Try?
It is not often
that I would begin a beer review with a question the likes of “Why would you
drink this?”. Ordinarily, I suspect the question would be rhetorical in
nature, perhaps even sarcastic to a degree, in expectation of a derogatory
reply. In this case, it need not be so; the reader should seriously consider
the query and evaluate it fairly without making a value judgment beforehand.
For, the fact of the matter is that there will be many beer drinkers who will have valid reasons for drinking, if not enjoying, this beer in today’s dietary environment. Let’s face it, in the world of beer an enormous dichotomy exists between two opposing factions: those who drink the readily available and rather homogenous mass-market lagers on the one side, those who eschew such beers in favor of the rare and different brews on the other. Whether or not you will enjoy Michelob Ultra depends heavily upon which camp you reside in.
Michelob Ultra’s appeal is based mainly on the fact that, in addition to being a light beer, it is a low carbohydrate beer. Carbohydrates today are coming under increasing scrutiny as being responsible for weight gain, and diets the likes of Atkins (which seek to virtually eliminate them) are all the rage. With just 2.9 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving and 96 calories, Michelob Ultra might be the right beer for those on low-carb diets.
Michelob Ultra is similar to an old German style of beer called Diat Pils, which is a highly attenuated beer similar to the dry beers that were yesterday’s fad. To reduce carbohydrates in the brewing process, Anheuser-Busch uses an extra-long mashing process that converts more of the grain starches to sugars, which can then be fermented out of the beer.
Unfortunately, the process (and the use of malts with minimal amounts of dextrins, or non-fermentable sugars which add body and flavor to beer) leaves little to be desired in the way of flavor. Michelob Ultra is one of the most watery beers I’ve ever tasted. To me, that outweighs any positives that can be derived from a low carbohydrate beer.
As a diabetic myself, I fight a constant battle to minimize my consumption of sugars and carbohydrates, but I don’t see that Michelob Ultra will be a weapon I’ll be using in my war with diabetes. I would much prefer to drink less often and drink beer with flavor, and that’s exactly what I do. Restriction of my drinking to a few beers once or twice a week along with a steady exercise regimen and sensible diet will likely do as much for you as changing your brand to Michelob Ultra will.
That said, not everyone has the same drinking preferences that I do, and there will be many consumers for whom Michelob Ultra will be a useful product. If you’re on a low carbohydrate diet or perhaps are a diabetic and drink beer, for example, you might want to consider switching to Michelob Ultra if you normally drink beers like Budweiser, Miller, or Coors. You will only see a minor flavor difference, although your wallet may be slightly more impacted: Michelob Ultra runs 50 cents to a dollar higher than Budweiser, Coors, or Miller Lite.
Michelob Ultra pours to a pale yellow color with a thin fizzy head
and a rather unpleasant adjunct nose. The body is watery and very thin,
fizzy, rather clean, slightly sour with a definite adjunct character. The
finish is thin once again; I hesitate to call it balanced since there isn’t
much of anything (bitterness or sweetness) to balance.
I don’t care for this beer personally, and to be honest the only factor keeping it from being a one-star beer is that it could be helpful in some diets. But again, I’d recommend factoring in how many beers you drink in a sitting, how often you do it, and your overall diet before switching to Michelob Ultra. All that considered, it may be a good choice for you, but as for me, I'd prefer one beer with flavor to three with none.
For, the fact of the matter is that there will be many beer drinkers who will have valid reasons for drinking, if not enjoying, this beer in today’s dietary environment. Let’s face it, in the world of beer an enormous dichotomy exists between two opposing factions: those who drink the readily available and rather homogenous mass-market lagers on the one side, those who eschew such beers in favor of the rare and different brews on the other. Whether or not you will enjoy Michelob Ultra depends heavily upon which camp you reside in.
Michelob Ultra’s appeal is based mainly on the fact that, in addition to being a light beer, it is a low carbohydrate beer. Carbohydrates today are coming under increasing scrutiny as being responsible for weight gain, and diets the likes of Atkins (which seek to virtually eliminate them) are all the rage. With just 2.9 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving and 96 calories, Michelob Ultra might be the right beer for those on low-carb diets.
Michelob Ultra is similar to an old German style of beer called Diat Pils, which is a highly attenuated beer similar to the dry beers that were yesterday’s fad. To reduce carbohydrates in the brewing process, Anheuser-Busch uses an extra-long mashing process that converts more of the grain starches to sugars, which can then be fermented out of the beer.
Unfortunately, the process (and the use of malts with minimal amounts of dextrins, or non-fermentable sugars which add body and flavor to beer) leaves little to be desired in the way of flavor. Michelob Ultra is one of the most watery beers I’ve ever tasted. To me, that outweighs any positives that can be derived from a low carbohydrate beer.
As a diabetic myself, I fight a constant battle to minimize my consumption of sugars and carbohydrates, but I don’t see that Michelob Ultra will be a weapon I’ll be using in my war with diabetes. I would much prefer to drink less often and drink beer with flavor, and that’s exactly what I do. Restriction of my drinking to a few beers once or twice a week along with a steady exercise regimen and sensible diet will likely do as much for you as changing your brand to Michelob Ultra will.
That said, not everyone has the same drinking preferences that I do, and there will be many consumers for whom Michelob Ultra will be a useful product. If you’re on a low carbohydrate diet or perhaps are a diabetic and drink beer, for example, you might want to consider switching to Michelob Ultra if you normally drink beers like Budweiser, Miller, or Coors. You will only see a minor flavor difference, although your wallet may be slightly more impacted: Michelob Ultra runs 50 cents to a dollar higher than Budweiser, Coors, or Miller Lite.
Michelob Ultra pours to a pale yellow color with a thin fizzy head
and a rather unpleasant adjunct nose. The body is watery and very thin,
fizzy, rather clean, slightly sour with a definite adjunct character. The
finish is thin once again; I hesitate to call it balanced since there isn’t
much of anything (bitterness or sweetness) to balance. I don’t care for this beer personally, and to be honest the only factor keeping it from being a one-star beer is that it could be helpful in some diets. But again, I’d recommend factoring in how many beers you drink in a sitting, how often you do it, and your overall diet before switching to Michelob Ultra. All that considered, it may be a good choice for you, but as for me, I'd prefer one beer with flavor to three with none.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
