Would You Buy Walgreens' Big Flats Beer for Just $1 a Can?

[Astronuc]

Walgreens's Big Flats is a not-a-beer.

 

[nismaratwork]

Walgreens's Big Flats is a not-a-beer.

Ahhh... OK, so this is to beer as this new report indicates Taco Bell's meat is to beef. Yes, it's loosely associated, but only in the basest sense.

By the way, Walgreens isn't Wal-Mart... is it like Wal-Mart? I don't think I've ever seen one, and when I looked online and realized I had been thinking, "Wal-Mart"... *shrug*.

 

[Evo]

Ahhh... OK, so this is to beer as this new report indicates Taco Bell's meat is to beef. Yes, it's loosely associated, but only in the basest sense.

I love Taco Bell "meat". Now that I know what's in it, no wonder I can never duplicate the taste at home. <sigh>

I just wish they'd leave that nasty rice out of everything.

 

[Insanity]

@Insanity: To drink, or as engine degreaser?

try a small sample, then probably water the planets with it.

 

[nismaratwork]

I love Taco Bell "meat". Now that I know what's in it, no wonder I can never duplicate the taste at home. <sigh>

I just wish they'd leave that nasty rice out of everything.

Hmmm... you might enjoy some of the higher-end Japanese ramen bowls; the good ones have TVP which sounds nasty, but really it tastes very good.

My first experience with a Taco Bell was many years ago: I ordered a taco, and a young woman took a taco shell, and then got TWO CAULKING GUNS.

One with bean-paste, which she layed down as a base, on which the "meat" was placed. The other had sour cream. I tossed that sucker without tasting it... I've seen food made with more care in Indian slums!

By the way... "autolyzed yeast"... I loved that. I wonder how many people realize that means a large portion of taco bell meat = Vegemite base.

 

[dlgoff]

By the way... "autolyzed yeast"... I loved that. I wonder how many people realize that means a large portion of taco bell meat = Vegemite base.

Sounds like a good time for a Big Flats.

 

[nismaratwork]

Sounds like a good time for a Big Flats.

That got a real life LOL.

Hell, I think that's good time for anything with alcohol... just to denature the "meat"!

 

[Phyisab****]

But WHY is it named after my hometown in upstate New York, pop. 300?

 

[Astronuc]

But WHY is it named after my hometown in upstate New York, pop. 300?

As opposed to Hornell, Corning, Elmira or Horseheads? Ask the folks at Genesee Brewing Co.

Horseheads might have worked.

Big Flats sounds like a beer name.

Kind of like Fat Tire.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I like the slogan "It's the water that makes it." Anyone who has tried to make beer without water knows just how essential this ingredient is no matter what fish do in it. Does it say "Drink it and you'll make water too." on the other side?

 

[dlgoff]

When this bad weather is out of here and I'm able to get to a Walgreens, I'm going to give it a try.

If you decide to survive drinking it, report back to us!

My drive is clear of deep snow (well almost) and was able to get out. I called a Walgreens store in Lawrence before leaving and they said it wasn't available there yet.

I don't know whether I should be happy or sad.

 

[turbo]

My drive is clear of deep snow (well almost) and was able to get out. I called a Walgreens store in Lawrence before leaving and they said it wasn't available there yet.

I don't know whether I should be happy or sad.

You dodged a bullet, buddy. If you have ever resorted to buying Genesee beers (including their horrendous cream ale) out of desperation, you know what I mean. If you must buy some, go in on a 6-pack with someone else who is curious, or just try one and shove the rest in the back of a fridge and serve it to somebody who "dropped in" and you wish they hadn't.

 

[dlgoff]

You dodged a bullet, buddy. If you have ever resorted to buying Genesee beers (including their horrendous cream ale) out of desperation, you know what I mean.

I know I know. But for a buck, I could spit it out quickly if there's a problem.

If you must buy some, go in on a 6-pack with someone else who is curious, or just try one and shove the rest in the back of a fridge and serve it to somebody who "dropped in" and you wish they hadn't.

I know just the person.

 

[BobG]

Meh, it's $3 a six-pack. Buy two, a bag of Doritos, and Pace Picante Sauce (Hot). Put enough picante sauce on your tongue and you won't even notice the taste.

(If you do this, please don't lock your dog in the room with you when you pass out. That's just cruel.)

 

[pallidin]

I heard once from a beer vendor that if you want to make "bad" beer taste somewhat OK, get it really really really cold.

 

[Insanity]

While not a favorite of mine, Big Flats is a good lite lager, by style guidelines.

 

[dlgoff]

While not a favorite of mine, Big Flats is a good lite lager, by style guidelines.

Really? Where the heck did you get it? From Walgreens?

 

[Insanity]

Yes, $2.99 six-pack.
Again, not going to be a fav or anywhere near it, but it fits the style guidelines.
Somewhat better then Bud maybe, course wasn't feeling the greatest today.

 

[turbo]

Yes, $2.99 six-pack.
Again, not going to be a fav or anywhere near it, but it fits the style guidelines.
Somewhat better then Bud maybe, course wasn't feeling the greatest today.

"Better than Bud" is not exactly an endorsement.

 

[Gokul43201]

I was mentioning Big Flats to a bartender friend, and was pointed immediately to Trader Joe's. Apparently, one of their beers is also sold for $2.99 a six-pack and tastes way nicer (as opposed to "somewhat better") than Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.

I subsequently found this useful beer guide to Trader Joe's selection: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...a-style-lager-firestone-walker-beer-community

 

[Evo]

I was mentioning Big Flats to a bartender friend, and was pointed immediately to Trader Joe's. Apparently, one of their beers is also sold for $2.99 a six-pack and tastes way nicer (as opposed to "somewhat better") than Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.

I subsequently found this useful beer guide to Trader Joe's selection: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...a-style-lager-firestone-walker-beer-community

I read that Walgreen's, Costco, and Trader Joe's all got this beer from the same distributor, they just lable it differently. Not sure what Trader Joe's calls it.

Here's the article.

The popular drug store chain has begun to sell its private label brew called Big Flats 1901.

The beer, which the company said is a premium lager, is made by Winery Exchange.

The company also provides private-labeled alcohol for Costco and Trader Joe’s.

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/walgreens-cracks-open-a-cold-one-in-profits-with-its-new-brew

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I found a bar in Philadelphia that sold PBR cans for 69c. It was awesome! And consequentially full of bums lol.

 

[Gokul43201]

I read that Walgreen's, Costco, and Trader Joe's all got this beer from the same distributor, they just lable it differently. Not sure what Trader Joe's calls it.

I'm not sure either. But the $3 beer at TJ's has apparently been around for quite a while.

 

[nismaratwork]

I heard once from a beer vendor that if you want to make "bad" beer taste somewhat OK, get it really really really cold.

Heh, true for anything. Cold = Diminished sense of taste. Of course, that can be used to mellow harsh citirus in sorbets, along with sugar, but in this case it's a 'Big Flats Cheat'. Smart vendor though... not terribly honest I guess.

 

[dlgoff]

Yes, $2.99 six-pack.
Again, not going to be a fav or anywhere near it, but it fits the style guidelines.
Somewhat better then Bud maybe, course wasn't feeling the greatest today.

Thanks for the report. You know I got to try it. Hopefully they'll start carrying it here.

 

[dlgoff]

I found a bar in Philadelphia that sold PBR cans for 69c. It was awesome! And consequentially full of bums lol.

Sounds like my kind of place.

 

[nismaratwork]

I've been saving this up, which means it's either sweet or stinky... you choose. Remember, back in ye olde 2002... a show, Futurama had a robot with a penchant for booze...

Bender: Ah, beer. So many choices, and it makes so little difference.
Fry: How 'bout Löwbrau? It has dots.
Bender: Overruled! The choice of champions is Pabst Blue Robot.
Fry: I can't drink that. The metal shavings make my throat bloody.
Bender: Wah, wah! Baby wants a Zima!
Leela: Hey, hey! We can all fight when we're drunk.

bolding mine.

 

[Evo]

Thanks for the report. You know I got to try it. Hopefully they'll start carrying it here.

Don, don't forget that it's illegal to sell alcohol in pharmacies or grocery stores in Kansas. You can get it at stores in MO, but not Kansas City, MO, for some reason.

 

[Astronuc]

Don, don't forget that it's illegal to sell alcohol in pharmacies or grocery stores in Kansas. You can get it at stores in MO, but not Kansas City, MO, for some reason.

Doesn't Ks still have some dry counties?

I remember rolling into Burlington, KS, one evening with a colleague. We wanted to get a bite to eat and some beer. However, we found the town pretty much closed. When we checked in at the hotel (B&B), we were told we couldn't buy beer. I think it was a Sunday, just after 6 pm.

I think we ended up drinking tea instead, which is not bad, but it's not beer. If we'd known, we could have prepared. We had flown into KCI and had driven down from KC.

 

[dlgoff]

Don, don't forget that it's illegal to sell alcohol in pharmacies or grocery stores in Kansas. You can get it at stores in MO, but not Kansas City, MO, for some reason.

Well dang. I doubt it would be worth a trip to KC. Maybe that's a good thing now that Atronuc has gotten me hooked on my craft beer.

Doesn't Ks still have some dry counties?

I remember rolling into Burlington, KS, one evening with a colleague. We wanted to get a bite to eat and some beer. However, we found the town pretty much closed. When we checked in at the hotel (B&B), we were told we couldn't buy beer. I think it was a Sunday, just after 6 pm.

The only place you can buy beer on Sundays here are in restaurants and evidently in microbreweries until 7:00pm (mine has a restaurant so that probably matters).

If you really want to hear something funny, Kansas once had an Attorney General who insisted it was illegal to sell alcohol in airplanes while flying over Kansas. He was also notorious for hiding in car trunks to spring small time marijuana bust back in the '70s.