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VENUE INFO

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• Rathskeller
• Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

The beers used in our bargain brews taste test (l to R): Hamm's, PBR, Stroh's, Old Style, Natural Ice and Busch. ( Frank Espich / The Star)

Ron Vaught thought Old Style had a funky aftertaste. (Frank Espich / The Star)

Jason Larrison described PBR as Standard American 'piss' beer.( Frank Espich / The Star)

Rock Bottom Brewery's Liz Laughlin thought Natural Ice had a Fruity Pebbles smell. (Frank Espich / The Star)

"A cloudy wheat beer ... pours a pale yellow/white with a moderate white head. The nose is nettly and pungent, with a grassy character and rather modest hints of coriander and clove spice. On the palate it is quite full. Easy to drink, but not terribly distinctive."

This is the type of description you might encounter at a formal beer tasting, designed to highlight the stylistic diversity of beer, variances within a particular style and the complexity/balance of ingredients.

But when you're dealing with the cheap stuff, you get descriptions like, "Standard American 'piss' beer" and "biscuity nose."

Biscuity?

"I didn't want to say dog-foody," said Liz Laughlin, brewmaster at Rock Bottom Brewery at College Park.

As gas prices rise and disposable income shrinks, America's beer-drinking population has responded by lowering its standards. But which cheap brew will give you more beer for your buck? We brought three of the city's best and brightest beer minds together to formally taste six beers, judging appearance, aroma, taste and finish. What did they find? Not much to distinguish any of them, though one did emerge a winner.

As Jason Larrison, member of HoosierBeerGeek.com, said, "It was the only one that didn't leave me with funky beer face."

Meet the tasters

Ron Vaught

Expertise: General manager at the Rathskeller, 401 E. Michigan St., which offers 12 beers on tap and 50-plus bottles.

If you could drink just one specific beer for the rest of your life, what would it be? "Weihenstephaner Kristall Weiss."

Liz Laughlin

Expertise: Brewmaster at Rock Bottom Brewery, 2801 Lake Circle Drive; Indiana State Brewers Cup "Best in Show" winner for her Kolsch (which will be served at Rock Bottom in July).

The one beer? "Sierra Nevada -- nice, yummy, hoppy pale ale."

Jason Larrison

Expertise: Member of HoosierBeerGeek.com; "has a beer gut."

The one beer? "Wow ..... I have to choose one? I'd probably choose an IPA (India pale ale) like Barley Island's BarFly or Bell's Hopslam."

The Contenders

1) Hamm's

$3.69, six-pack/cans.

Ranked No. 1 by two of the tasters, and No. 2 by the third.

Larrison: "Slight lemon nose, very light yellow color, dry bitter aftertaste, hop kinda comes through."

Vaught: "Light in color and body; easy to drink. Clean finish -- not overly flavorful. Some carbonation; light hops at finish."

Laughlin: "Grainy, bready in nose. Slightly sweet in beginning; finishes very flat."

2) PBR

$3.99, six-pack/bottles.

Ranked No. 1 by one taster and No. 2 by two tasters.

Larrison: "Nose is very American-beer like; gets worse as it warms. Neutral in flavor. Standard American 'piss' beer."

Laughlin: "Very neutral in flavor and finish. Looking for a bit more body, but nice flavorful finish."

Vaught: "Light yellow color, lightly carbonated, hoppy on the back end."

3) Stroh's

$3.69, six pack/cans.

Larrison: "No nose, tough to find flavor."

Laughlin: "Slightly buttery in nose; malty in flavor. Fuller in body; a bit grassy in finish."

Vaught: "Light body, light golden color. A little sweetness on backside."

4) Old Style

$3.77, six pack/cans.

Laughlin: "Butter popcorn in nose; fuller body. Finish is slightly sweet ..... lingers on tongue."

Vaught: "Not much flavor."

Larrison: "Funky aftertaste. Less nose, but funkier."

5) Natural Ice

$3.95, six pack/cans.

Vaught: "Slight fruity flavor with slightly bitter aftertaste."

Laughlin: "Bit of a Fruity Pebbles smell. Bit acidic in flavor; finishes slightly bitter. NOT GOOD."

Larrison: "Sweeter, fruitier nose. Nose and flavor don't match -- nose is fresh, but flavor is soured, like (the beer) is past its expiration date."

6) Busch

$4.03, six pack/cans.

Larrison: "Dirty-feet nose and taste. Not enjoyable."

Laughlin: "Biscuity nose, medium grainy flavor. Slightly metallic finish."

Vaught: "Stale bread. Slight sweet finish (malt)."

What's brewing: Five of the summer's best beer-drinking events:

Ales for Adoptable Tails

5 to 8 p.m. June 19, Agio, 635 Massachusetts Ave.

Sample microbrews, paired with specially selected appetizers. Proceeds benefit Humane Society of Indianapolis programs. Tix: $50 in advance, $75 at the door. Info: (317) 872-5650, ext. 102, or www.indyhumane.org

Indy's Wine & Brew Fest

6 to 10 p.m. June 19, the Rathskeller, 401 E. Michigan St.

Event showcases more than 200 varieties of beer and wine. Proceeds benefit the United Hope Foundation and Noble of Indiana. Tix: $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Info: (317) 205-9266 or www.unitedpackageliquors.com

Brew-Ha-Ha

3 to 7 p.m. June 21, Phoenix Theatre, 749 N. Park Ave.

Microbrews line both sides of Park Avenue, from St. Claire Street to Mass Ave., at this festival, a fundraiser for Phoenix Theatre. Tix: $20 in advance, $25 at event, $10 designated drivers. Info: (317) 635-7529.

Indiana Microbrewers Festival

3 to 7 p.m. July 19, North Side Optimist Opti-Park, 66th Street and College Avenue.

Unlimited sampling of more than 200 microbrews from more than 20 Indiana breweries and 15 out-of-state breweries. The 13th annual event, presented by the Brewers of Indiana Guild, also features music, food and games. Tix: $30 in advance, $35 at event. Info: (317) 856-6092 or www.brewersofindianaguild.com/festival.html

Oktoberfest

4 p.m. to midnight Aug. 29-31 and Sept. 5-6, Indiana State Fairgrounds Agriculture-Horticulture Building, 1202 E. 38th St.

Enjoy authentic, traditional German cuisine, along with German and domestic beers in the popular German Bier and Wein Garten. There's also music, dancing, carnival rides and games. Tix: $5 in advance, $6 at event. Info: (317) 888-6940. www.indyoktoberfest.com