A few months ago, Bud Light debuted a new ad campaign using the catch-phrase "Dilly, Dilly!" and folks freaked out over it. The less said about that the better. I was confused how craft beer drinkers on- line (I didn't observe this overtly in real life) went wild using this silly advertising slogan. Even losing their shit over it's usage by a sports announcer during a football game. I scratched my noggin about why these supposed craft beer enthusiasts felt ownership of these words.
And then Modist got in on the act and named a hazy Mosaic hop double IPA after that popular slogan, along with a logo aping that of Bud Light, perhaps aware that this would quickly catch A-B's attention. Only 200 crowlers were released, with a liberal allotment of six per person, as if they wanted it out and done, at open of day, noon on Friday, December 1. I'm never anywhere at that time unless I have to be, but if I had raced downtown to get my hands on some, I could have been there for the humorous proclamation read by a local actor gently delivering the cease & desist. Should have had a trumpeter announcing the arrival of the town crier, too, I think. And I'll admit it was amusing to see A-B do something clever that took a little work, rather than just the typical lawyer stuff. Offering up some Super Bowl tickets as a consolation prize was nice, too. If you don't know anything about this event, just Google it, Youtube it, it's out there.
I can't support any kind of celebration of "Dilly, Dilly!" because of this: the commercials, especially the first one, support conformity in a way that goes against my very core. Sir Jeremy approaches the throne and offers up a six pack of Bud Light. The king declares him a friend of the realm, because everyone loves Bud Light. A woman comes forward and gifts the royals with a 12-pack and Madame Barbara is declared a greater friend because, of course, she brought more. The only thing better than the beer everyone loves is more of it. Then some sniveling hipster steps up with a wax-topped brown bottle and his gift is met with an incredulous "what is this?" Sir Reginald or whatever calls it a "spiced honey mead wine {huh?} that I'm really into right now." That last part is important. It reveals him as a weird dude into strange shit that's all his own. The opposite of what this Bud Light loving kingdom enjoys, or even understands. Who is this creep to attempt to introduce us to something different that may challenge our current conceptions? We don't want to become part of a small culture who digs weird stuff, instead of locking step with sameness like we do.This king does not muse upon this gift with wonder and thank Sir Reggie (or whatever his name was, I'm not watching the video again just to get his name right) for opening his eyes to possibilities beyond Bud Light. No, he's instantly sent to "the pit of misery." Fuck you for not giving me more Bud Light! And as A-B continues to buy craft breweries and make even more money from their products, they're mocking us, people. I just don't see what's so funny about Dilly Dilly.
Someone will read this and say "it's just a funny commercial." "Where's your sense of humor?" Oh, I've got one. I just prefer to present a differing viewpoint. But for the land of Bud Light people who throw someone in a dungeon for not drinking swill, I'll chuckle and move on. Laughing at it is like applauding a bully, something I just can't do. I don't want to give it much more attention than that,( even if I just did.)
Anyway, I hadn't been to Modist in way too long, was grieving that I skipped them for much of the summer for no reason, and finally found the time on Sunday, the 3rd of December. Crowlers had been sold out long ago of the Dilly, Dilly beer and the memory of the event was still exciting and intoxicating to all around. The King of Beers noticed us! Calloo, Callay! And I continue to grumble, because that's what I do.
It's a hazy one, cast in an dull, dirty off-yellow-ish tone. Not especially pretty. Tell you what, I'll just quote directly from my notebook, without any pretense of turning the notes into structured sentences: "clouded, juicy/fruity, moderate bitterness, increasing on the palate, ending dry. Yeasty mouthfeel, slightly sweet vs. bitter, powerful, and palatable. I like this. Smooth and oat-y."
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| Grondin wants to eat my beer! |
Yeah, I dug Dilly, Dilly, but the hazy double IPA has not unseated the not-hazy DIPA as beverage of choice. I turned next to a glass of Ritual Night, the Mexican dark chocolate stout, which I did not take notes on, as I hope to find some cans, somewhere, some day. I chased that with a Deviation 09, which is one of my favorites, and I'd thought to suspend my stay, until I saw some friends and had to join them. Naturally, I got one more beer and made it a second D, D!, so that we could all Dilly, Dilly together, because that's what we do now, and no one lived in fear of the pit of misery and enjoyed their Mosaic hop double IPA happily ever after.
and then what did I do? I took home a crowler of the one Modist beer that is anything close to Bud Light and I wrote these notes about it:
Modist Supra Deluxe. "American Japanese lager." 5% ABV. Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.
Crystal clear, bright golden hue, slight white head that drifts down to a tight ring.In the nose: clean, dry, elegant. Cereal notes, delicate, small sweetness.
In the mouth: Faintest taste of hops up front, then all is clean and smooth. Light-bodied, crisp, dry, moderate fruity sweetness, exceptionally drinkable. This is a lovely lager, one that I can drink happily. But I will not "dilly, dilly"....
An dry, crisp American Japanese style lager brewed with over 40% rice and Premium Extra Pale Pilsner malt and hopped with Japanese Soriachi Ace hops.
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