Yellow Jacket Beer (Coors Banquet) is Awesome.
The Dutton family sure does love their liquor. So who is busy on Yellowstone drinking Yellow Jackets? Well that would be Rip Wheeler, my friends. Rip loves tapping the Colorado Rockies in bottle form.
Written by CraftJack | Updated | 3 min read
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Sure, he could be polishing off whiskey like John and Beth Dutton, but it seems he much prefers a delicious beer.
What type of beer is a Yellow Jacket?
Yellow jackets are Coors Banquet beers. And, Yellowstone isn't the only show or movie famous for featuring them.
For example, Burt Reynolds and Sally Field were busy transporting Coors from Texas to Georgia in Smokey and the Bandit. Henry Kissinger drank them. Paul Newman demanded them in his on-set mini fridge. And, in the fantastic refresh on 80's classic, Karate Kid, resident bad ass, Johnny Lawrence, is constantly polishing off Coors Banquet beers in half the scenes of the trending Cobra Kai.
Who brews the Yellowstone beers?
Molson-Coors brews the almighty Rocky Mountain cold snack for your enjoyment. Not an India Pale Ale (IPA) from your local brewing company, Coors Banquet is a refreshing lager that your uncle in Indiana probably drank last night. Or Austin. Or Montana. The Banquet is popular across the country.
Banquet beers (yellow jackets) aren't the only beer from Molson-Coors on Yellowstone though. We're fairly certain that we caught a Coors Light in there as well. Coors Light is a staple among the light beer category. They're also known for their super slim beer cans.
And, perhaps a Sol? Sol is a mexican beer that's brewed nowhere near Montana.
History of Coors Banquet
Thrillist did some solid research and had this to say. "Between Prohibition and 1976, Coors was available in only 11 states, all in the West -- the stuff was unpasteurized, contained no preservatives, and had to be kept cold, so long journeys just weren’t a possibility. The first steps towards national distribution actually came in the 1950s when Coors helped pioneer the use of cold filtering, sterile filling, aluminum cans, and refrigerated trucks, but it wouldn’t reach all 50 states until it landed in Indiana in 1991."
Where does Yellow Jacket come from?
Certainly not from wasps.
The term Yellow Jacket comes from the yellow label found on the Coors Banquet beer. Coors Original was originally introduced to Americans in 1874 by Adolph Coors (obviously). It's been brewed with Rocky Mountain water ever since. It strives to have that, "drinkable "Mile High Taste"." that Coors Banquet is known for. This beer ain't no fancy seltzer. Probably why they drink it on Yellowstone. Definitely why Johnny Lawrence drinks it on Cobra Kai.
1874 is cool and all, but Coors is still not the oldest brewery in the United States. That's Yuengling.
Back in 2011, the Denver Post reported that Coors released commemorative yellow belly cans of Coors to the public. Yellow bellies were just another name for Banquet Beers.
What is the ABV of Coors Banquet beer?
Coors Banquet is 5% ABV.
What is the IBU of Coors Banquet beer?
Coors Banquet is 15 IBU.
Is Coors Banquet an adjunct beer?
Yes, it is.
How many carbs are in Yellow Jackets?
11.7 grams of carbs
What about sugars?
0 grams of sugar
What is the Coors Banquet Fermentation process?
According to the Molson-Coors brewing company, "We only ferment Coors Banquet using the classic technique of closed horizontal box fermentation, which is done at cold temperatures. The process lasts up to 30 days, and plays a major role in giving Coors Banquet its distinctive banana characteristic."
Where can you buy Yellow Jacket Coors Banquet beers?
Check out your local grocery store or large alcohol retailer like Total Wine. You can also buy beer online through various websites and apps. You probably won't be getting Coors Banquet beers in your craft beer subscription box. Well, not unless it's an old school craft beer box - which would be sweet.
Craft Breweries brewing Yellow Jackets
You can also find "Yellow Jacket" beers at some local breweries. That's mostly because they are naming a craft brew Yellow Jacket though.
- River Hawk Brewing
- Spearfish Brewing
Wrapping up
Much like Rip Wheeler, we love Coors Banquet beers. Then again, we love old school pilsners and stouts. And IPAs. And witbiers. Ok ok, we like them all.
Hopefully you've learned why Coors Banquet beers are called Yellow Jackets and who drinks them on the show Yellowstone.
Article Sources
- https://www.nytimes.com/1975/12/28/archives/article-4-no-title-sold-only-in-the-west-coors-beer-is-smuggled-to.html
- https://www.denverpost.com/2011/02/01/coors-banquet-released-in-commemorative-cans-from-past-eras/
- https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/coors-banquet-to-coors-original-cant-they-just-leave-a-beer-alone.635233/
- https://www.coors.com/process
- https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-coors-banquet
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-sugar-in-beer
- https://untappd.com/b/river-hawk-brewing-yellow-jacket/2219068
- https://www.spearfishbrewing.com/all-beers/yellow-jacket/