Simpler Times Lager - Minhas Craft Brewery

tedsox31

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Decided to review this beer for the heck of it, it was really cheap at Trader Joe's.

Poured from a can into a standard mug. The color is a clear, pale yellow with a white head of foam that quickly dissipates.

The smell is very sweet, corn is what I pick up most and not much else.

The taste is not too bad, actually, if you consider the style. It is very clean and sweet, but not much else. It certainly wasn't brewed with poor practices, but obviously will not knock you over either.

Mouthfeel is thin and carbonated.

Overall, a surprisingly ok beer for the price and the style. This is not a beer that I would go back to again and again, but not as bad as one might expect coming from the style. A good beer for cheap marinades, etc.

Serving type: can

03-08-2010 21:34:42 | More by tedsox31

Rusty_Pabst

Massachusetts

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

04-21-2013 15:14:49 | More by Rusty_Pabst

warpedrevolution

Washington

2.5/5  rDev -14.4%

04-21-2013 01:10:45 | More by warpedrevolution

fastrodney

North Carolina

2/5  rDev -31.5%

04-20-2013 00:42:08 | More by fastrodney

bbluemzbeer

California

4.75/5  rDev +62.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Yellow body and good head.

Sm ell: Smell likes and malt with a blend of light hop aroma.

Taste: Crisp and clean with a sweet malty flavor and small amount oft bitterness at the end.

Moutful: Slightly thicker than expected given the lightness of color and clarity.

Overall: For around 4 dollar a six pack at traders joes beats the other beers at higher price point. At 6.2% AB this will give you some kick. This is a great session beeer. I will sure buy some more of this beer !

Serving type: can

04-15-2013 04:00:08 | More by bbluemzbeer

ranger7

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

04-13-2013 12:33:07 | More by ranger7

wroywel

Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -31.5%

04-06-2013 21:39:16 | More by wroywel

BESTIALEX

Oregon

1.5/5  rDev -48.6%

04-04-2013 04:24:19 | More by BESTIALEX

scantonio

Tennessee

2/5  rDev -31.5%

04-02-2013 17:03:59 | More by scantonio

brheuer

New Jersey

3/5  rDev +2.7%

03-24-2013 20:30:09 | More by brheuer

Herky21

Iowa

2/5  rDev -31.5%

03-13-2013 02:24:24 | More by Herky21

timothybarney

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +19.9%

03-13-2013 01:06:24 | More by timothybarney

Maximusmaximus

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +28.4%

03-09-2013 23:51:58 | More by Maximusmaximus

OldTime

Georgia

2.25/5  rDev -22.9%

03-02-2013 23:19:35 | More by OldTime

FrizWhiz

Texas

3/5  rDev +2.7%

02-28-2013 22:56:36 | More by FrizWhiz

adams82

Michigan

1.7/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Pours nearly golden, not quite fizzy yellow water; appears more robust than other beers of this style.

Smells like an adjunct lager. Sweet nose; slightly grainy smelling, but corn dominates. No hops, nothing offensive. How bad could it be?

Taste is dreadful! Super sweet, and I don't mean malty! Corn syrup dominates the flavor profile of this beer, with huge hints of sour apple and alcohol; no grains, no malt, no hops. Awful.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly firm; I figured with the amount of cane/corn sugar in this beer, it would be really thin and watery, but it actually has substance.

I imagine my great grandparents would have brewed a beer during prohibition that tasted much like this. If that's what Minhas was going for, then they hit the nail on the head, otherwise, this is a horrible representation of a fairly pedestrian style.

Note to self; beers labeled as coming from Monroe, WI must be avoided. Just because the can doesn't say Minhas, doesn't mean it didn't come from Minhas. I'm glad the 6 pack was only $3.49.

Serving type: can

02-18-2013 19:47:25 | More by adams82

kristenspaintings

California

3.71/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Light, bubbly head.

Light amber/golden color.

Simpler Times Lager’s sweet aroma mirrors its taste. I like this beer a lot more than I thought I would. Generally I tend toward darker beers but this is one of the exceptions. Very smooth, sweet honey-like taste with no distinctive bitter bite you’d expect from such a light beer. It pairs well with a large range of foods, so you don’t have to worry too much whether the flavors will clash. It's also low enough in alcohol that you can appreciate the rest of your meal.

This is definitely not a complicated beer. Its flavor profile is fairly one-dimensional, but pleasant nonetheless. There are many beers out there that have more depth and character, but when considering its price category, it’s an outstanding value. It’s head and shoulders above anything else that’s this inexpensive.

In short, it’s a great value and I’d recommend it to anyone on a tight budget who appreciates quality beer.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 14:36:44 | More by kristenspaintings

tubeyes

Texas

3/5  rDev +2.7%

02-16-2013 21:16:04 | More by tubeyes

ChetChildress

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

02-13-2013 01:55:30 | More by ChetChildress

doughanson78

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +19.9%

02-12-2013 05:43:09 | More by doughanson78

rlb49

Missouri

2.75/5  rDev -5.8%

02-07-2013 01:29:39 | More by rlb49

Ajlvt

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev +11.3%

01-26-2013 18:53:16 | More by Ajlvt

matjack85

Illinois

3/5  rDev +2.7%

01-26-2013 18:53:03 | More by matjack85

DMB

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev +11.3%

01-25-2013 06:08:43 | More by DMB

RalphSMouse

1.88/5  rDev -35.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.75

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass, a foamy, bone white head rises to the top. It shrinks considerably after a minute or two. The beer's color is that of filtered apple juice.

It doesn't look awful, but it doesn't look particularly good, either. 3/5

Smell: During the pour, this beer has a really malty fragrance. This quickly transitions to cidery and metallic notes, neither off-putting nor appetizing. 3/5

Taste: What begins as a rather unremarkable bubblegum mutates into an unpleasant flavor not unlike cough syrup. There are no perceptible hops here. The rather strong (for the style) ABV is somewhat concealed by the overwhelming sweetness, but that does nothing to save this mess of a brew—in fact, it reinforces its striking similarity to Robitussin. 1.5/5

Mouthfeel: It's flat and viscous—exactly the opposite of how this style ought to be. Very, very disappointing. 1/5

Overall: I purchased a six pack of this beer for $3.99 at Trader Joe's. Even at that price, I assure you, it's no bargain. Lackluster appearance and scent cannot much compensate for abysmal flavor and syrupy mouthfeel. There are better beers at this price point. Don't punish yourself with this swill. 1.75/5

Serving type: can

01-22-2013 02:01:30 | More by RalphSMouse