Beer in the Wild West

[EarlJam]

Back in the 1800s, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, 1871 for example, how did saloons out west keep their beer cold? Or did they? I bet that beer tasted pretty shitty. Or not. If a person from 1871, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Bob Stevens, had a Budweiser out of a can today, I wonder if he'd spit it out saying it sucked?

Thoughts?

-Earl "paper" Jam

[wilson]

Back in the 1800s, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, 1871 for example, how did saloons out west keep their beer cold? Or did they? I bet that beer tasted pretty shitty. Or not. If a person from 1871, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Bob Stevens, had a Budweiser out of a can today, I wonder if he'd spit it out saying it sucked?

Thoughts?

-Earl "paper" Jam

Interesting tale apropos of this:
Anchor Steam beer is an anomaly. It was first brewed in San Francisco and fermented at room temperature, in keeping with the traditional method for producing ale. However, in terms of its ingredients, it is actually a lager, which is supposed to be cold fermented. For this reason, it is a style unto itself, "Steam" beer. The "steam" nomenclature derives from the hissing sound and the vapors released upon the opening of the fermented cask of beer. "Anchor Steam," therefore, is not just a fancy name for the brewery's main beer; rather it is Steam beer, made by Anchor brewery. They are the only people who still make this style, and Steam beer is the only style of beer truly invented in the United States.
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/beers/

[DevilAlumna]

Back in the 1800s, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, 1871 for example, how did saloons out west keep their beer cold? Or did they? I bet that beer tasted pretty shitty. Or not. If a person from 1871, sayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Bob Stevens, had a Budweiser out of a can today, I wonder if he'd spit it out saying it sucked?

Thoughts?

-Earl "paper" Jam

When I was in Scotland, they served beers room temperature or just a bit chilled, not the close-to-frozen style favored here in the US. The beer was just fine, thanks much.

What I didn't understand was, Budweiser at room temperature was considered, by those same Scots, to be a "premium" beer for which one paid extra. I find it undrinkable unless it's so cold you can barely taste it.