7 Discontinued Old-School Beers Everyone Used To Drink - Tasting Table

"Even before Europeans landed in America, Native Americans were making their own beer with the help of ingredients like maize and birch sap. Today, the drink is still a household staple for many American adults. In fact, per a 2022 survey from Gallup, 35% of U.S. alcohol drinkers regularly opt for beer over alternatives like wine and spirits. Now, the best-selling beer brand in the U.S. is Michelob Ultra."

"Back in 1758, in the Yorkshire town of Tadcaster, one of the oldest breweries in England was founded: Samuel Smith's Old Brewery. To this day, it produces lagers, bitters, and underrated beers like oatmeal stout. Apparently, back in the late 1970s, enthusiastic American homebrewer Pete Slosberg was a big fan of that hoppy, nutty, full-bodied drink, and in an attempt to replicate it for U.S. beer-drinkers, he created his own version, which he called Pete's Wicked Ale."

"Pete's Wicked Ale, produced by Pete's Brewing Company, hit the market in the 1980s and was a major success. Americans appeared to revel in the new style of beer, because in the decades before, most beer on the market had been mass-produced lager. In fact, Pete's Wicked Ale was part of a movement dubbed the American Craft Beer Revolution. At one point, it was among the biggest names in the craft beer industry, alongside Boston Beer Company."

Native Americans brewed beer using ingredients like maize and birch sap before European arrival. Beer remains popular, with 35% of U.S. alcohol drinkers regularly choosing beer, and Michelob Ultra currently the best-selling U.S. brand. Other dominant light beers include Bud Light and Modelo. Late 20th-century favorites included Pete's Wicked Ale, Hamm's Special Light, and Falstaff. Pete's Wicked Ale originated from Pete Slosberg's attempt to replicate the hoppy, nutty, full-bodied character of Samuel Smith's beers and debuted in the 1980s. Pete's became a major success and helped spur the American Craft Beer Revolution alongside brands like Boston Beer Company.

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