This beer has suffered miserably over the years with all the mergers and shortsighted business decisions that the recipe has suffered. Don't get me wrong. I am not here to run down this beer by any means. I was at one time stationed in Hawaii. Rainier was abundant there and that was soon after the brewery was brought under the aegis of G. Heilemann brewing company of LaCrosse, WI. I was always talking to my friends about beer and the mistaken image that people had when it came to beer. So, I had a blind taste test of beer at my house with several friends that were Budweiser drinkers. Number 1 in the taste test was Rainier followed by Olympia. There were some converts that day. I saw one heck of a lot more Oly and Rainier at our barbeque's after that. Fast forward to a few years ago. I have no idea who was brewing Rainier at the time. The label had some vague references to a brewery with no phone number and a PO BOX. The beer was awful. Fast forward to today. It sure seems like the Miller Brewing Company (who is brewing the beer by contract) is following the recipe to the T. It is the same good beer I remember. One reason for this could be that the major brewers, rather than brewing sludge and putting it in Rainier cans, see Rainier and other former regional brands as an opportunity to develop market share and volume in an otherwise flat beer market. I would be willing to set this beer down next to Bud today and I think Rainier would come out on top.
www.rememberrainier.com
American Style Premium - 4 out of 5 points
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