Magnum - Miller Brewing Co.

mfnmbvp

Illinois

1.88/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

40 oz. bottle, with the best by date reading July 15, 2013. The second malt liquor beer by Miller that I am reviewing here on BeerAdvocate. The first was Olde English 800, and I'm not really expecting this one to be any better. Acquired at the local beer store for $1.79 after trudging through snowy slush to get there.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours the typical clear yellow piss malt liquor color with a quarter inch of thin white head that fizzles away almost immediately. Looks exactly the same as how a Miller Lite or Olde English 800 or any other Miller product looks in a glass.

S - Sweet chemically treated malts and corn husks. To give it the benefit of the doubt, this beer definitely smells better than a Miller Lite at least.

T - Artificially sweet sugars and corn / grain. Moderate level of carbonation, lightly bodied. There really isn't any discernable "taste" to be had here other than a prominent taste of corn.

M - Smooth and clean, thin and light bodied. My mouth tastes like corn kernels.

Overall, this is just a plain simple alcohol delivery vehicle for people looking to get their cheap buzz on, which is exactly what I plan on doing with it considering the murk I had to hike through to get this. (In my defense, I bought some *good* beer also). Anyway, like the others have said before me, this beer isn't horrible or offensive, it's just a bland alcohol delivery vehicle. The guy two reviews below me said it best - another tick off the bottom of the barrel list with plenty more to go.

Miller Magnum ---2/5.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 05:54:32 | More by mfnmbvp

buschbeer

Ohio

2.79/5  rDev +32.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

24 ounce can
Served in a pilsner glass

A - It is straw colored with ample carbonation bubbles rising from the etchings on the bottom of the glass. It is topped with two inches of white head.

S - I notice some floral hops that give it a soapy smell. I also get sweet grains.

T - It tastes a lot like an adjunct lager. I get some sweet grain flavors and a slight bitterness from a small dose of hops.

M - Thin with biting carbonation

O - I'm not going to lie. I drink my fair share of malt liquor after a shitty day at work. I am used to the 8+ percent varieties. This just tastes like an adjunct lager.

Serving type: can

12-30-2012 00:08:30 | More by buschbeer

SometimesIfart

Michigan

1.9/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A - Drank straight from the forty. The usual malt liquor gold with a small white film to cap it off.

S - Corn. Corn. Corn. Corn. Corn. Corn. Corn.

T - Lots of corn as expected from the nose, And some slight sugar in the finish.

M - Medium carbonation with a medium body.

O - Overall, not a terrible malt liquor. It does it's job at the price you'd expect to pay.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 20:49:38 | More by SometimesIfart

thagr81us

South Carolina

2.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Big thanks goes out to the BA who sent me this one as an extra just because he saw it on my Wants! Even attached a post-it note taped to it that said, “SAW THIS ON YOUR WANTS!! HAHA”. Keeping it classy. Served from 24 oz can into a Mikkeller oversized wine glass (have to try to class it up some). Poured a golden yellow with a one finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained phenomenal lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, corn, grain, and sugar. The flavor was of sweet malt, corn, sugar, alcohol, and water. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty bad brew. I have to say that this was a pretty nice looking brew. But I knew not to judge a book by its cover here as this brew likely had a hidden side. Boy was I right on that one…. The aroma was not that great on this one as there was a fairly large sugary aspect going on with it. The flavor was more of the same with more dilution. As a previous review said this was very mild and it being in a can format would make it fun to shotgun at a college frat party (believe me, I was there once). Another tick from the Bottom of the Barrel list with plenty more to go.

Serving type: can

09-15-2012 14:14:02 | More by thagr81us

netrioter

Texas

2.4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

24oz can for .89 cents in Cedar Lake Indiana.

its slightly better in 40oz bottles.

average, run of the mill malt liquor...actually slightly below average but its not horrible when compared to Evil Eye or St. Ides or Stack.

at 89 cents for a 24oz can, i couldnt pass it up for a quick drunk.

i rated it a 2 for taste because it actually has hardly any taste...its not offensive tasting,its just not there....the price point is definitely meant for the economy drinker looking to get messed up..4 cans of this for less than 4 bucks...and considering its watery and almost tasteless...you can shotgun or seriously pound these and at 6.0%...itll get you a buzz if you drink said 4 cans in 30 minutes.

perfect malt liquor for the college/bum set

Serving type: can

07-20-2012 10:19:56 | More by netrioter

troobie

California

2.15/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Magnum - So cheap it's bad, so bad it's cheap.

A: No, I didn't pour it out of the clear 40 oz. bottle. Extremely clear golden-yellow color. Not very inviting. Huge amount of bright white foam and huge bubbles on top after ever drink. Bubbles dissipate but some of the foam is always present. Does Miller add dish soap to this? It may actually leave a little lacing if poured into a glass.

S: Not as bad as you might expect. The smell tells you this is going to be one of the lighter tasting malt liquors relative to say a Steel Reserve or an Earthquake. The smell reminds me of an 'old man' beer like PBR or Milwaukee's Best. Hey, Miller makes such products: MGD and High Life. Sugary sweetness, corn, some cooked vegetables.

T: Extremely carbonated. It's a crisp, champagne like carbonation. There is that tie-in to High Life again. Very sweet. Like the smell, it's a soda-like sugary sweet. There is a toasty malt flavor but it's hard to pick up though it becomes more pronounced as the beer warms. The sweetness lingers well after you swallow. Some bitterness up front.

M: I like carbonation, I'm a big fan. It takes a lot for me to say this but Magnum is borderline overly carbonated. The carbonation takes center stage and is harsh on your tongue. Expect to rip huge burps constantly. Otherwise it is slick with a light-oil thickness.

O: This is really just a concentrated, or 'ice', version of High Life. I don't find that surprising as it seems mostly everything Miller sells is just a variation on a theme. It hits really weak for something that is supposedly 6.0%. Never overrate your ABV in this market.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 01:15:07 | More by troobie

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.15/5  rDev +50%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a pale amber colour, not too crystal clear, which is good for a malt liquor. Head is also good for a malt liquor. It poured white and healthy and didn't entirely disappear. I think I even see some lace.
Smell is wet grains. Very old-school malt liquory, if that means anything to anybody.
Mouthfeel is light and VERY high carbonation.
Taste is disappointing after the decent appearance and delicious malt liquor smell. That old-school malt liquor taste is there, but it's really quite light. It just tastes like high carbonation and stale grains, mostly. Oh well. I'd say it's an average malt liquor: boring, but not offensive like some of the newer, higher alcohol malt liquors. I won't buy it again when Olde English and Schlitz O.M.L. are easily attainable and far superior.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:45:55 | More by ElCommodoro

keeganfrank

Ohio

1.8/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Decided to pick one of these up since they're practically free right now ay my corner store. I'm not sure why, because it doesn't even LOOK tasty, but we'll see. Brownish yellow liquid with some sudsing on top from the ride home in my bike bag. Smells really, really sweet and of corn and grain. Sugary, fruity flavor with unpleasant, bitter undertones. Feels a bit watery, especially for malt liquor. I guess you get what you pay for.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 19:19:13 | More by keeganfrank

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.23/5  rDev +53.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

40oz poured into a Three Philosophers wine-style glass in order to be fashionably ironic. Considered drinking out of the bottle, but thought that would be too meta-ironic. Also, I wanted to rate the head. As if it matters. Stamped AUG2211 on neck. Anyway, lets crack this pig open.

Appearance - A hard pour gave a finger and a half head which looks like it's going to dissolve in the next minute or so. Why am I even rating this? Ultra pale straw body.

Smell - Strong corny sweetness. I'd have trouble telling this apart from a Warsteiner in a blind smell test. Not bad. Well, for the style at least.

Taste - Damn. Even tastes like a Warsteiner. Not bad. Again -- for the style. As a beer, the taste is still pretty base. Corn with slight musk.

Mouthfeel - Slight crispness. Sweet body with a strange finish. It's both dry and sweet at the same time. Sweetness on the lips, and a dry astringency on the tongue.

Overall Drinkability - Meh. There's only one product named Magnum that one should be proud of buying, and this isn't it.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 00:58:42 | More by ZenAgnostic

Wasatch

Utah

2/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a clean/clear golden yellow color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy white head, with some sticky lacing left behind. The nose is grainy, sweet, with some rice notes. The taste is slightly sweet, grainy/ricy. Light Body. This is a typical macro brew, nothing to talk about.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 00:38:45 | More by Wasatch

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

1.8/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

I am still reeling from my last 40 today, but I will endure almost anything just to get my bottle numbers up to 400 so that I CAN refocus on The CANQuest (TM). Once the scourge ends, I will NOT be back.

Ooh, how pretty! A cap of a finger of rocky, bone-white head with reasonable retention above a deep golden-yellow beer. How could I possibly go wrong? Danger, Woody Robinson, danger! Warning, warning! One sniff and I was pulled out of my afternoon reverie. A bag of Fritos smells less like corn than this gem. Holy awful, Batman! Mouthfeel was medium with a heat on the tongue that full-on got my attention. Oh me, oh my, oh shit, oh dear. My brain felt like it was being cooked in the shell and my eyes were beginning to alternately bug out and roll back. No wonder the down-and-out crowd looks the way that they do, if this is a standard on the menu. Jesus, but I want to ram my head through a wall just to make the voices shut up for a f**king millisecond! I hear them all the time, but never as loudly or as clearly as I do with this winner. A previous reviewer mentioned giving money to the unfortunates who may be drinking this on the street. Hell, this makes me want to tithe. Woody at Lee Ermey the therapist's office: "Magnum 40 really makes me sad." L. E.: "That's very interesting. You know what makes me sad, you squiddly diddly piece of dung?!? This beer! Let's go get a craft beer and tell some sea stories." Yeah, man, after this, I was ready for a beer. The finish was dry, bone dry and I could feel smoke rolling out of my ear holes as my brain melted into the background. All I need is some crack or crystal meth and the afternoon will be complete.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 19:21:01 | More by woodychandler

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

1.05/5  rDev -50%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

You have to have some really angry metal on to try and compliment this harshness.

Nasty yellow carbonation leaves no head. Smells of nothing but fusel alcohol and rubbing alcohol.

Tastes of rubbing alcohol and fusel alcohol as well. Carbonation or hops, can't tell, abrasive bitterness coming from the alcohol. Take a miller high life and age it in some vodka and you get this beer. Damn. I'd be tempted to give a bum some money if I saw him drinking one of these. . .

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 20:59:12 | More by Beerandraiderfan

DKight

Indiana

2.23/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours very yellow, with a thick head.

Tastes like a cheaper Miller Lite. However with more malt, and grain. Very corny taste. The colder the better. If attempting to drink in one sitting be sure to keep on ice, as its drinkability, at least the little it has quickly disappears with every ounce of warmth that enters it.

Good for frat parties, a quick buzz, or teenagers who think Natty is good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 20:24:02 | More by DKight

zachary80

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev +59.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clearly labeled freshness date of March 14th, 2011
Reviewing this one to style

Decent head for the style. Color is good but maybe a little light.
Smell is average. Nothing good or bad there.
Taste is pretty good for a malt liquor. Better than many others I've had, but maybe a little weaker on the flavor. Nothing off-putting, which is an improvement
Nothing notable about the mouthfeel.
Drinkability is very good. Overall pretty good for a malt liquor

edit: Drinkability -> Overall

Overall it is above average for a Malt Liquor but not great

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 23:18:11 | More by zachary80

chrisfairbanks

Nebraska

4.1/5  rDev +95.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

this is a 40 of MALT LIQUOR! it's not that bad. when it's cold you can down half the bottle pretty quick. no weird bitter taste. it's kind of like cheap miller lite. not a lot of carbonation, so you can drink it quicker. just drink half the bottle, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes, then drink the rest.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 12:45:58 | More by chrisfairbanks

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.58/5  rDev +70.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Magnum has a fairly thick, white head and a very clear yellow-golden appearance. Aroma is skunky (at times from the clear bottle) and grainy. Carbonation is moderate to high. The taste is pretty good, for an inexpensive, mass-produced extra-strong beer. Some slight hop spice does shine through, which cuts the overly malty main taste profile. Mouth-feel is moderate and slimy on occasion (from the bottle). Magnum finishes fairly refreshing and crisp. I like to have this from time to time, and I think people unfairly give it a hard time. Hey, it's a pretty decent common beer!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 16:22:29 | More by RonaldTheriot

beerprovedwright

Georgia

1.5/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Not a lot to see when poured in my mug, very light yellow rating a 4 on the SRM chart. Fluffy pure white head that fizzled down to a light lacing around the edge of my mug. Light sweet smell of malt and corn, nothing special here. Not much flavor at all, can't put my tongue on any real taste except wet corn. Very little in the mouth feel category also, one step above water, quite bland. Because of the lack of taste, I guess it could go with anything, but would not add to the dining experience or enhance any other flavors. It is wet, and will quench your thirst when coming in from heavy yard work, and yes it will give you a buzz, but if you are looking for flavor, look somewhere else. Much better cold, taste a little more like straw as it warms. I guess I could offer it if I had nothing else to keep a party going, but not something I would buy for a flavor experience.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 19:10:03 | More by beerprovedwright

womencantsail

California

1.75/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A: The pour is a pale golden head with a short lived fluffy white head.

S: Sweet grain and adjuncts. Lots of corn and a bit of alcohol.

T: Metallic corn and lots of sweetness overall. Not really all that much going on.

M: Light in body with a fizzy carbonation and a short finish.

D: Not very good, even by malt liquor standards.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 06:12:48 | More by womencantsail

AllFineThings

Indiana

2.73/5  rDev +30%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours very light, but actually has decent head retention-surprise.

Taste is what one would expect from a cheap malt liquor. Yet not all that different from regular lager swill.

Smells kinda pissy-LOL!!, but is a whole lot better than Steele Reserve!

you get what you pay for-could be a whole lot worse..

Serving type: can

04-12-2010 19:04:07 | More by AllFineThings

erz316

Indiana

1/5  rDev -52.4%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Ive had some bad beers in my life, but man, this one is coming close to takign the cake. weak nose, pissy colour, even weaker taste. lacing is lacking to say the least. the only thing that is really redeemable about this is the incredibly cheap price. one dollar? sure, ill take it, if i were a bum. and as one of the bros would point out: freshness date? hell no. this piss dont need no stinkin frehsness date.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 01:29:57 | More by erz316

twiggamortis420

Texas

2.53/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

16 oz. tallboy pours a crystal clear golden color with a white foam that snap, crackles and pops down to near nothingness in a matter of seconds.

Nose is of sweet creamed corn and a bit of cardboard. Maybe a few whiffs of grainy malt. Not overly offensive, but not all that appealing either.

Taste is light sweet malts and a mild shot of alcohol. Body is extremely light for a malt liquor. It is pretty clean, without alot of off-putting fruitiness. I actually prefer my malt liquor to pack a bit more whollop than a mere 6%, the alcohol presence is featherweight in this beer. Easy to drink, but not my ML of choice.

Serving type: can

11-21-2009 02:53:54 | More by twiggamortis420

projectflam86

Ohio

1.88/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Poured from a 40oz.

A- Light yellow color with a thin white foam head that quickly vanished. No lacing left.

S- Faint rice and grain scent. A bit of soap and alcohol.

T- Sort of sweet with a bit of grain and corn. No hops present. A slight sting of alcohol in the finish.

M- Light bodied with low carbonation.

D- As far as malt liquors go...this is average. As far as beer goes....this is pretty terrible.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 04:24:19 | More by projectflam86

tone77

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev +41.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a clear 40 oz. bottle. Has a pale yellow color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of malts and corn. Taste is mostly of alcohol, some notes of malts and corn. Feels light in the mouth and overall this is about average as far as malt liquors go.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2009 23:32:59 | More by tone77

utah44

Louisiana

2.35/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 40 ounce bottle into a 0.5 litre Pilsener glass I bought in Munich. Smell was sweet and grainy. Head was so small or unimportant or of so little consequence as to warrant little or no attention. Smell was obtuse with characteristics of grain. Color was sallow. Taste was disagreeabl. Mouthfeel was without merit. Drinkability, you got to be kidding. If you like hiigh ABV and a cheap price ($1.29 plus tax in Louisiana) and you are real thristy, this brew is a bargain.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 16:15:09 | More by utah44

Bigfatbino

California

1.9/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

A = translucent pale yellow, startlingly similar to urine with the lack of carbonation in the glass. Head was about 1" thick and very foamy, but it faded in about 30 seconds and left practically no lacing in the glass

S =adjuncts of corn, missing was the usually sweet-sickly smell of this type of beer. Not much else to write about really.

T = you know, for a malt liquor, this actually doesn't taste bad. It's not good either. Corn in the taste, and surprisingly little alcohol flavor. Nothing else really. The most notable thing was the absence of off flavors that I would have expected.

M = Thin, watery, moderate carbonation. Bubbly beer-flavored dish water

D = if you absolutely are broke, if you can't afford one good real beer, then drink this cold, chug it fast, and you should be ok until you can get quality you can enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2009 04:38:46 | More by Bigfatbino