Lemon Tea Beer...No Seriously I Did Just Say That

Our very first beer to grace the pixelated glory of Beer Cruise hails from the distant land of Ontario, specifically the Mill Street brewery in Toronto.  If you have not heard of this particularly brewery, then I suggest you read on.  If you do not, I will find you, and dub you 'Ser Budweiser'.  Disclaimer:  Budweiser is &#@^ing awful and made from rice.

But seriously, they make a pretty swell beer.

This is what you want.  Unless you want
something bad.  And you don't want bad
things do you?

Just yesterday, I was on my way to yet another beer cruise with friends, heading down to the lake on a nice (albeit not overly warm) Sunday night.  I had in mind to pick up some Granville Island Hefeweizen, which, while we're on the subject, is certainly not the best hefeweizen I've ever had, but is more than serviceable and extremely refreshing on those hot summer days.  But it was not meant to be.  I am not a person who is particularly quick on the decision making process, which ended up working out in this case.  I quickly found the hefeweizen, but as usual, I took a little stroll around the liquor store, perusing the beer section for any newcomers.  And lo and behold, what would meet my eyes but a Mill Street variety pack, containing six different beer (only one of which I've previously tried; the Tankard Ale).


Excellent.  Now just to grab the cruiser and chose a beer of the five I've yet to try.

Naturally, the obvious choice is to pick the most unusual beer...and yes, Mill Street's Lemon Tea Beer most definitely fits the bill.  Right off the bat, it stands out in this variety pack, being the only beer of the six to come in a can (very bizarre considering Mill Street's signature and unique bottle design).  Cans, while socially inferior, are actually superior to bottles while on a cruise, due to less weight, easier handling, and convenient disposal (crush the bastard and jam it into your pocket).

Now, enough preamble...on to the review.

This beer...was not quite as interesting or mind blowing as I'd expected, but it ended up being solid all around.  Indeed the taste is quite 'citrus-y', though not overwhelmingly so, and if I'm totally honest, I never really tasted the tea portion of it, perhaps because tea tends to have a much more delicate taste than beer or highly acidic fruit.  The aroma is a different story, because it's quite pleasant smelling, and you could easily mistake it for something other than beer if you avoided actually drinking it.  Also worth noting is the lack of any real aftertaste; good, bad or otherwise.

Ultimately this beer boils down to being a good choice for a refreshing beer on a summery day, but unfortunately mostly unexceptional otherwise.  I should mention that I didn't actually drink it ice cold, as it had been taken out of refrigeration a good hour or so before drinking it, so it's entirely possible I didn't get the full story here.  I think I'm likely to try this beer again, if only because I do think something this unusual that results in a conclusion neither overwhelmingly positive nor negative demands a do-over.  But until then, assuming this is my final verdict...would I recommend this beer?  Yes, as a summer beer I would.  It's certainly worth a try.

Summary

Taste:  Citrus, light and refreshing.
Aroma:  Fruity and potent.
Aftertaste:  Negligible.
Recommended?  Yes.

Verdict:  Buy it, try it.  It's in season, and at the very least it will provoke some discussion and possible gawking from others when they see you're drinking such an unusual beer.  Shame it's not quite as unusual tasting as it sounds, but don't let that deter you from giving it a shot.

Score:  7 out of 10 mugs.