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Old Milwaukee

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Old Milwaukee is an American adjunct lager first brewed in 1849. It pours a clear, pale straw-gold under a fine white head. The nose is soft and grainy, with a mild corn sweetness and only a whisper of hop; the palate is light-bodied and crisp, with a delicate malt character, a touch of graininess and a very mild, almost absent bitterness, and the finish is clean, dry and thirst-quenching, without any lingering aftertaste.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Mild
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
cleanmalty
clean
malty
Aroma
The nose is soft and undemanding, leading with a gentle grain character and a subtle corn sweetness that speaks to the beer's adjunct milling.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Old Milwaukee

◎ Appearance

Old Milwaukee presents a clear, pale straw-gold body beneath a fine white head that settles to a delicate lacing. The carbonation is steady and even, supporting modest foam retention typical of the style. The overall impression is bright and inviting, with excellent transparency and a luminous quality.

pale straw-goldfine white headclear and bright

◌ Aroma

The nose is soft and undemanding, leading with a gentle grain character and a subtle corn sweetness that speaks to the beer's adjunct milling. Hop presence is minimal, offering only a whisper of herbal suggestion rather than any assertive bitterness or floral notes. The overall aromatic profile remains restrained and approachable, without complex layering.

soft grainymild corn sweetnessrestrained hop character

◐ Taste

The palate is light-bodied and crisp on entry, with a delicate malt character that leans toward corn and grain rather than complex malt depth. A touch of graininess develops across the mid-palate, while bitterness remains nearly absent—a deliberate characteristic of this adjunct lager. The overall sensation prioritizes smoothness and drinkability over flavor intensity.

light-bodieddelicate maltminimal bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and dry, with a thirst-quenching quality that encourages another sip. No lingering aftertaste develops; instead, the beer retreats quickly and leaves the palate refreshed.

clean finishdrythirst-quenching
72
hopIQ score
Aroma
70
Taste
71
Appearance
78
Finish
75
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Old Milwaukee

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About American Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American Lager?

American Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar American Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, crisp, dry character as Old Milwaukee will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all American Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →