Cheap white-headed straw-bodied Michelob knockoff less appealing than lower rung Asian brews. Musty barleymalts envelop cloy watery spritz.
All posts by John Fortunato
MILLER LITE ICE
Mild blandness, overt sweetness, and pale transparence similar to Miller High Life Pilsener. Yet not as processed as its descendant thanks to ‘ice’ brewing, which dissipates the dank tinniness for pleasant watery texture and dry hop finish.
MILLER CHILL LIGHT LAGER
Foul cabbage-y chemical waft emanates from flaccid yellow-bellied Chelada-style ‘malternative.’ Originally mistook name as ‘Chili’ since green label and bottle and Mexican recipe fooled me. But sugared lime and salt provide cola-like 7-Up, Mountain Dew, and Fresca flavoring. Slick hop dryness compensates artificial sweetener.
MILLER 1855 CELEBRATION LAGER
Listless palest straw macro-brewed pushover fades into phenol oblivion as soon as muted corn-soured whiskey waft, dank malt sweetness and glutinous spelt grain buttering lose traction to clay-hopped plasticene linger. Yawn.
MILL CITY OATMEAL STOUT
Giving Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout a run for its money, smoothly full-bodied mahogany-hued colonial brew goes down like silk. Exquisite aromatic sweetness and frothy head consume the senses before coffee-stained oatmeal richness takes over and barleywine illusions induce peculiar twist to an already fascinating brew. Brewery defunct: 2006.
MILL CITY INDIA PALE ALE
Chocolate-covered raisin aroma nice lead-in for spice-hopped sour prune prominence, secondary herbaceous floral bitterness, and mandarin orange tingle. Syrupy caramelized mocha malts sweeten chalky cocoa hints slipping through the cracks. Brewery defunct: 2006.
(MILL CITY) HORSESHOE ALE
Imbibed in Cambridge at 99 Restaurant & Pub, this spice-hopped amber ale with moderate bitter-grained spine softens to delicate orange-tangerine-induced finish, retaining faded spiciness casual drinkers will find smooth and heartier thirsts will compare to less malt-y Bass Ale or less involving Sam Adams Pale Ale. Brewery defunct: 2006.
MILL CITY BOARDING HOUSE ALE
Solid-bodied auburn-clouded pale ale with perplexing sour yeast, mildewed malt, and musty barley combination you’ll either love or hate. Juxtaposed with prune overtones, this original-minded brew will certainly garner varied opinions depending on one’s tolerance for oxidization. Brewery defunct: 2006.
MILE SQUARE GINSENG ALE
Dried-out orange palate, creamy caramel malt follow-up, and puissant carbolic fizz provide fine opening for herbal red ale. Ginseng nearly lost in vanilla extract, honey maple, and citrus adjuncts. Slide this in next to Hempen and Aviator ales. Brewery defunct: 2001.
MILE SQUARE BLONDE ALE
Strong citric-spiced pale malting imbibes sharp hop edge more resiliently than most bubbly blondes. Insufficient watery finish weighs down pale-bodied ale’s swagger. Brewery defunct: 2001.
MILE SQUARE AMBER ALE
Fine pale-hued amber with daintily-hopped malted barley sweetness and overall earthen minerality needs richer toasted grain finish. Brewery defunct: 2001.
MILE SQUARE GOLDEN ALE
Fluffy white-headed, musty fruit-wafted, sharp hop-embittered medium body receives sugary malt initiation. Punctual barley-wheat swagger strikes fast while frisky carbolic nature subsides. Brewery defunct: 2001.