What Ales You?

Monthly Feature
Wayne and Leah give us the skinny on beer.

Greetings Mighty Rib readers. We will be writing writing a once monthly take on beer. Some months we will focus on multiple types of beers in one review i.e. lager, ale, stout and other months we will do one or multiple beers from a region. At times we will offer our opinion on a possible pairing the reviwed beverage with a specific meal.

For this entry we will focus on something simple, available in every store across America.

Miller High Life

Overall Taste: The huge American brewers are famous for producing large amounts of a product for a large consuming audience and Miller High Life is definitely one of those beers. Overall, Miller High Life taste is commonplace, similar to those of Coors Light and Bud Light. Non-offensive might be the best way to describe Miller High Life's taste. Definitely not skunky and with little or no poor after taste. While surely not the most ringing of endorsements, it surely doesn't dispel MHL as a choice, surely we would all want something simple now and then?

Meal Pairing: Miller High Life, the Champagne of Beers, an American Legend, a hallmark of Milwaukee, would go well with many many things. I can imagine this beer being very enjoyable amongst a wily group of Packers Tailgaters in the Lambeau Field parking lot, being used as lubricant to stuff down a Bratwurst with sauerkraut. I can also imagine a Pittsburgh steel worker, after the whistle blows, in a small neighborhood tavern enjoying a Miller High Life with Beer Nuts and pretzels, helping ease off the grime and industrial dust from a hard 12 hour shift. The Miller High Life could also be enjoyed around the chuckwagon with a meal of beans and beefsteak after a long day in the American West rustling dogeys. A MHL, would also go perfect in the Sunny Souther Cali sun with a nice chilidog at Chavez Ravine enjoying a saturday afternoon Dodgers game. It's my assertion that Miller High Life is an american symbol that is easily enjoyed by all, along with a standard meal. While some beer afficionados scoff at the large (former) american brewers products lacking taste and originality, I think that they are just fine for a good drink with a simple meal.

Summary: Miller High Life, while not the most tasty beer available is definitely a symbol of American progress and while taken excusive of other more exotic or micro brews it is a perfectly acceptable beer for many meals and situations. Doesn't have a heavy taste that makes you feel too full and leaves little or non bitter after taste.