Ready for a surprise? This is actually a darned good beer. Of late, I have
been struck by the urge to review beers that are a bit more mainstream than
what I usually drink. Hey, not everyone who comes to Bruguru.com for advice is
a beer connoisseur, and I consider it my duty as guru of brew to make known
my thoughts on the beers they drink. It just may be that, among the class of
beers in question, Miller High Life is one of the best on the market.
This is the beer that spawned Miller Time, which has become
synonymous in popular culture with rewarding one’s self after a hard day’s
work with an ice-cold beer. Believe it or not, High Life is also the reason
that for all you do, this Bud’s for you, since Anheuser-Busch
developed that slogan in response to and in imitation of the highly
successful Miller campaign.
Miller Brewing Company was founded in 1855 when German immigrant Frederick
Miller acquired the famous Plank Road brewery from Frederick Best. Today,
the Plank Road brewery is not a functioning concern, though Miller does use
the name as the producer of beers like Red Dog and Icehouse, and even brewed
a Plank Road beer in the past.
A new flagship brewery is now located where the Plank Road brewery once
stood, and Miller also maintains its corporate headquarters here too. The
company also operates breweries in Albany, Georgia; Eden, North Carolina;
Trenton, Ohio; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Tumwater, Washington; Irwindale,
California; and Fort Worth, Texas.
Miller High Life was introduced in 1903, and as such is the oldest
brand in the Miller Lineup. High Life won a bronze medal at the 1999 Great
American Beer Festival in the American-Style Lager category, though this
category is for the most part a bone thrown to the megabrewers by GABF. It
puzzles me how the winners in the category change from year to year, while
the recipes for the beers in question never change.
For many years Miller’s Flagship beer, High Life is now a bargain
brand sold at a lower price than premium brands the likes of Budweiser,
Coors, and Miller Genuine Draft. High Life is a great value, available
locally at an incredible 99 cents for a 22-ounce bottle. Six-Packs are
$3.99, twelve packs are sold for $6.99.
None of this would matter, of course, if the beer wasn’t good, but it is.
Miller High Life pours to a pale golden color with a light fizzy head
formation and a fairly non-descript nose. A constant stream of tiny bubbles
rises briskly to the top of the glass, giving the brew a champagne-like
appearance (High Life is advertised as the champagne of beers). An
impressive amount of Brussels lace follows the beer down the glass.
The palate is a bit thin but very malty, surprisingly pleasant with a crisp,
light character of very fresh malt. There is a very faint adjunct note
present but it’s not enough to detract from the overall quality of the beer.
The finish leans slightly to the sweet side, with little sign of hops
present. A very drinkable brew, I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed
it.
If you normally drink Budweiser, Coors, or some sub-brand thereof, I
recommend giving Miller’s High Life a try. It is an exceptional beer in its
class, and is a great bargain at the same time.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft