Another fucking lager: Abbreviated AFL; the author's term for the plethora of barely distinguishable lagers (and their barely distinguishable advertising) littering bars, refrigerators, and roadsides. The Uber-Lager is probably a Pilsner; an exemplar is Pilsner Urquell, which elevates itself past the AFL rabble. Among US "Premium" AFLs (premium being a marketing category, not an actual indication of quality), the author favors Coors, but is not above drinking most AFLs, especially if there is no AC and the AFL has been refrigerated.
Since the entire US beer industry was wiped out by Prohibition, it's natural that the industry is somewhat backward, but one wishes the post-Prohibition replacements were not so uniform. However, much of the US can be hot, and immediately post-Prohibition was also mainly pre-AC. The author wonders if AC not only caused the New South, but also later helped bring about the craft beer revolution.
Funny - the term AFL popped in to my head the other day while I was shopping for beer. Doesn't it also apply to the array of OK but not great imported "National" beers, like Kirin, Tsing Tao, Kingfisher, Red Stripe?
Posted by: Eric Akawie | 26 October 2004 at 09:10 AM
Eric's right, of course: AFL transcends national boundaries. I don't know why I limited myself to US beers there: maybe I needed a beer. :) I've edited myself a bit to remove the offending nationalism.
Posted by: Joe | 26 October 2004 at 09:24 AM