Like so many things with the “American” tag, American lagers trace their roots to Europe’s deep and varied brewing traditions, pulling from styles of all regions of Germany, the Czech Republic and beyond. Originally made by European immigrants, U.S. lagers have a more generic label today, having less to do with a rigid style and more to do with appearance, which is almost always light in color and crystal clear. These beers are also made with bottom-fermenting lager yeast and usually rice or corn adjuncts, and are generally light in alcohol with very clean fermentation profiles and mild hop bitterness. Unlike many other styles, here, strong flavors are flaws.
Pair: These are session beers to be sure, but while they\'re usually matched with pretzels, popcorn and peanuts, they pair just as pleasantly with lightly seasoned grilled fish or marinated chicken, summer salads with vinegar-based dressings, and hot, buttered crab.