Kronenbourg 1664

[jgould]

thoughts on how kronenbourg stacks up against comparable beers?

[BrentKulman]

thoughts on how kronenbourg stacks up against comparable beers?

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I had one just last week. Here are my tasting notes:

Appearance: Pours a clear golden yellow body with a frothy white head; not a great deal of retention, however, but it does leave some lacing before it disappears

Smell: Herbacious and grassy (after a brief bout with the dreaded skunk) with some underlying sweetness

Taste: Starts out rather sweet and then a citrus lemony and herbcious flavor joins the party; a bit rough on the back of the tongue with a long solvent aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Light and crisp with good carbonation

Drinkability: An OK Euro Lager but I just can't get excited about the style

Since I really don't care much for Euro pale lagers, particularly those packaged in green bottles, it's hard for me to compare this beer to others. I just don't drink them very often. I don't particularly care for the herbacious aroma and flavor elements and the spartan finish.

Edited October 4, 2005 by BrentKulman (log)

[Bill Poster]

Better than Stella Artois and the dreaded Fosters though

[scovilleFiend]

Better than Stella Artois and the dreaded Fosters though

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It is definitely better than fosters, which has as far as I can discern no flavor. I drank a few kron's over the summer in scalding heat, and I have to say even given its perfect condition to thrive I did not find them very favorable. Maybe slightly better than the bud/coors variety, but all in all not a very good representation for the french, much as we are represented by bud typically. Honestly, I don't think I could actually find you any tasting notes for kron, I was too busy trying to get it down. Perhaps I didn't drink enough in college. I do actually like stella artois though. The belgians get me every time.

[jgould]

so what is a good everyday beer to keep in the fridge for thrist, chinese food, etc...

something along the lines of $7-9/six-pack:

heineken, harps, pilsener (but the real not found here), etc, etc...

[TongoRad]

so what is a good everyday beer to keep in the fridge for thrist, chinese food, etc...

something along the lines of $7-9/six-pack:

heineken, harps, pilsener (but the real not found here), etc, etc...

←

I'd be happy to offer suggestions but it would help if I knew where you buy your beer. With these types of beer in particular freshness and handling make a world of difference. As an example, I have a great fondness for Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell but I still wouldn't recommend buying it if it were more than six months old. It is something I tend to seize upon if I find a good case, but it is not the sort of thing that I go out with the intention of purchasing.

Your best bet may be to go local. There are quite a few very good domestic Pilseners available, and most certainly in your price range.

EDIT: I see that you're in New York. Have you tried Brooklyn Pilsener lately? Check the label notch- there are still some old ones floating about- but the reformulated batch is quite good and should definitely fit the bill.

Edited October 5, 2005 by TongoRad (log)

[Okbrewer]

Your best bet, IMO, is to drink what is available locally. I see from your member info that you are in NYC, if that is the case, you have a very good selection of local beers available, some just down the road! I strongly suggest you try the beers from Blue Point Brewing Co. If you lean toward Euro lagers, try their toasted lager or even their blond/golden ale. They also have a tasty Oktoberfest and a very nice, creamy stout.

Take a trip over to Blue Point and visit their tasting room! Check them on the web first to verify tasting room hours of operation.

Bob R in OKC

[BrentKulman]

I strongly suggest you try the beers from Blue Point Brewing Co.  If you lean toward Euro lagers, try their toasted lager ...

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I don't care that much for lagers but I will add my endorsement to this recommendation. The Blue Point Toasted Lager is terrific. I'll also heartily endorse the Brooklyn Pilsner, too. While it is not local, keep your eyes peeled for the Victory Prima Pils, which is also available in NYC.

If you are interested in some local ales, the Sixpoint Craft Ales are stunningly good. This is a new, small brewery that I believe is destined for greatness if they can make the business end work. (And I know nothing about that end of their business - just a general comment.)

Sixpoint Craft Ales

[jgould]

so what is a good everyday beer to keep in the fridge for thrist, chinese food, etc...

something along the lines of $7-9/six-pack:

heineken, harps, pilsener (but the real not found here), etc, etc...

←

I'd be happy to offer suggestions but it would help if I knew where you buy your beer. With these types of beer in particular freshness and handling make a world of difference. As an example, I have a great fondness for Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell but I still wouldn't recommend buying it if it were more than six months old. It is something I tend to seize upon if I find a good case, but it is not the sort of thing that I go out with the intention of purchasing.

Your best bet may be to go local. There are quite a few very good domestic Pilseners available, and most certainly in your price range.

EDIT: I see that you're in New York. Have you tried Brooklyn Pilsener lately? Check the label notch- there are still some old ones floating about- but the reformulated batch is quite good and should definitely fit the bill.

←

live in manhattan on upper west side.

u bring up a very interesting question, as well as opening up another can of "worms". for example, heineken is both found in grocery refrigerators & on the shelf - which would be fresher? although, don't know if the refrigerated beer has been sitting around for any length of time, therefore, those on the shelf may actually be "fresher"?? just how long does beer remain fresh? & how does one tell?

as i said, looking for an everyday, easy-to-find, med-priced ($7-9 per 6 pack) beer. thats why i mentioned the above beers.

[jgould]

I strongly suggest you try the beers from Blue Point Brewing Co.  If you lean toward Euro lagers, try their toasted lager ...

←

I don't care that much for lagers but I will add my endorsement to this recommendation. The Blue Point Toasted Lager is terrific. I'll also heartily endorse the Brooklyn Pilsner, too. While it is not local, keep your eyes peeled for the Victory Prima Pils, which is also available in NYC.

If you are interested in some local ales, the Sixpoint Craft Ales are stunningly good. This is a new, small brewery that I believe is destined for greatness if they can make the business end work. (And I know nothing about that end of their business - just a general comment.)

Sixpoint Craft Ales

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lager or ale, as long as satisfying & easily available, & reasonably priced. brooklyn pilsner, never tried, & i think, fairway on the upper west side of manhattan carries.

any other suggestions? note u did not mention those i mentioned?

[jgould]

Your best bet, IMO, is to drink what is available locally.  I see from your member info that you are in NYC, if that is the case, you have a very good selection of local beers available, some just down the road!  I strongly suggest you try the beers from Blue Point Brewing Co.  If you lean toward Euro lagers, try their toasted lager or even their blond/golden ale.  They also have a tasty Oktoberfest and a very nice, creamy stout.

Take a trip over to Blue Point and visit their tasting room!  Check them on the web first to verify tasting room hours of operation.

Bob R in OKC

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interesting. have really never considered "local" only from the aspect of the national beers like heineken, harps, pilsner urq. are easily purchased & sell here for approx $7-9, my specified price range for everyday drinking with chinese food, etc...

[BrentKulman]

live in manhattan on upper west side.

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You are in luck, my friend.

Head over to the Pioneer Supermarket at 289 Columbus Ave. (between 73rd and 74th) for one of the best beer selections in NYC. A whole aisle is devoted to craft brews and imports in standard bottle sizes. Great selection of most of the top northeastern craft breweries that distribute into NYC - Smuttynose, Victory, Stoudt, etc., along with a number of Eastern European beers to boot. I've seen better selections of British, Belgian and German beers but that is a quibble.

You also have a bar with a terrific beer selection, George Keeley's, at 485 Amsterdam Ave. (between 83rd and 84th). Check out this list on tap:

George Keeley's beers on tap

[jgould]

live in manhattan on upper west side.

←

You are in luck, my friend.

Head over to the Pioneer Supermarket at 289 Columbus Ave. (between 73rd and 74th) for one of the best beer selections in NYC. A whole aisle is devoted to craft brews and imports in standard bottle sizes. Great selection of most of the top northeastern craft breweries that distribute into NYC - Smuttynose, Victory, Stoudt, etc., along with a number of Eastern European beers to boot. I've seen better selections of British, Belgian and German beers but that is a quibble.

You also have a bar with a terrific beer selection, George Keeley's, at 485 Amsterdam Ave. (between 83rd and 84th). Check out this list on tap:

George Keeley's beers on tap

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know pioneer, but thx for reminding me. however, my original post was not so much a search for top-end craft beers, etc, but something a little less adventuresome for everyday. a relatively simple beer that is fresh (?), med-priced ($7-9/6 pk), easily obtainable. your suggestion, although greatly appreciated, does not answer my search. alas, know i could just buy miller draft & forget about the question, or as i originally posted, my inquiry about kronenbourg.

want something with more taste than miller/bud/whatever; but less than the craft beers u so rightly suggest for a beer lover. i am a wine drinker, but prefer beer with chinese, indian, thai, or a baseball game with chips. thought i found it with harps, but wife not fond of, so thats why looking for some advice

as for keeley's, it looks neat, but more likely to find me at 'bin 71' wine bar on columbus

Edited October 6, 2005 by jgould (log)

[Taboni]

You can't go wrong with Yuengling. My standard go-to beer for just such occasions as you suggest.

[TongoRad]

live in manhattan on upper west side.

u bring up a very interesting question, as well as opening up another can of "worms". for example, heineken is both found in grocery refrigerators & on the shelf - which would be fresher? although, don't know if the refrigerated beer has been sitting around for any length of time, therefore, those on the shelf may actually be "fresher"?? just how long does beer remain fresh? & how does one tell?

I'm all for opening up that particular can of worms ( it'll probably smell better than some of the beers that I have had), but I'll just hit the bullet points for now. Avoid beer on display in green bottles. It will be 'light struck', the dreaded skunk factor- green glass does a pretty poor job of blocking UV light, which will in turn react with the isomerized hop oils in the beer to produce the offending aroma.

On the positive side- a lot of brewers these days are reacting to the consumers' demand for date stamping of their beer. If there is no date stamp you have no other way to tell how old the beer is. You generally want something under 12 months old (a lot under if you can get it).

Extreme temperatures are also bad for beer. If that Heineken you mention has been stored in a cargo container in the sweltering sun somewhere along its journey to the shop it won't matter much if it is then stored in the fridge or out on the floor. The damage has already been done. Among other things, the excess heat will exaggerate the impact of any normally barely perceptable DMS (DiMethylSulfide) in the beer, which will give it a cabbagey/sulfury characteristic. Nasty stuff. Now imagine what that is like when skunk is thrown into the mix as well. Unfortunately you have no way of knowing this without opening the bottle, but you can avoid beers that have exhibited handling problems in the past. And odds are that locally brewed beer has been handled reasonably responsibly.

"So where does that leave me?", you are asking. I think I have a better handle on what is easily obtainable for you, and if you are shopping in a supermarket I would still keep an eye out for the Brooklyn Pilsener as a best bet- it is definitely in your price range. The Pilsener Urquell you mentioned is still a hell of a beer but due to the green bottles you should either get it in a sealed case or twelve pack. If your store carries any German beers look out for the Paulaner Munich Lager or the Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell. They are not uncommon in this area and are reliable in terms of quality (amber bottles, too.) . The Yuengling and Victory lagers are also worth investigating. If you still prefer the Kronenbourg at the end of the day just try to get a sealed case the next time and keep it away from any light (like in a closet) if it takes you a while to go through it.

[naguere]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

[jgould]

live in manhattan on upper west side.

u bring up a very interesting question, as well as opening up another can of "worms". for example, heineken is both found in grocery refrigerators & on the shelf - which would be fresher? although, don't know if the refrigerated beer has been sitting around for any length of time, therefore, those on the shelf may actually be "fresher"?? just how long does beer remain fresh? & how does one tell?

I'm all for opening up that particular can of worms ( it'll probably smell better than some of the beers that I have had), but I'll just hit the bullet points for now. Avoid beer on display in green bottles. It will be 'light struck', the dreaded skunk factor- green glass does a pretty poor job of blocking UV light, which will in turn react with the isomerized hop oils in the beer to produce the offending aroma.

On the positive side- a lot of brewers these days are reacting to the consumers' demand for date stamping of their beer. If there is no date stamp you have no other way to tell how old the beer is. You generally want something under 12 months old (a lot under if you can get it).

Extreme temperatures are also bad for beer. If that Heineken you mention has been stored in a cargo container in the sweltering sun somewhere along its journey to the shop it won't matter much if it is then stored in the fridge or out on the floor. The damage has already been done. Among other things, the excess heat will exaggerate the impact of any normally barely perceptable DMS (DiMethylSulfide) in the beer, which will give it a cabbagey/sulfury characteristic. Nasty stuff. Now imagine what that is like when skunk is thrown into the mix as well. Unfortunately you have no way of knowing this without opening the bottle, but you can avoid beers that have exhibited handling problems in the past. And odds are that locally brewed beer has been handled reasonably responsibly.

"So where does that leave me?", you are asking. I think I have a better handle on what is easily obtainable for you, and if you are shopping in a supermarket I would still keep an eye out for the Brooklyn Pilsener as a best bet- it is definitely in your price range. The Pilsener Urquell you mentioned is still a hell of a beer but due to the green bottles you should either get it in a sealed case or twelve pack. If your store carries any German beers look out for the Paulaner Munich Lager or the Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell. They are not uncommon in this area and are reliable in terms of quality (amber bottles, too.) . The Yuengling and Victory lagers are also worth investigating. If you still prefer the Kronenbourg at the end of the day just try to get a sealed case the next time and keep it away from any light (like in a closet) if it takes you a while to go through it.

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now that was the answer i was looking for mr. tongorad

many thanks & greatly appreciate your very informative professional response

[jgould]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

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a) when in France, everything tastes better

b) when in the U.S., which beer do u substitute, s'il vous plaît?

[naguere]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

←

a) when in France, everything tastes better

b) when in the U.S., which beer do u substitute, s'il vous plaît?

←

I live in Cheltenham U.K. and my beer of choice here is:

Green King India Pale Ale.

Their advert tells me it never got to India, but nevertheless it is heavily hopped for that journey and we can still enjoy it's lovely bite.

Edited October 6, 2005 by naguere (log)

[jgould]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

←

a) when in France, everything tastes better

b) when in the U.S., which beer do u substitute, s'il vous plaît?

←

I live in Cheltenham U.K. and my beer of choice here is:

Green King India Pale Ale.

Their advert tells me it never got to India, but nevertheless it is heavily hopped for that journey and we can still enjoy it's lovely bite.

←

interesting u like the '1664' in france, but don't drink when at home in the UK?

plan on trying the suggested brooklyn pilsener. makes sense that a local beer in a brown bottle "should be" fresher(??) than a long distanced green bottle beer.

will compare to the kronenbourg

[jgould]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

←

a) when in France, everything tastes better

b) when in the U.S., which beer do u substitute, s'il vous plaît?

←

I live in Cheltenham U.K. and my beer of choice here is:

Green King India Pale Ale.

Their advert tells me it never got to India, but nevertheless it is heavily hopped for that journey and we can still enjoy it's lovely bite.

←

as an aside, should not your quote read

"Me dire que vous mangez, et je vous dirai que vous êtes!" n'est-ce pas?

[BCinBC]

I also just returned from France, and did indeed enjoy a few Kronenbourg 1664s on the Med coast. It was still quite warm, 25C / 77F daily highs, and the Kronenbourgs went down very well. I can see for the most part Brent's tasting notes in the brew (bright yellow/golden pour, crispy then citrus-sy, I found it on the whole quite smooth).

Truthfully I didn't even know France had a "national" beer. With the vicinity to Belgium and Germany, I would have thought why bother?

Anyway, I have never tried Kronenbourg here in N America so I don't know if the export product (or the equivalent brewed by an American giant) is any good.

Edited October 7, 2005 by BCinBC (log)

[naguere]

It is my beer of choice when in France, has a lovely bite to it.

←

a) when in France, everything tastes better

b) when in the U.S., which beer do u substitute, s'il vous plaît?

←

I live in Cheltenham U.K. and my beer of choice here is:

Green King India Pale Ale.

Their advert tells me it never got to India, but nevertheless it is heavily hopped for that journey and we can still enjoy it's lovely bite.

←

as an aside, should not your quote read

"Me dire que vous mangez, et je vous dirai que vous êtes!" n'est-ce pas?

←

You could say that couldnt you, but I was quoting Brillat-Savarin , from his 'Physiologie du gout'.

[scovilleFiend]

Truthfully I didn't even know France had a "national" beer. With the vicinity to Belgium and Germany, I would have thought why bother?

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I would say that it compares very poorly to those. A lot of the good beer that is brewed in France is from Alsace, I'm not sure if you had the opportunity to try them. They are much in the style of belgian and/or german beers, and quite good.

[jgould]

Truthfully I didn't even know France had a "national" beer. With the vicinity to Belgium and Germany, I would have thought why bother?

←

I would say that it compares very poorly to those. A lot of the good beer that is brewed in France is from Alsace, I'm not sure if you had the opportunity to try them. They are much in the style of belgian and/or german beers, and quite good.

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agree, howver, france does produce many bieres; & the best do seem to eminate from alsace, hence the brasserie orgin; however, jenlain, etc... are not what i consider to be everyday quaffs, so-to-speak, & they are overpriced for everyday drinking with chinese food, ballgames, etc... u get the drift.

just bought a 6pk of brooklyn lager which comes in a brown bottle, priced within range, & has date of freshness - all good; although haven't tasted yet.