Mad Anthony Brewing Company Gabby Blonde Lager

I’ve been on American pale lager kick of late (must be the warm weather), but that doesn’t mean I’ve been downing Bud and Miller High Life left and right. Fort Wayne’s finest craft brewery, maker of my beloved Auburn Lager, has not neglected the everyman. Gabby Blonde Lager is a “beer drinker’s beer” through and through – clean, crisp, and thirst quenching, but without the nasty aftertaste of mass produced swill. "Connoisseurs” of beer, of course, will hate it. They’d probably wonder why a quality brewery would waste its time making a macro-style lager when someone can just go out and buy a six-pack of Coors for five bucks. Well first of all, it’s not our job as beer lovers to “convert” our friends into IPA drinkers. Some people (myself included) genuinely enjoy “watery” beer. And if you’re in the brew pub business like Mad Anthony’s and want to offer beers appealing to everyone who might stop in for a meal, it’s not a bad idea to brew a macro clone. Furthermore, a really good micro-brewed adjunct lager is usually an upgrade from the corporate stuff. Bud, for what it is, is a perfectly decent beer. Mad Anthony’s Gabby Blonde is considerably better. It’s light on the hops, no doubt, and mild tasting like a macro. But it’s got a sweet pale malt taste upfront with very subtle fruit and floral notes. There’s not much of a flavor, I admit, but it’s a good flavor nonetheless. And the aftertaste is malty sweet, not corn adjunct funky like you get from a $12 case of PBR. All in all, it’s refreshing and light - a perfect beer for the summer and an ideal liquid accompaniment to pizza, burgers, et al. I think I'll have one tonight!