

Serving type: can

01-24-2010 02:37:35 | More by NOOGIE

DrunkMcDermott

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The folks at City Brewery worked hard to keep the yeast active at the brewery after Miller bought out the Old Style name and closed them down. In fact, this is a very decent American pilsner. Pouring from the can gives a nice fluffy head that remains for most of the drink. The usual straw color is no surprise. Can't find anything wrong with the taste, which is okay considering its Wisconsin-cheap price. Definitely recommend this as your basic lawnmower beer. I taste-tested this with some homebrewing friends against the current Old Style, now brewed in San Antonio and LaCrosse won hands down.

Serving type: can

09-30-2003 14:16:49 | More by DrunkMcDermott

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Crystal clear pale golden. A fizzy white head forms and dissipates with the same speed. Moderate carbonation is noted. Aroma is better than average. Some soft maltiness, corny sweetness and flowery hops are all found. For a macro, not too bad at all. Soft malts on the palate as well with some adjunct-like sweetness blending in. A little hay and straw. And a slight bitterness lingering after the swallow. Light bodied and moderately carbonated. Average brew. Drinkable, but average.

Serving type: can

04-03-2005 03:28:55 | More by Bighuge

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear, yellow/straw-gold body is topped by a decent-sized head of bright-white froth. The retention is fair, and although it eventually drops to just a collar, it does leave some minimal spotty lace. The nose is clean and fresh with a bit more malt than your standard "generic" beer aroma, although no hops are detectable. Hops do appear in the flavor, however, even if they only play a walk-on role. It's malty, and not over-done with adjunct; and very finely balanced with a slight hop flavor and a noticeable touch of bitterness. The median carbonation is quite fine, and appears softer than it actually is, leaving it gently crisp in the mouth. It finishes short and mostly-dry with just a minimal maltiness in the mouth. Not bad at all!

Serving type: can

09-14-2003 02:22:31 | More by NeroFiddled

plaid75

New York

3.4/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

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

The smell featured a light doughy malt and a smattering of flowery hop.

The taste was rather well balanced and consisted of some soft bready malts and light balancing hops. Pleasant residual sweetness.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side for the style with a touch of creaminess.

Overall a tasty lager. I enjoyed the simplicity of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2007 00:49:11 | More by plaid75

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hey at $.35/can I had to give it a try.
A sour almost skunky smell I notice in lots of beers of this ilk. Not particularly appealing to me, but I guess it's the way it's suppose to be. Touch of malt too.
Looks as it's suppose to. Brilliantly bright and clear. Paper white head that's big and full, but settles fairly quickly. Yellow gold.
Nice malt sweetness dominates and stays throughout. Rather appealling really.Very slight sourness and very mild dryness, neither unappealling. Adjunct qualities are really low. Dryness increases as warms and becomes less enjoyable.
Mildly filling from carbonation, yet adequate smoothness for style.
Maybe this got me on a good day. Really not too bad. I'll give 'er a try again and see how it goes.

Serving type: can

07-31-2005 04:22:55 | More by garymuchow

tommywaddle

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is alright for a cheap beer . It goes down pretty smoothe. It was only sold in a 30 pack at my local Binny's. I tried this think that it was the OlD Old Style. It is definitelyy different and NOT Old Style. I recently tried the Old Old Style and I will highly recommend you giving it a try instead. Overall this is an alright beer that is easy to drink.

Serving type: can

02-12-2009 16:12:42 | More by tommywaddle

drpimento

Wisconsin

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

This recipe I've heard is based on an older version the Heileman's Old Style from the 70s. Not bad. Yellow gold color, slight head, no lace, beery aroma of some hops and malt. Flavor is basic world wide light lager. There is a bit of body to it. Carbonation is decent for this kind of beer. Get a good burp out of it. ok finish.

Serving type: can

05-24-2007 03:42:27 | More by drpimento

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours crystal clear pale gold from a cheesy loooking bottle into the pint glass. This champagne like beer has a 1/2 finger head and streams of bubbles rising to the top. Some decent lacing is left on the glass.

I just got back from a long run out in the heat, and I'll be damned if this doesn't look thrist quenching.

It smells pleasanty fruity. I smell apples and apricots in addition to a weird but nice rubbery smell. I tried the light version of this about a week ago, and the smells are almost identical (this one is just a little bit more pungent than LaCrosse light).

The taste is fruity and grainy with a macro-ish funky taste. Not bad. It's better than just about any other cheapo beer that I've had (read: all of them....I was a poor college student once). Mouthfeel is nice and creamy
for such a lightly colored beer.

As predicted, this is extremely thirst-quenching. Sure beats gatorade!

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2006 16:24:55 | More by pmcadamis

TastyTaste

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Paler-than-straw in color, with a small white bubbly head. Smells of corn and malt. Taste is very smooth, this is definitely an Fish House beer from 'Scony. Looks out of place in my Samuel Smith tulip, but it is not bad for the price ($7 for a 15 pack).

Serving type: can

02-01-2004 01:33:18 | More by TastyTaste

FreshHawk

Illinois

3.03/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Light golden color with a fairly full, foamy, bubbly, light, whispy, white head. Average retention leaving a very thin lace.

S - Very grainy and sweet. Also lots of apple in the back. Almost like a light/off cider. Some hints of bready malt. Overall it is pretty light though.

T - Similar to the nose. Pretty light with grainy, bready, and sweet malt being strongest. Very little grassy hop flavor. Again, plenty of apple notes given it a ciderish taste.

M - Light body with above average carbonation. Light, crisp, and a lingering sweetness.

D - About as drinkable as a macro light lager. Apple flavors make it slightly distinct, but I'm not sure how exactly I feel about it.

Notes: Interesting beer. Lots of apple that isn't too far off from some malt liquors. Grainy and bready sweetness. Ok but nothing to search for. Ok for a cheap beer but nothing impressive, even for the price.

Serving type: can

10-21-2011 00:29:53 | More by FreshHawk

ADR

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Attractive cans just say what everyone thinks Wisconsin must be like. Clear gold, slightly darker than straw with a good head, but one that's a little foamy. Little duration of suds or lace. Aroma is malty, slightly eggy. Mouthfeel is pleasant enough, slightly overcarbonated. The taste is spot on neutral, somewhat biscuity malt with better hop finish than some, even with some slight pine-iness. A toss-'em-back beer, one that deserves patronage when you want to support a local brew to drink at a tail gate.

Serving type: can

01-11-2004 20:15:35 | More by ADR