Draft beer and eating for health don't really seem like they go hand in hand - rather, they appear to be an oxymoron. But there is health to be found here. Yes, I said it right, we can drink to our health! But first, I want to post my review of the Miller Lite Home Draft system. I am reviewing it because I picked it up at the grocery store today on a whim, and since this system seems to be entering more and more markets across the country, I deemed it appropriate. Or it could be that the men in my family view Miller Lite as mother's milk!
Most people buy home kegs for a big party - they are usually big, bulky, extremely heavy, difficult to tap, and generally have an overly foamy, sometimes-flat tasting beer.
Miller Lite says no more!
I was so excited to see the sexy box staring back at me in the beer aisle of my local supermarket. I had been waiting - since Coors Lite made a feeble attempt in 2008 to make a home keg similar to Heineken's. The price in 2008 was right - just $7.99 on sale - but the result wasn't that great. The beer was sometimes flat, mostly foamy, and just tasted a little "off".
MillerCoors has a much better attempt with the Home Draft. Many have said that it looks like a soda bottle on steroids - and they are right. It's short, stumpy, and fat - but thankfully does not take up much more space than an 18 pack in the fridge.
And...it poured a GREAT tasting beer! Tasting the golden brew, I noted it tasted just like at a well tended bar (with clean draft lines) just like Miller has advertised. They got that part right.
What they didn't get right was the CO2 system. It was VERY difficult to get the beer flowing - right up to the point that I almost left to return the keg to the store for a new keg or a refund.
But something told me to try one last time. So I got online, and searched for forums about the Miller Lite Home Draft kit. I found one. But I learned that I needed to take the tip of a knife and press a tiny button to release the flow of CO2. And after that minor setback, I had free flowing, great tasting beer!
Now there is the possibility that I could have had a defective tap. It seemed like using the tip of a knife was somewhat unconventional. But I was definitely not the only one to have this problem, since I learned online that the knife is a solution. I think Miller needs to rethink that one.
So to sum it up, here is a list of the pros and cons:
PROS
Fits nicely in fridge
High quality draft beer at home
Great for parties
Can have "just a sip" of beer if that's all you want
Beer stays cold and fresh, no can taste or over carbonation
CONS
Price (priced too high for too little of beer - $18.99 for just 1.5 gallons)
Ease of setup (directions are initially confusing, but the CO2 scores low in my book)
Beer foams too much - takes a few tries to get the hang of pouring it (after two glasses or so of foam). Still, there is too much head on every beer.
Miller Lite has made a great freshman effort into the Draft Beer market. I think that overall, they really won on the quality of their beer - they just need to work out the kinks with the packaging. And please! Lower the price!!
But it's a great keg to have an occasional (or daily) beer from and have that great, restaurant style draft beer taste at home. It's a great push for MADD! And one thing is for sure - like I said above, kegs usually are reserved for parties, lots of people, large houses with a bar and draft beer system - but with the Miller Lite Home Draft kit, there most certainly is no party needed!
Overall grade: B-
