As a beer enthusiast, I find myself drinking beer in brewpubs throughout the country and appreciating the fine brews they offer. I love the chocolatey stouts, the malty bocks, the hoppy India Pale Ales, the yeasty Belgian triples, the smoky rauchbiers….I could go on and on. Wherever I go, however, I always cringe when I hear that dreaded phrase that is sure to boil the blood of any brewpub bartender, and cause the brewer to fly into an uncontrollable rage if he is within earshot. The phrase I’m talking about is, “I’ll have a Bud.”

I am a firm believer that taste is a subjective matter, and nobody can tell anyone else what tastes best to that person. Still, if you’re in a brewpub, surrounded by wonderfully handcrafted fresh beer, why not try a few and see if you like them? Sadly, many people won’t, and for that reason there is hardly a brewpub in the land that doesn’t have some sort of light bodied lager or ale on tap for those who request a Bud, or at very least something similar to it.

Many brewers I speak to about this seem almost apologetic about their light bodied beers. They wish they could dump the lot of it and put something more full-bodied on, preferably with tons of malt and a plethora of hops. Brewers needn’t feel that way. These light bodied beers sell well, and they help keep the doors open. There’s nothing wrong with giving the public what the public wants.

Increasingly, Microbrewers are starting to produce at least one lighter bodied brew that they sell in bottles. One such beer is Henry Saxer’s Public Lager. Here’s what the brewery has to say about this beer:

On September 21st, 1999, at the corner of First & Davis Streets in Portland, Oregonians witnessed the unveiling of an "Everyman's-Style" beer brewed by a local microbrewer. Saxer Brewing Company tapped the first keg of H Saxer Public Lager at the site of Oregon's first brewery.

An everyman’s beer, designed to have appeal to the macro and microbrew drinker. So why have I given it five stars? Isn’t that an honor reserved for only the boldest of the bold? Not in my book. Saxer set out to brew a beer that would be enjoyable to the Budweiser drinker yet at the same time has enough flavor to satisfy the hardcore beer enthusiast. I think they’ve succeeded admirably. Saxer Public Lager is not overbearing, but it does have a full-bodied mouthfeel and plenty of flavor.

Henry Saxer Public Lager pours to a deep golden color with a thick creamy head and a light malty nose. The palate is medium-bodied and crisp with a touch of biscuity malt and a nicely balanced finish. There aren’t a lot of hops here, but that’s part of the attraction to the mainstream beer drinker. Then too, I myself wouldn’t at all mind sipping this brew and my local hangout.

Food pairing? Peanuts and pretzels are very good with this beer. I enjoyed a bottle tonight with nachos smothered in extra sharp Vermont cheese, diced jalapenos, steak and pork strips, cubed tomatoes, bean dip, sautéed mushrooms and chopped green onions.



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