As an Australian living in Florida, the differences in beer preference between the two countries are many.

For example, I prefer a more bitter, stronger lager-style brew in the European (and Aussie) tradition, as I think do most of my country-blokes and -sheilas.

Americans are apparently fond of less yeasty, sweeter beers, with weird names like "light" and "lite".

I set about seeing if I could find a difference between the two best-selling light beers.

That's Dee in the background, making light (ha ha) of my foolishness.

Dee selected two equally cold bottles of the competing brews, and poured me the official tasting cups.

Hmmm, already the difference in colour is clear, although you might not be able to tell from the photo.

Word of the taste-test spread, and Stephanie, another barmaid, wanted a piece of the action.

She felt as I did, that the pronounced difference in colour and fragrance made it pretty clear which was which.

This site is a useful reference as to how real beer-tasters taste beer. Seems I didn't adhere to any of the recommendations. Then again, I'm just an amateur.

Ah, yeah. Just to make sure, right?

Funny thing, Steph said she doesn't really drink. I wonder if this is a good or a bad quality in someone tending bar.

On one hand, employers know she will always be sober on the job: on the other, how can she communicate with her customers?

No surprise. The Budweiser has more flavour, a depth of nose and a more satisfying aftertaste.

According to the ladies behind the bar, women prefer Miller precisely because of its "watered down" flavour.

They did say though that from day to day the consumption of either brand varies, because drinkers stick with their first choice.

Alaskan beer, yum. Fun drinking beer in Juneau. Did you know that Juneau is the Alaskan capital?

Oh my, this is great. How to host a beer tasting party. I think Ben would laugh at my choice of taste test, but it's a start.

Are beer names getting too silly? Beer Retard clearly doesn't care. Good for him.

Thanks to Dee and Steph at the Sniki Tiki, a superior tiki bar on Siesta Key, just near Sarasota.

If you're here on vacation, or live around the place, go check it out.

Phew, now that's over I can have a Heineken. Or a Boddingtons.

Cheers!