Old Milwaukee Ice - Pabst Brewing Company

emerge077

Illinois

2.38/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

$1 22 oz. can at the random corner store. "OM ICE" and "It doesn't get any better than this!" emblazoned in white/silver on the blue can.

Into a large mug it pours a pale straw yellow, with a few lazy trails of rising carbonation visible. Thin layer of white foam, about a fingers width, rises and settles to an unbroken skim. It remains unbroken after the first cautious sips, and there's "icy" lace around the edges like snow flurries.

Smell is lightly swilly, some sweet apple and soft graininess, pretty bland and insipid. Flavors are similarly dull, but take an unpleasant turn into wet paper and envelope glue territory. Flaccid astringent feel, watery finish, sharp note of alcohol. Pretty gaseous, and you're left with a mealy texture coating the tongue. Yuck. Started out average, and left few redeeming qualities afterwards. Dumper.

Serving type: can

03-04-2012 21:14:01 | More by emerge077

Herky21

Iowa

1/5  rDev -55%

05-12-2013 05:25:56 | More by Herky21

John_B

Michigan

2/5  rDev -9.9%

05-04-2013 23:22:37 | More by John_B

JeffSuttonTX

Texas

1.25/5  rDev -43.7%

03-11-2013 01:44:42 | More by JeffSuttonTX

ifixufly

Indiana

1/5  rDev -55%

02-20-2013 16:42:14 | More by ifixufly

Jenessa

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev +23.9%

01-25-2013 03:00:47 | More by Jenessa

spycow

Illinois

2/5  rDev -9.9%

01-17-2013 06:36:17 | More by spycow

Lukass

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev +46.4%

01-05-2013 13:47:51 | More by Lukass

djcreepshow

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev +46.4%

12-04-2012 00:14:16 | More by djcreepshow

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

1.98/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Tallboy can from TBS; packaged Sept. 18 2012. #10 in a series of reviews detailing value-brand pale lagers that I will probably never consume again, and probably the last entry. This is the Canadian version, contract brewed by Sleeman in Guelph, Ontario.

Pours a familiar pale golden-yellow colour, with one finger of frothy, sparkling-white head seated atop the liquid. Retention isn't great, but at least the foam hangs around for a few minutes before giving up the ghost, and it manages to leave behind not only a thin cap/collar but also some smears of lacing. Looks fine for what it is - unfortunately I can't say the same of the aroma (perhaps 'odour' would be a better phrase to use here). You can just smell the cheapness, with almost nothing to be detected besides corny adjunct and ethanol. This smells absurdly boozy for something that's only 5.5%. Absolutely unappealing.

And it doesn't get much better from here, folks. The flavour is borderline putrid, with no semblance of barley malt to counteract the overpowering flavours of corny adjunct, apple skin, damp cardboard and (mild) ethanol. The fact that this is both watery AND kind of boozy amazes (and sort of impresses) me, as I really didn't think such a thing was possible. Thin-bodied and watery, with carbonation that could probably stand to be kicked up a notch - frankly I'd rather taste the bubbles than the beer itself, bloat be damned. Not very easy to drink if you actually try to taste it - but for the bros out there, it would probably be a decent option for those seeking to reach irresponsible levels of inebriation rapidly.

I actually intended to review this about a month ago, going so far as to pick up a can and pour it. After a few sips, I basically said to myself "the hell with this", left the glass on my desk and called it a night. Yes, it's true folks - this is possibly the ONLY beer I've ever tried to review and wound up drainpouring, a very dubious distinction indeed, given my leniency toward adjunct lagers. Frankly I regret getting a second can just for the tick, it really wasn't worth it.

Final Grade: 1.98, an awful D-. It's never a good sign when the appearance is the high point of a beer review. Old Milwaukee Ice starts off looking like an industrial style lager of at least marginal quality, but everything else about it screams of cheap ingredients and cut corners. Don't get me wrong - it's not like I expected something different from an 'ice' beer - but I am fairly tolerant of cheap pale lagers, and this is seriously one of the worst I've ever had in my 6-7 years of rampant alcoholism. For your liver's sake, drink something else.

Serving type: can

11-18-2012 22:00:10 | More by thehyperduck

jharris0624

Missouri

2/5  rDev -9.9%

11-13-2012 06:48:26 | More by jharris0624

tdm168

North Carolina

1.78/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

A small amount poured from the 22 oz. can into a pint glass for appearance and aroma, the rest consumed from the classy can.

A - very pale, translucent gold with a mountain of bubbly, white, dense head that has decent retention

S - warm, metallic, grainy, sweet

T - warm, apple, metallic, sweet, grainy

M - smooth, crisp, light to medium bodied, warm alcohol

This is really not good. The metallic and apple notes dominate and the alcohol is far too warming and offensive. I'll never pick this up again.

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 23:03:25 | More by tdm168

daliandragon

North Carolina

1.65/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

It was on sale for 99 copper Lincolns for a 24 oz. can at Lowes Food. That's why.

Decent head and color. Golden straw and thin but present lace. Nose is noxious corn and rice or something else unpalatable. Flavor is a dull sawdust and sweet maltv sludge. Plenty of carbonation is actually a benefit, which is rarely a good sign.

I expected little when i bought this and it met my expectations perfectly. It was cheap, however.

Serving type: can

07-19-2012 01:56:28 | More by daliandragon

cpolking

Iowa

2.78/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer pours a pale yellow golden in color with a half inch of white head that dissipates fairly quickly.

The aroma is damp grain, and a light tart note.

The taste is slightly sweet grain, corn, light apples, and just the whisper of a hint of a lager funkiness.

It is well-carbonated, very crisp in the mouth. Like most beers of this type, it tastes better straight out of the can. Not great, not as good as regular Old Milwaukee, but inoffensive for a macro ice beer.

Serving type: can

07-14-2012 02:09:57 | More by cpolking

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.43/5  rDev +99.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Old Milwaukee Ice has a very thick, stark-white head, some decent lacing, and a clear, golden appearance, with streaming bubbles. The aroma is of mild, sweet grain (barley & corn) and some candy corn. Taste is of lightly-toasted malt, some corn husk, and bit of hop, sweetness, and a touch of alcohol. Mouthfeel is light and watery, and Old Milwaukee Ice finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, dry, and highly drinkable. This might be the smoothest and most enjoyable ice beer I’ve tasted. I recommend it!

RJT

Serving type: can

04-23-2012 21:05:08 | More by RonaldTheriot

slitherySOB

Ontario (Canada)

1.73/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours your usual piss yellow colour, common with most adjunct lagers. Smells of corn, corn syrup, and metal. Tastes of breads, grains, and metal. Mouthfeel is thin and watery. Overall, your typical iced beer. Meant to get drunk off of. A shame this was one of the few offerings at a wedding I attended.

Serving type: can

03-02-2012 18:34:40 | More by slitherySOB

yooper920

Wisconsin

1.5/5  rDev -32.4%

02-12-2012 03:26:11 | More by yooper920

Beer4Baltimore

Maryland

1.5/5  rDev -32.4%

02-07-2012 07:40:49 | More by Beer4Baltimore

slimntubbs

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -55%

01-31-2012 03:05:21 | More by slimntubbs

electtodefer

New York

1.5/5  rDev -32.4%

01-18-2012 01:20:30 | More by electtodefer

Schade

Pennsylvania

1/5  rDev -55%

01-13-2012 21:56:55 | More by Schade

wmickdds32

Ohio

2/5  rDev -9.9%

12-11-2011 02:55:04 | More by wmickdds32

ROGUE16

Delaware

2/5  rDev -9.9%

11-15-2011 21:54:12 | More by ROGUE16

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

2.08/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

473ml Can

Appearance - The beer pours a clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing. There is some faint lacing on the sides of the glass. The head lasted for only a few minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Bread/grains, Metallic, corn syrup

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste corn syrup, breads/grains and just a hint of malt. It really doesn't have a whole lot of taste, and comes across as sort of watery. It finishes with a grainy/adjunct an corn syrup sweet aftertaste.

Overall - In my effort to try every beer under the sun, I gave this one a shot. Not something I'd buy again, there are wayyy more beers I'd rather drink

Serving type: can

10-14-2011 16:42:53 | More by spinrsx

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A- Poured from the can into my glass and was greeted with a chill hazed piss yellowy color with a tinge of lime juice coloration in the hue. There isn't much of a head even after a fairly hard pour and what there is vanishes quickly into a patch here and there. The carbonation is fizzy and big bubbled, which is to be expected and don't even talk about lacing....there is none.

S- Surprisingly, there is some moderate character here for an AAL....modest sweet malt, but it is quick lived, being overshadowed by corn and raw barley kernels. Something different here though....there is some apple fruitiness on the finish and of course there isn't really any hop profile.

T- Ah, this is what I was more expecting from this brew. Cheap grainy adjuncts, boiled corn water, and a metallic alcohol character that adds a bit of sourness/tang on the palate. Not very good tasting overall but then again I wasn't expecting fine champagne either!

M- Thin, watery and unassuming. I find the carbonation is palate scrubbing but not to the same degree as other macro lagers that I've had. It simply reminds me of slightly smoother swill for lack of a better term.

O- I'll pass...I only had this in my fridge due to some leftovers from my wifes' camping trip. I suppose this is ok for that type of thing, as it's cheap to buy and it's cheaply made too. I prefer Icehouse by a lot....this one doesn't do it for me!

Serving type: can

07-30-2011 02:49:42 | More by ChrisCage