One of those classic American adjunct lagers, this original Miller beer has gained notoriety in Europe last year because of its use of the slogan "champagne of beers" (since 1906, mind you - though up till 1969, the full version was "champagne of bottled beers" apparently): the Comité Champagne, a mighty French lobby monitoring everything that has to do with the northern French sparkling wine of the same name, was not amused by this and had over two thousand cans destroyed in the port of Antwerp when some German company tried to import it last year. It is not the first time the champagne lobby makes a big fuss out of beers referring to champagne - they are blind for the metaphorical or even laudatory meaning that can also be read in such references, but basically it is all about the money, I guess. Anyway: this - in Europe - 'illegal' beer may be the original Miller, globally it is less common (and less well known) than the ubiquitous Miller Genuine Draft (MGD) version, so I am happy with this tick nonetheless - thanks to Lauren and Morgan for this one, not packed in a can but in a small colourless bottle! Snow white, moussey, bubbly, medium thick, lightly lacing, closed and stable head on a crystal clear, pure yellow blonde robe with slight 'metallic' old-golden tinge and lively visible sparkling. Aroma of dry cookies, cotton cloth, ferrous spring water, canned corn, popcorn even, rubber, hints of asphalt, wet brown paper and grass. Neutral onset, with a sweetish corn- and maltose-like flavour coming up quickly and remaining unchanged for the rest of the flavour 'parcours', except for some minerality (from the carbonation) being added which is actually refreshing, especially in the broiling of a July evening; thin, even rather watery mouthfeel, but something very thinly (white-)bready or flour-like also glows up in the end and I can even taste a very mild, waferthin grassy hop bitter element that last for a few seconds - but there are also these side notes of wet paper, plastic and rubber, as well as that whiny 'cooked' pasteurisation effect, unsurprisingly. Clean, clear, sleek and utterly 'easy', this is indeed the standard of bland, generic, industrial pale lager the American way, but that light breadiness and hoppiness are elements I cannot remember detecting in its MGD offspring - so seen in its context, this is not even the worst in that segment, though referring to itself as the "champagne of beers" is obviously not even worth going into. Still: have a point for annoying that humourless, petty champagne lobby.

My clear bottle does not say 'ale'. It just says hard apple black cherry so I'm guessing this is the correct place for this soda pop rating? Just asking. Color is basically pale with perhaps a slight orange tint? You know, like Biden after a little artificial tanning? Hehehehh. And they call Trump the orange man, yer kidding, right? Again, just asking. Maybe I get a little berry fruit on the nose, and its not quite artificial. But hey, the big blast flavor of cherry is certainly on the first big gulp. Decent level of co2 but could use more. Can't really locate the apple or cider in this bomb. In the middle I'm still enjoying this soda pop brew, yes it hides the alky quite well. No bitterness or rude ale character, not sure how this stuff is considered an ale. Must be really refined or processed er sumthin. Just asking. Got this bottle off the clearance rak for less than a buck, thot I'd give it a try for a tick. You got it.

Golden, clear body, with a small, white head. Aroma of grains, sweet malts, slight citrus. Tastes quite similar, but sweeter. Medium mouthfeel, with a quite lively carbonation. Finishes quite sweet, malty, slightly hoppy. Actually quite solid, better than expected. Alcohol is well hidden. 6 / 4 / 6 / 3 / 12

Blik geprobeerd met LiekevdV en SandervdL op de HAL Ms Rotterdam in Kristiansand Noorwegen. Het is een helder goudgeel bier met een volle witte schuimkraag. Het heeft een aroma van mout. De smaak is moutig, zacht zoet en licht hoppig.