I’m surprised it took 4 pages for Mickey’s to be mentioned. Actually pretty tasty. Of course the widemouths are best but when I was young and broke (circa 1989-90) the corner store had Mickey’s quarts for $1.19. The golden age of cheap beer.
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Favorite "cheap beer"??
- Thread starter Cadillac_Mike
- Start date
Hamm's, you say? I'm about 52 years ahead of you. This is the very first alcohol I purchased legally. It was on the day after I turned 21. Have saved this quart bottle all these years. My only regret is that I somehow lost the bottle cap. As I recall it tasted pretty good. My father used to buy this beer in cans as I was growing up. For any of you familiar with the San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles area this was purchased at a liquor store on the Northeast corner of Topanga Blvd and Saticoy St. No longer there, of course. Good grief, how do I remember this stuff?I just went to the convenience store and bought a 4-pk of Hamm's tall boys for just $3.50. You'd think it would be the worst swill out there but actually it's a non-offensive adjunct-lager with good taste! I've had pretty much the most expensive craft beers $$$ can buy so I like to measure up the affordable classic offerings! Premium Grain Belt is one of my stables being from MN lol...
How 'bout you guys??
M. M.
Should have had that beer 20+ years ago when I was in a band named Black Ice.Seem to remember in the '80s tthese were a higher priced specialty beer
Now it's over in the cheap-0 section, 18 for $13.
View attachment 7121814
and no one mentioning these fine fine "ice" concoctions
View attachment 7121822
Just looked that stuff up, ya I am....
Gonna be printing up some recipes tonight, had no idea.
Garbage plate.....Just looked that stuff up, ya I am....
Gonna be printing up some recipes tonight, had no idea.
The Texan collection:
Pearl
Jax
Falstaff
Lone Star
Old Swill
Milwaukee's Worst
Buckhorn
Carling's Black Label
Probably some others from my youth that I've mercifully blocked out the memories. If I understood correctly the first four all came out of the Pearl brewery in San Antonio anyway and were basically all the same thing.
And yes, the generic "BEER" too, which was Pearl too in this neck of the woods.
Pearl
Jax
Falstaff
Lone Star
Old Swill
Milwaukee's Worst
Buckhorn
Carling's Black Label
Probably some others from my youth that I've mercifully blocked out the memories. If I understood correctly the first four all came out of the Pearl brewery in San Antonio anyway and were basically all the same thing.
And yes, the generic "BEER" too, which was Pearl too in this neck of the woods.
I didn't know black label was available down there. Now I'm bothered that you've got black label but I can't find Lone Star
I haven't seen it here in many years. Haven't been looking for it, though.
Ah heck, you know Pearl probably just bought the right to stamp "Carling's Black Label" on their "universal beer product" cans. All I remember is it was the very cheapest beer at the 7-11 near my apartment way back in '84, something like $1.79 for a six.
Back in my teens I could get a 6 pack of St Pauli or Moose Head for $3.75 and a pack of Marlboro's for $1.25Seem to remember in the '80s tthese were a higher priced specialty beer
Now it's over in the cheap-0 section, 18 for $13.
View attachment 7121814
and no one mentioning these fine fine "ice" concoctions
View attachment 7121822
Nothing like spending $5 and bring good to go for the night.
Re: the Ice Beers. Still popular around here, although I rarely drink them. I was in a band in 2001 or so named Black Ice, that was before the beer and air fresheners with the same name became popular.
NYC dive bars will give you a can of Narragansett, PBR, or Rolling Rock with shot n' beer specials. Sometimes you get a Budweiser. Youngling is one step up here. I'm fine with all except for Budweiser. Ironically they call it " The King of Beers". I think it's the worst beer in the US. Even Bud Light is better.
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Used to be able to pick up this one for cheap, but the price has gone up considerably in recent months. My fave for pairing with most any food.
When I first came home from the service, I drank a lot. We would go to the nearest beer store that offered free ice with purchase, a place where we were on a first name basis with the clerks. We'd buy Sterling Big Mouth bottles for $7.40 a case, fill a big Igloo ice chest with ice and bottles, and carry out a couple of extra cases (just in case). Alcohol sales were prohibited on Sunday, so we got them to let us come to their house where their beer warehouse was about ten steps from their back porch. We didn't get ice or cold beer, but that was just details. They would also swap us out for any green beers we got. We couldn't lose. 
Man does this hit the spot when you can get it really cold.
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I've seen that out and about now and then. Thank you for the heads up. I think I'll give it a try next time.
-Mike
I have a few:
Hamm's is excellent! Used to be able to get a 30 pack for $12.49 - now up to $13.00 or more.
Olympia was also good, but it's been a decade or more since I've seen any.
Stag is a standard, though a bit harsh sometimes.
PBR is also a go-to when I need a cheap one and want something familiar.
Gennesee is great, but I can only ever find it in single tallboys anymore, and that's not worth it. I also like their seasonals, but those have been non-existent in my area for a long while now.
I don't mind a can or two of the 32oz "big name" dirt cheap swill like Milwaukee's Best, Busch, or something similar, but those prices have increased to nearly $2 a can, and they're not worth that.
Overall, Hamm's is the best value for me. Solid taste, affordable, and always reliable. If it's not something like this, it's usually the other end of the spectrum where I get fancy dark beers.
Hamm's is excellent! Used to be able to get a 30 pack for $12.49 - now up to $13.00 or more.
Olympia was also good, but it's been a decade or more since I've seen any.
Stag is a standard, though a bit harsh sometimes.
PBR is also a go-to when I need a cheap one and want something familiar.
Gennesee is great, but I can only ever find it in single tallboys anymore, and that's not worth it. I also like their seasonals, but those have been non-existent in my area for a long while now.
I don't mind a can or two of the 32oz "big name" dirt cheap swill like Milwaukee's Best, Busch, or something similar, but those prices have increased to nearly $2 a can, and they're not worth that.
Overall, Hamm's is the best value for me. Solid taste, affordable, and always reliable. If it's not something like this, it's usually the other end of the spectrum where I get fancy dark beers.
