jerichobill
Active Member
I was trying to understand the hype behind "Pliny the Elder" and "Miller High Life" on this forum, so I could decide on my next clone brew. After clawing through hundreds of reviews of both, I found the best (and most insightful) review at brewadvocate:
Let it be known that I am a novice beer drinker. I've been at it for only a month now, and I've tried about 5 different types of beers so far. I'm in search of my beer, or perhaps...a beer that I can drink. Like many beginners, I find beer to be extremely bitter in general and barely undrinkable...but I also know that every beer is different and it's only a matter of time until I find the right one.
I definitely have taken a step in the right direction (for me) with Miller High life. I've tried a couple other American Adjunct-Style lagers and this is definitely the best so far. I've even tried a couple craft beers and since I'm a beginner, I find they have way too much taste and bitterness. It appears that part of the point of the American Macro-Brews is to give the masses a "decent" product for a great price....and I think Miller High Life fits the bill! This is the first beer I've drank so far that I've not only (not) poured down the drain towards the end, but also said, "wow...I could have another one of those!"
Appearance: A light golden-yellow...classic macro-lager...but perhaps a bit darker and golden then most in it's class that I've tried and seen, but not by much. Bubbly carbonation, looks very refreshing. I poured a billowy, very white, one-finger head, but many reviewers show two fingers. I could have poured more aggressive after tipping the glass to a 90 from the 45. The head actually stayed through the whole session...nice lacing, very pleasing. The new look on their bottles is very cool. Clear bottle, which opens up to the danger of "skunkiness" but I didn't detect any. The bottle is very retro and was very "American" feeling to me...like I was sitting in a fishing shack in the 40's.
Smell: Not much to mention actually...which for me is what I'm looking for until my taste is broadened a bit. It smells more of malty to me than hoppy...I think I detect a corn smell - but the smell is very faint either way.
Taste: This beer doesn't have a whole lot of taste, which again, I think I was looking for. It is very watered down, which many people don't like...but it makes it very refreshing. This beer quenched my thirst better than any other so far. The taste is more sweet than bitter, and it has a finish that leaves a crisp, yet slightly sweet, corn-like taste. Not much aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Moderate carbonation. Overall, very refreshing, but very light bodied flavor. Although it was in a clear bottle there was no detectable skunk. I could feel the frothiness in my mouth, but it was also crisp at he same time...a nice moderate feeling of having something slightly foamy in my mouth but also crisp with a bit of a dryer finish feeling at the end.
Drinkability: This is the most drinkable beer I've tried. I actually want another one as I write this and that's the first time I've been able to say that. It's very smooth and crisp, very refreshing.
This is a good beer to wash down a nice sandwich or barbecue, even if it takes two...although I think for those with really refined tastes they would find the experience to be pretty mediocre at best...not bat, not great. For me, it's a good beer, plain and simple, and for the price, not a bad choice at all!
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 01-16-2011 05:20:21
Let it be known that I am a novice beer drinker. I've been at it for only a month now, and I've tried about 5 different types of beers so far. I'm in search of my beer, or perhaps...a beer that I can drink. Like many beginners, I find beer to be extremely bitter in general and barely undrinkable...but I also know that every beer is different and it's only a matter of time until I find the right one.
I definitely have taken a step in the right direction (for me) with Miller High life. I've tried a couple other American Adjunct-Style lagers and this is definitely the best so far. I've even tried a couple craft beers and since I'm a beginner, I find they have way too much taste and bitterness. It appears that part of the point of the American Macro-Brews is to give the masses a "decent" product for a great price....and I think Miller High Life fits the bill! This is the first beer I've drank so far that I've not only (not) poured down the drain towards the end, but also said, "wow...I could have another one of those!"
Appearance: A light golden-yellow...classic macro-lager...but perhaps a bit darker and golden then most in it's class that I've tried and seen, but not by much. Bubbly carbonation, looks very refreshing. I poured a billowy, very white, one-finger head, but many reviewers show two fingers. I could have poured more aggressive after tipping the glass to a 90 from the 45. The head actually stayed through the whole session...nice lacing, very pleasing. The new look on their bottles is very cool. Clear bottle, which opens up to the danger of "skunkiness" but I didn't detect any. The bottle is very retro and was very "American" feeling to me...like I was sitting in a fishing shack in the 40's.
Smell: Not much to mention actually...which for me is what I'm looking for until my taste is broadened a bit. It smells more of malty to me than hoppy...I think I detect a corn smell - but the smell is very faint either way.
Taste: This beer doesn't have a whole lot of taste, which again, I think I was looking for. It is very watered down, which many people don't like...but it makes it very refreshing. This beer quenched my thirst better than any other so far. The taste is more sweet than bitter, and it has a finish that leaves a crisp, yet slightly sweet, corn-like taste. Not much aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Moderate carbonation. Overall, very refreshing, but very light bodied flavor. Although it was in a clear bottle there was no detectable skunk. I could feel the frothiness in my mouth, but it was also crisp at he same time...a nice moderate feeling of having something slightly foamy in my mouth but also crisp with a bit of a dryer finish feeling at the end.
Drinkability: This is the most drinkable beer I've tried. I actually want another one as I write this and that's the first time I've been able to say that. It's very smooth and crisp, very refreshing.
This is a good beer to wash down a nice sandwich or barbecue, even if it takes two...although I think for those with really refined tastes they would find the experience to be pretty mediocre at best...not bat, not great. For me, it's a good beer, plain and simple, and for the price, not a bad choice at all!
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 01-16-2011 05:20:21
