October 28th

Even though it was a miserable day (oh, how I hate misty rain!), it was still my day off and Soph and I trekked out to the Mill Street brewpub. They didn’t have any of their pumpkin beer on tap, presumably saving it up for Halloween, so I got a sample tray. The first was the Frambozen, described as a raspberry wheat (pictured on the left). There was little carbonation, a nice hint of tartness and only a slightly syrupy taste. Not exactly a nice fit for the weather, but a decent fruit beer.

Next up was their Pilsner (second from right), which I have had before in both tap and bottle form (and quite enjoyed). Something was very off today and it tasted like butterscotch nastiness. Soph agreed and we were glad we didn’t invest in a full pint. It was so bad, the sample went unfinished and we didn’t pick up any from the store.

Their ESB (right) was surprising, mainly because it tasted a bit like coffee and chocolate, though without any of the intensity of a porter or stout. A little malty, it was decent but not extraordinary. The final beer was the IPA, which was also decent, though too watery and with no lasting bitter hoppiness. I did purchase a growler, which did prove to be a very suitable complement to Rock Band that night. (PS. I own “Chop Suey.”) Soph and I also split a half-pint of the Oktoberfest Marzen, which was on cask. Lots of sour, oaky qualities, which was a bit surprising. Not exactly to my taste, but Soph enjoyed it.

The pros and cons of Mill Street’s brewpub are debatable: it is nice to be able to try experimental Mill Street beers, but must we be served by girls in kilts? I understand what they are trying to do from a business standpoint, but I will never love it. However, it was nice to see them actually brewing for once (and to smell the sweet odor of wort). But we did see a vat labelled “Hot Liquor Tank” that was steaming a bit too much and a jumpsuited brewer ran past Soph, saying that wasn’t supposed to happen. Perhaps the cause of funky tasting pilsners?

Mill Street ESB on Ratebeer

Mill Street Frambozen on Ratebeer

Mill Street IPA on Ratebeer

Mill Street Oktoberfest Marzen on Ratebeer

Mill Street Pilsner on Ratebeer

Today: 1.6L. Year-to-date: 22.38L.