Pickled Eggs & Cold Beer: cerveza

Friday, August 24, 2018

Episode 8: Corona with Staff Sergeant Drew Cumbow

Drewbo.

I. Introduction

The most imported beer in the modern United States is not German, though it is a German-style pilsner. It is not Spanish, though for most of its history it was owned by a Spanish emigrant who left his home village, Cerezales del Condado, hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure development upon his death. It is a beer that has been made into gummi candies, a beer that has been the object vast conspiracies on behalf of international beer super-giant Heineken, and a product at the center of discussions of the North American Free Trade Agreement. It is a beer associated with beaches and boxing, a beer accused of accelerating climate change, and a beer that Forbes recently ranked the #74th most valuable brand of any product or service on earth.

Hoy, en Huevos Encurtidos y Cerveza Fría, estamos hablando de Corona.

Today's theme is the "Joe Louis Blues" by Carl Martin, released back in 1935.

[Notice: This episode has some microphone issues - we decided to go on and issue it, however, in lieu of losing the episode we did what we could for the sound and have issued it. Our sincere apologies - this is all Eric's fault mostly completely totally. Don't worry, as soon as Sarge Drewbo is back in town from his current military expeditioning we're going to make up for it.]

II. Our Lady-Swoon-Inducing Guest, Staff Sergeant Cumbow

Carpet-bagging hipster.

III. Rubric

BeerAdvocate: 2.34 of 5

RateBeer: 1.71 of 5

Untappd: 3.05 of 5

ABV: 4.5%

Origin: Northern Mexico, in the town of Nava, Coahuila, just down the road and a hop across the border from Laredo, Texas.

Ingredients: Barley malt, rice and/or corn, hops (according to Hopslist, they exclusively use Galena, a scientifically bred hop released in 1968 that is descended from Brewer's Gold), yeast, ascorbic acid as an antioxidant, and propylene glycol alginate as a stabilizer.

Cost: $ to $1/2 - an import, but a ubiquitous one, so usually not too pricey. Occasionally, however, you're gonna' see some gouging, particularly if you're anywhere near a beach or a summer-themed festival.

IV. Our Reviews and Talking Points

Appearance: Inconsistent carbonation, pale, transparent, translucent yellow.

Aroma: Slight skunkiness, largely unoffensive. Lime (the American tradition) mutes this almost completely.

Flavor: Inoffensive lager, mild all around.

Mouthfeel: Fairly dry, light.

Authenticity, Marketing, and Other Factors: Beaches. Lots and lots of beaches. You get it.

Overall: Drewbo gave Corona six bicycles on his own scale and a 3.5 stars, Clayman gave it 3 of 5 stars, and Eric gave it 2.75 of 3 stars. Overall, today we gave Corona 3.08 stars.

V. Sponsors

This episode was sponsored by two wonderful local businesses:

Leben Farms of Abingdon, Virginia

Providing Local Fresh Vegetables in Weekly Boxes to community-supported agriculture members (CSA) in Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee using organic and regenerative practices to grown nutrient dense food. Community-supported agriculture is a food production and distribution system that directly connects farmers and consumers. In short: people buy "shares" of a farm's harvest in advance and then receive a portion of the crops as they're harvested. Check them out on Facebook or Instagram.

Glade Pharmacy in Glade Springs, Virginia

33472 Lee Hwy, Glade Spring, VA 24340

Locally owned and managed, providing the highest quality pharmaceutical service in the Emory/Glade Springs area.

VI. Plugs

As always, please support local breweries, eateries, artists and music - also, please check out: