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The "Monday night thing" took an interesting turn last night as I felt increasingly compelled to sample the new Miller Chill product a light beer supposedly infused with lime and salt for the sake of reviewing it here for all of you. So, between a Goose Island Honker's Ale and a Boddington's Pub Ale (now on tap at Pinch Penny, by the way) I ordered one. I even asked the server for a clean pint glass so I could take in this beer in all its glory or what's the opposite of glory?

Anyway, as always I'll drink the beer so you don't have to!

In this case, however, I'd have preferred you drink the beer. Here's my review:

The substance poured a very, very pale blonde color (as I described it last night, it appears like a pint glass of water that someone soaked a corn chip in for a few moments) and displayed a surprisingly thin, soapy head of bright white. The nose (no, that term is too high-brow for this beer) the smell was of pale rice grain and corn with an entire package of Spree candy dumped in. Okay, upon the initial tasting, this "beer" comes across less like a beer and more like a malt liquor product like Zima, really. After a couple more attempts, it dawns on me this is a simply a Miller Lite with Hawaiian Punch added. I detect no lime, although there is a cheap candy-like fruit thing going on, and definitely no salt. For this, I'm actually thankful. The mouthfeel is extremely thin, like carbonated water, and the finish was clean and "spritzy" more of a citrus soda in this regard than anything else I can think of at the moment. Over all, maybe the Miller folks have nailed what they were trying to create - a Chelada - which is basically a way to make a Mexican beer taste better, if that is possible. I know full well I'm not the demographic they're trying to reach with this one, but man I don't even think I could do this for an occasional lawnmower beer. Definitely not my cup of tea (I'd have certainly preferred a cup of tea!) but if you're into this sort of thing, knock yourself out.

As for me, I'm sticking with a Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy if I'm going to have a citrus-infused light beer. I can mow to that, at least.

Learn more about this author, Shawn Connelly.
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