(Bottle 35,5 cl) Clear, pale golden with a tiny, white head. Very discreet aroma - perhaps a whiff of corn. Thin body with these typical, lightly sweet notes of chicken fodder that seem to be the standard of American macro swill. No bitterness. This doesn’t taste foul or anything, it just hardly has any taste at all. 230307

Light green apple aroma, which is probably a flaw but works in this beer. Simple malt flavor. Good for what it is.

I highly recommend this beer.........to people who have never tasted beer before. Keystone is basically training wheels for beer drinkers. Let’s face it, beer is an acquired taste, and if you start with something like a Porter or a Barleywine, it could be a shock to the system. Keystone is barely a notch above tap water.

Saw a case of this at the Beaver County Beverage for $8.50. That’s about $2 a six pack. I knew it was by a macro brewer, but not sure who till I got it home. I think I recall the TV push behind this beer when it first arrived on the scene. I’m drinken this as I rate, it is not a memory ticker. 12 oz pop top can with a slightly attractive gold and black look about it, go Steelers, Pirates & Penguins. When you crack open the can you can smell some pleasing mellifluous hints. I also noticed it lacks that average yeasty beer aroma so common with most other brews. I was surprised this was not darker than the other wonted pale yellow american beers, considering the auric name and label. There is no head, not even a girdle around the inside of the glass, just a film of froth on top, like brewed tea. A steady stream of bubbles rises from within this clear brew. This beer does have the etiquette of a gentleman, no bitterness and well behaved. Sweetish, without being too sweet, nice balance of malts without offending the taste buds. I do notice after many sips that there is a hint of alky flavor in there, almost like a malt liquor without the acrid bite. On the back of the tongue I get notable medium carbonation. Finish is ever so slightly industrial without the nimiety of metal. Overall, this is a well behaved galumptious old lager, enjoyable, repeatable and good bargain for the price. Though this is not even close to the enjoyability of Schmidt’s, Carlsberg and Rolling Rock, it is on par with the like of Stella Artois, Miller Highlife and Molsons Canadian. It is in good company with good lagers. Much better tasting and more enjoyable as an economy brew when compared to King Lager and City Lager.

Faint beer like aroma. Pale colour with bubbles. Water like flavour. Finish a beery burp. Pas op!

Draught at Richmond Arms, Houston
Light blond color. Light aroma and flavor, but balanced in its waterness.

So you are mumbling ‘This can’t be the first time he’s tasted it?” No it is not….. I’ve had this before I became an amateur ratebeerian. But first, I wanted to get some experience with about 200 ‘good’ beers and really give this brew equal footing before I BMC step on it. So, this is neither a number padder nor a memory rate. This beer is being sampled as I review. Big black 24 oz can, a bomber. Flip top to reveal a industrial, alcohol laced, raw meat aroma. There is some yeast in there too. Pours like any other cheap american beer into my steeler stein. I must mention that it does not glow as much as 211. Clear yellow and a small white head that rapidly fades. There are very few bubbles coming up from the brew. Taste is a little like some strong ales I’ve had, you know, some alcohol bite. Not quite as intimidating as many spicy, herby- vegetable beers. The alcohol is not in your face as special reserve is. Can says ‘always smooth’ and it is smoother than many quality beers. The finish IS pretty smooth but has something a little bitter in there, perhaps hops. Keystone hit the market with the saying that it is ‘not the bitter beer’. It’s odd that some beer craft companies strive for the opposite of foreign/imp stout and ipa, beers highly prized by a certain majority. Again, the finish is pretty smooth and if you wait a few moments after the swallow, there is perhaps a lightly increasing bitterness; shall I even mention the finish of a Vienna? Has a bit too much alcohol personality for me. Are they allowed to add alcohol after the beer has brewed or is this just they way it turns out during the brew? Perhaps not as refined as many cheap pale yellow american beers. I dream that we sell cheap beers to the Russians like we scarf up the cheap Baltika 6…..similar rating.