Although we've not glimpsed one in quite some time, older reviews tell of the bygone Keystone Light Lime, which had a particularly pungent lime scent and refreshing (though some say watered-down) taste. It had a short run in the mid 2010s. Keystone's parent company Molson Coors launched Keylightful, a raspberry and lime beer, in 2020. But the next year it discontinued 11 of its non-flagship products, and Keylightful sadly joined the list of discontinued beers we'll never drink again. So what happened to these fruit-flavored spinoffs, and why were their lives cut short? A combination of premiumization (focusing marketing toward top-tier products to drive increased sales) and a shift in younger drinkers' buying habits away from lower-cost beers ultimately killed them. 

During an earnings call following the restructuring that axed Keylightful (along with 100 other SKUs), according to Molson Coors blog, Beer & Beyond, Gavin Hattersley (who was CEO of Molson Coors at the time) said, "This will improve supply chain flexibility for our profitable priority brands, enhance our innovation efforts, enable us to better focus resources, and ensure dependable and on-time shipments to our distributors." But as business trends flow in and out of style, good things inevitably circle back around, and it appears Keystone Light makers couldn't stay away from fruit flavors forever. Molson Coors recently debuted Keystone Light Apple.

Beer drinkers rate the bygone fruit-flavored beers and celebrate the new release

For flavorful beers with a low price point, internet users largely approved of both Keystone Light Lime and Keylightful, each earning a respectable score of 75 (out of 100) from community members at Beer Advocate. "This isn't something I would want to make a day of, but as a novelty drink and a break from a heavy craft drinking weekend, I didn't mind it at all," wrote a Beer Advocate reviewer, adding, "I wouldn't turn down another one in my future."

In a separate thread discussing Keystone Light Lime, another Beer Advocate member wrote they went into the taste test with low expectations and were pleasantly surprised the beer was pleasing and satisfying. "The relatively heavy carbonation added to the flavor, giving a good feel," they said. "Overall, it's the best lime beer that I've had, mostly because the lime flavor overpowers an extremely underwhelming beer. I will buy again."

Early reviews of the Keystone Light Apple were favorable, with one TikTok reviewer saying the taste is superior to Busch Apple. And one YouTuber tried the beer on camera and noted he was pleased the apple flavor was neither too sweet nor overwhelming to the drink. "Not overly carbonated," he said, adding, "It keeps it honest a little bit with the Keystone Light flavor."