There’s something about great burgers and cheap beer (see my recent post on the Stag I had at Booche’s) that I love. and I’m not afraid to say I love Booche’s burgers. However, it’s 4 hours away in Columbia, MO, so it’s a rare treat. I was told about a place around here (Central IL) that supposedly has great burgers as well – Green Gables. It was a 15 minute drive from home, and I was surprised that it was equal parts country general store, bait shop, and tavern. It was packed on this Sunday afternoon and my family and I luckily found a few seats at the bar. I realized I hadn’t reviewed Busch Light yet, so I thought I’d have one along with my burger and fries.
Location: Served in the (Ice Cold Easy Indicator) bottle at Green Gables in Hudson, IL.
Numbers: 4.1% ABV, 95 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: I didn’t pour it out of the bottle, but having had this before, I know it’s clear and pale yellow in color with a good amount of carbonation. Inside the bottle I could see a thin head, which gave off a light bready, lagery aroma.
Taste & Feel: The body was light and the mouthfeel was crisp from the carbonation. There was a light bready-lager flavor up front, with a bit of a bready-yeasty flavor stepping up in the middle. The mix of bready flavors came through in the finish, with almost no bitterness detectable and almost no aftertaste.
Food Pairing: A light beer like this goes well with a juicy burger like this one at Green Gables. The burger was a bit thicker and juicier than a Steak ‘n Shake burger, but the mixture of grease and american cheese on the top made it feel like it was melting in your mouth. When you were ready to cleanse your palate of those flavors, the beer worked well with the light bready flavors mixing with the burger only slightly.
Overall Impression: I’d had this beer, so I knew what to expect. It’s very light with fairly neutral flavors, making it very drinkable. The carbonation crispness gives it a cleanness that works for helping to wash down rich meals like this one. It’s not that it’s a bad beer at all, it’s just that it lacks a lot of flavor and character. Overall, it’s a light beer with only a little more to offer than water.
My Rating: 
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