Motor City Brewing Ghettoblaster - Motor City Brewing Works

tectactoe

Michigan

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Had this on tap at the Park Bar in Detroit. Nice looking, dark-copper color with a decent sized head, although not much lacing was left on the glass at the end. The smell has a lot going on that can be hard to pin-point: earthy, malts, burnt grains, light citrus, a touch of floral hops. The taste, much like the smell would lead on, is slightly sweet with a nice mix of malts and grains. Hops are present, but very faint (maybe overpowered by the grain). Alcohol taste is nearly non-existant, making this a decent session beer. Fairly thin with medium carbonation and a very slight stickiness.

A nice product from Motor City Brewing, Ghettoblaster makes for a very nice session beer when you plan on drinking a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2012 03:19:21 | More by tectactoe

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is so-so. The head was absolutely ridiculous at first. I ended up spooning it out as it would have been like waiting for cupcake frosting to dissipate. Mild tone on the flavor with citrus and a lot of malts are clearly there. Mild? Certainly. Also, a mild example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 01:02:13 | More by RblWthACoz

Alextricity

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A solid offering from MCBW. Like all of their beers, Ghetto Blaster is an ideal session beer. The mouth feel is watery, carbonation is pretty low, and the taste isn't overpowering. Although the taste of this one threw me off a little at first, I quickly grew to like it and wound up getting a pint of it when my sampler was finished.

Not the best beer I've had, but it's a safe, enjoyable one. Would buy again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 04:19:20 | More by Alextricity

Jf2000

5/5  rDev +47.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Motor city brew works goes all the way in the perfection of this beer. All of the flavor of a good English ale but not too heavy. By far one of the best beers I've ever had. If you like new castle, you will love this beer. A must try when visiting midtown Detroit.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2012 01:32:40 | More by Jf2000

dorianmarley

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance is a cloudy off-yellow with off-white head and decent lacing.

Nose is mild hops, lemon candy, and light grain.

Taste is like a mild Scotch ale. It lacks the dully sour punch, but has the same essence. There is also some pleasant graininess.

Mouthfeel is very smooth and light; excellent drinkability.

Overall, this is a great brew to mindfully knock back at a bowling alley or somewhere else where you only want to minimally think about what you are drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2012 00:38:02 | More by dorianmarley

Pencible

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured clear gold with a little white head.
S: It smelled like copper and earthy barley with some herbal hops.
T: It tasted like light caramel and earthy barley, with some copper and herbal hops. It had a mild and bitter aftertaste.
M: It was watery with moderate carbonation. A bit thin.
D: This was actually my first review for this style, and it ended up being about what I expected. Not a bad beer, but not a really great scent or taste or body either. Easy enough to drink, and a step up from macro lagers, but not on par with the majority of other craft beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 20:25:32 | More by Pencible

CHickman

New York

2.85/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours clear amber in color with bubbles racing up the brew to a big 2 finger foamy off white head that faded quickly and looked like soap after a bubble bath with a foamy layer on top, leaving decent lacing as it went down.

Smells very malty and grainy, with light caramel, husk, grass, light citrus hops, crackers and herbs or earthy tones; the aroma was sweet and like a summer afternoon after mowing the lawn - a very timid nose overall.

Tastes like sweet malt, roasted grains, light caramel, light citrus hops, cardboard or wet bread, grass, biscuit, fruit and/or honey, and some funky yeast. This flavor would make for a great session beer if this wasn't so unbalanced, malty and boring.

Mouthfeel is very light and crisp with mild carbonation, a very light body and a slightly bitter finish that is clean.

A light overall feel, this beer is easy to pound, just not very tasty. It was just too blah to me, so I would skip it in a bar, but I will pound the rest of the 6 pack in one sitting.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 03:56:18 | More by CHickman

2.9/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the brewery.

Appearance - light brown, verging on amber, with a small white head.

Smell - very light grainy malt, a hint of floral hops.

Taste - Mildly malty, grain and a bit of hops, very mild bitterness.

Overall, this beer is very drinkable, but very mild. As I have never tasted a mild before, I am going to assume that's part of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2011 18:14:08 | More by

gaugebozo

New York

4.22/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm not the best person to review this, not having had a mild before, but

A - Dark Brown. Light suds.

S - Grainy/malty.

T - Mild malt is pretty great. Not overpowering or acrid like roasted malt, not boring like base malt. Nice light graininess. Really it's own thing. Light flavor without going BMC. Not much bitterness, no hop flavor or aroma, but not much expected.

M - Nice medium body mouthfeel considering the lower level of grain used in milds. Light carb.

O - Pretty enjoyable. Great for summertime or winter, and with a nice twist to the standard grain type.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 03:59:18 | More by gaugebozo

EricCioe

Montana

3.45/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This pours a medium brown with a one finger white head that fades quickly and leaves no lace. There is a definite color fade towards the edges, medium brown to maybe something like amber brown. On the nose there is wet grain sticking out up front with a deep pine buried underneath that comes out when agitated. The grain almost smells like oatmeal. Buried even further down are some prunes or dates or some other dark fruit that makes me wish the nose were more balanced. In the mouth the dark fruit comes out a whole lot, riding the grain underneath with some bitterness lingering later on in the medium finish. The body is quite light, almost watery. A mild can be made to be a bit fuller at a lower ABV, and I would have preferred that approach: say 4% alcohol but with more lingering flavors.

Overall this beer is alright, and with some tweaking I think it would be really good. As it stands, the nose is good but unbalanced and the whole affair is just a little too light, even considering the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 00:33:12 | More by EricCioe

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at the Michigan Winter beer fest. I ticked this very early since I've been trying to tick this style forever. About 6oz served in a tasting glass.

A: Partly cloudy orange golden hue. Tiny bit of off white head. Some soapy lace left behind.

S: Grassy wet hops. Not a super strong hop profile. Mild pale malts and a touch of grainy/ corn.

T: Pale malts and a good amount of corn/grain. Again hops that have been dunked in in rain water. A bit of a metallic finish.

M: Medium to light body. Not thin but more towards light. Carbonation is very moderate.

D: Overall nothing offensive which I'm sure is what they are shooting for. I could sown a few of these on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2011 12:52:44 | More by beerwolf77

burnheartsMKE

Wisconsin

2.58/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to my buddy Eric for sending this along from MI (thankfully it was in a care-package that included some priceless Jolly Pumpkin & Shorts). He even insisted that he just "threw this in, it's not very good".

I can only imagine that the Motor City Brew Co. named this beer Ghettoblaster because it's just that; gimcky, loud, tacky and not good at all - unless you are already drunk... then it's just there to keep the party going.

Bland tang as the boring malts try with all their might to keep this thing drinkable.

Sorry guys, next time I enjoy a "ghettoblaster", it better be blasting Too $hort's - Life is too short.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 06:38:14 | More by burnheartsMKE

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Comes out of the tap a barely translucent honey-mahogany. Malty, woody, slightly sweet aroma is not strong but still appealing. Malty flavor has honey-sweet and woody undertones along with hints of hops and spice. Fairly smooth, tingly texture gives it a decent finish.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2010 21:37:07 | More by Cyberkedi

bierenutz

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a clear brownish-amber color without much head despite a hard pour and no lacing to speak of.
S- Malty aroma up front with smells of fig and raisin although the fragrance is not strong and crisp.
T- Roasted almost burnt malt flavors with a bit of bitterness and at the finish some of the sweetness of the dark fruits comes through albeit brief as the aftertaste is smokey malt.
M- Thin with minimal, almost no, carbonation. Comes across a little flat in the mouth.
D- Not the best representative for this style of beer as it just doesn't have enough going for it in all categories. It is what it is, an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2010 22:35:41 | More by bierenutz

divineaudio

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a - pours a hazy reddish amber color. a thin, coarse head forms and calms quickly to a ring around the glass. little to no lacing present.

s - toasty malt and dark fruits.

t - follows smell, but adds a bit of complexity. tasting a bit of raisin or fig maybe? hop character is more tart than bitter, with a long finish.

m - on the lighter side with a decent amount of carbonation. nothing fancy here.

d - a session brew for sure. kegs of ghettoblaster seem to be the default choice for gallery openings and other art related activities in and around detroit.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2010 06:14:03 | More by divineaudio

civilizedpsycho

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark amber color that is semi-transparent. Had a pretty small head.

Smell: Has a strong malty aroma that is very pleasant and inviting.

Taste: Kind of a sweet malty taste that is not very complex; but it is very smooth and very refreshing.

Mouthfeel: Pretty thin without being too much so. There's just enough body to keep me from thinking it feels like a Light Lager.

Drinkability: This is pretty good. I admit that I tried this beer just because I thought the name was ridiculous. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when I got a beer that is good and is something I could drink again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2009 21:27:01 | More by civilizedpsycho

BoitSansSoif

France

3.38/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A-light brownish amber w/no head despite increasingly aggressive pour. I had this one on tap the other day w/a nice head, so this seems to be limited to this bottle.

S-Light slightly sweet toasted malt and faint hops. Simple and refreshing.

T-Same as smell, w/slight hint of applesauce, raisin, grain, and faint English hop finish.

M-Silky body let down by inadequate carbonation, but otherwise balance is even and harmonious.

D-Good and a perfect session beer. I used to drink this about 9 years ago, and was looking forward to finally rating it, but this bottle my bro saved me is nowhere near as good as the on-tap version I had the other day, or as in my memory.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 03:51:08 | More by BoitSansSoif

tmoneyba

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Belo Vino.

Poured a clear deep brown with an average rocky off-white head that diminished very slowly with fair lacing. Medium sweet malty and hoppy aroma. Medium body with soft carbonation. Moderate bittersweet flavor with an average sweet finish of medium duration.

Drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 00:03:01 | More by tmoneyba

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Much thanks for getting this bottle in my hands. I had never heard of it, but shall never forget its name now! Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 02/02/2009.

The pour was very nice, rich looking medium brown with a mild cloudiness about it. Rich color here with a nice head of off white which hung around for a few moments before settling down into a thin film. The aroma was light, medium fruit notes, apricot maybe with a hint of some light spice and tons of grain. More of the same on the taste as I run through on this one. The flavor was a bit lacking for me. Nice malt profile with a light ouch of fruit and spice, but not nearly strong enough of a profile to really get me to enjoy it. Smooth, mellow carbonation and a low abv made it nice and and drinkable, though a bit dull. Overall with a name like this I expect alot more, but a decent beer none the less.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2009 03:43:41 | More by mikesgroove

kels

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Foran's during a recent trip to Detroit. When you're from out of town, it's hard to resist a beer with such a unique name.

Appearance: Pours a ruby brown color with a short, white skim of a head that leaves behind pretty good lacing. The liquid is clear, and very little carbonation is visible.

Smell: The smell is very subtle, nearly undetectable, possibly thanks to the quickly dissipating head. There are some light grains and floral hops just barely escaping in the nose.

Taste/Mouthfeel: The feel is very flat and watery with only the slightest creaminess from the low carbonation. I definitely would like to see a little more in this style - not tons, but just a bit more. The impression of the feel is followed by the taste - light, barely bitter floral hops and a strong bready malt aftertaste.

Drinkability: Very high - if I liked the feel more, I'd probably give it a 5. Very easy to drink, especially with food.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2009 18:41:00 | More by kels

DrJay

Massachusetts

2.83/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A quick inspection of the bottle reveals a location for a best before date stamp, but no date stamped anywhere. The beer is a clear copper and poured with a thin wisp of fine, off-white bubbles that formed a bit of a collar. Fairly sticky lacing, just not a lot of it. The meager head did linger though. The aroma was mild, some earthy malt, hint of fruit, light hopping, perhaps some chocolate far in the background. As it warmed, there were light notes of toast and nuts. Light bitterness, malt seemed a bit thin right from the start. Some sweetness, caramel mostly, and mild hop flavour, but still quite mild overall. A little buttery. Lingering dark malt bite without the fullness of flavour expected from these grains. Carbonation was on the low side, fine for the style, but the body felt watery rather than just light. A bit dry. Inoffensive, but not a great example of the style and not a beer that I'd look for again. I'd still try it if found on tap though, just to see how it is under different serving conditions.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 18:47:26 | More by DrJay

GRPunk

Michigan

4/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- It poured with a very thin, off-white head that became a decent lace leaving nice sticky spots. The body was a slightly cloudy, brown with light carbonation. I'd call it pretty standard for the style.

S- It was slightly nutty. It was quite faint intially, but became stronger as it warmed producing some light chocolate tones in the background.

T- It was very subtle. It had some nice cracker-like, malt and slightly roasty/nutty characteristics.

M- The mouthfeel was pretty smooth with a dry finish.

D- It's definitely an easy drinker. I had it while helping to prep the Thanksgiving dinner. It'd be great for a backyard BBQ, tailgate, or holiday gathering.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 21:30:17 | More by GRPunk

epiinephriine

Michigan

2.33/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

As I find most beers from MCB this one is just as disappointing.

The color was a dull brown, there was little to no carbonation and no head to speak of what so ever.

The flavor definitely left more to be desired. The only taste I got from this beer was a sweet sensation. It reminded me a bit of Goose Island's Nut Brown: it looked like the Nut Brown, it smelled like the Nut Brown, and it had the same sweet flavors as the Nut Brown. it has everything but all of what is good about the Nut Brown (aka other flavors besides sweetness).

This beer is also overly mild even for "mild ale" At best I find it to be kind of lame.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2008 03:06:22 | More by epiinephriine

alexgash

Connecticut

3.13/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Cool label lists abv at 5.2% with a blank best before date. I hope this is fresh.

Dark, shoe leather copper with bronzed edges. Small, bubbly, ring of off-beige head. Light plum and blackberry fruit notes mix with roasted/toasted malts and a yeasty twang. Toasted biscuit and cardboard malt notes up front. Mild wine-y fruit notes mid-palate. Some lightly roasted malt comes through. Light herbal hop and grainy bitterness in the clean, dryish finish. Moderate body with a vastly overcarbonated feel. If this were creamier and fuller and less carbonated I think it would be much better. Still, this has promise (and maybe it would be much better on-cask).

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 19:29:04 | More by alexgash

hellcatsjg

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up in MI during wifes recent trip. I put this on the list of wants based on the name alone.

Appearance: Extra foamy head, even with my usual light pour. Coppery color brew with about 1 1/2 to 2 fingers of head once it settled down.

Smell: Light fruity and grainy to the nose

Taste: Grainy in front. Lightly fruity and even lighter caramel flavors as well.

Mouthfeel: About what you would expect. Not too light but not very substantial either.

Drinkability: Surprisingly light and inoffensive beer given the name. Doesn't jump out at you to have another, but is definitely not bad.

Final Thoughts: With a name like Ghettoblaster I expected more. Once I got over the initial disappointment and took the beer for what it was, it was a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2007 03:36:14 | More by hellcatsjg