Dancing with Genny

Over in Rochester there’s a brewery called the Genesee Brewing Company which brews something called Genesee Cream Ale, colloquially known as “Genny Cream.” It’s a very cheap (the can pictured above was something like $0.69) tasteless American beer, marginally better than Budweiser but miles below just about anything else. My wife describes it as a “solid hillbilly beer,” ideal for the kinds of parties where you can use it for beer pong or drink it through a funnel. Despite the taste it holds a special place in the hearts of many people and it’s a sort of regional icon.

To be honest I had never had Genny Cream until today, after living here nearly two years. It’s not that I have anything against it, I just don’t buy beer all that often and when I do I try and buy higher quality stuff than what goes into the average college beer bong. But last night I was at the grocery store and I noticed that they were selling dirt cheap individual cans; I decided that it was time for me to finally sample one of the region’s most treasured beverages and become a true resident of upstate New York. I showed it to Ella when I got home and she was kind enough to take the following series of pictures of my tasting experience:

My verdict: I’m tempted to ask for my money back but as it was only $0.69 I shouldn’t have expected much.