Miller Lite Punch Top Cans

00clone

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2011
19,661
604
113
Iowa City area
Wow, it's amazing how judgemental people are about beers. My favorite beer is cold. I love all kinds of beer, but my fridge is filled with Miller Lite. I've gone through waves where I liked Lite, then I switched to Bud/Busch Light and I couldn't even fathom Lite. Then I switched back to Lite a few years ago. As for Miller Lite being ****** beer, it seems many would argue this fact. Everybody has their own taste.

From Wiki:
Miller Lite won the World Beer Cup's gold medal for Best American-Style Light Lager in 1996, 1998, 2002, and 2006. It also won the Great American Beer Festival's silver medal in 2003 in the same category.[5]
At the 2010 Great American Beer Festival, Miller Lite won the gold medal for Best American Style Lager or Light Lager, beating out Miller Genuine Draft, which received the Bronze.

+1, although I'm not a MLite drinker. Beer snobs annoy me (slightly). To me, snobbery over light beer styles and snobbery over beer in cans (not bottles) is the first sign of a noob trying to seem cultured. Light is an accepted style, and for me, that's the wonderful thing about beer...there's different styles for different tastes, different situations. Cans are actually better for beer than bottles. Less oxygen exposure, less light exposure (even less than brown bottles). I will say the punch top cans don't impress me, it's only intended to get it down faster, which is not what I drink beer for. Realize others do, that's your choice, but I think it's misguided.

I'll stop my rant, but to me, if you want to feel superior because of your drink of choice, switch to wine. Keep beer relaxed.
 

stateofmind

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2007
6,635
4,174
113
Ankeny
Mind. Blown.

I don't know what it is about Miller Light, I just can't stand the taste. I don't ever discriminate when it comes to beer, but one time I was faced with a terrible decision at a party: Milwaukee's Best or Miller Light. I choked down the MB.

Lite is a much stronger taste then Bud Light or Coor's Light. It's hard to drink for some. I find Coor's Light to taste like it has apple juice in it, or aluminum. But I can drink it once I've got the one down. Bud Light is the one beer that never gives me the bitter beer face or blah taste. But my digestive system is not very happy after a long night of BL.
 

CycloneChris

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2009
1,645
86
48
Chicago suburbs
In the grand scheme of things, actual taste ranks probably third in importance for most beer drinkers. Price and brand identity/perception are what sells mass produced beers, and in many cases price will be the deciding factor. Brand identity is why Miller Lite has come out with the Vortex bottle and the Punch Top Can. These are two new things that draws attention to the brand. Most people won't think these two things are stupid, they'll think it's cool or different. The first thing I was asked a few weekends ago when I showed up with a case of Miller Lite was if the cans were punch top. Everyone who drank one proceeded to punch the top on every single can. Everyone now knows if you see a can with the punch top, that it's a Miller Lite.

To add my 2 cents in regards to the Miller vs. Bud debate, I can't stand Bud products. They all taste like they were made with poorly filtered Mississippi River water.
 

CycloneChris

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2009
1,645
86
48
Chicago suburbs
Beer snobs annoy me (slightly). To me, snobbery over light beer styles and snobbery over beer in cans (not bottles) is the first sign of a noob trying to seem cultured.

Ironically, craft beer in cans is one of the hot new trends in the beer world. So if someone is a snob over beer in a can, they are behind the times.
 

CykoAGR

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2008
1,691
69
48
44
Waukee, IA
I personally think the punch top is dumb, the "widemouth" thing was enough to drink beer faster than most poeple can anyway. I get the marketing thing but I will not buy ML just because they have this sweet punch top can. I also wont buy Budlight because you can draw your name on the bottle etc. Marketing is marketing so I get the attempts but I dont know many people who buy because of these things.

I'm probably what most people would call a beer snob, I very rarely drink light beer unless its the only option. It just doesnt taste good, or really taste at all for that matter to me. I get that some like it and thats great, I will take a Pale ale or an IPA any day. I also get that some others wouldnt drink an IPA because it is too bitter or the hop taste it too strong. Thats fine to each their own.

I will say that if you are every at a micro brew give one of there seasonal beers a try, typically seasonal beers go very well with the weather outside. In the summer a light crisp ale or lager go well with hot summer days and in the fall and winter a brown ale or a stout or porter match a cold winter night.
 

stateofmind

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2007
6,635
4,174
113
Ankeny
Miller Lite is the last beer I'd drink if given choice between beers, period. And I've had some pretty bad beers.

Good for you.

Regarding the punch top, is it possible that the hole has a functional purpose other than drinking faster? If the beer isn't working to get out of the can or bottle, it's going to be less fizzy in your mouth. Won't that create less air in your belly? Which in turn creates less gas to be released from your body? Plus, if the beer left in the can wasn't traumatized with every drink, doesn't that leave less flat beer towards the end? Just a thought.
 

VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
48,238
38,936
113
Brooklyn Park, MN
Yeah, it seems if you are claiming superiority between bud, coors, miller, etc. you are really just making a statement that you have a favorite Nascar driver.

One thing I can't drink is Budweiser, but not because of taste. I can drink 10 coors, naty, miller products, but if I have just one budweiser product (heavy, light, select), I will have the worst headache the next day. Even if I only have one budweiser and no other alcohol the rest of the night. Anybody else have this problem?

I've never noticed this problem, but my Father-in-law swears by Miller Lite for this reason. If I'm going to drink an "American style" beer, I will generally go for the Champagne of Beers, but I'm not married to it.
 

CtownCyclone

Midnight Rider
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jan 20, 2010
16,796
9,106
113
Where they love the governor
Good for you.

Regarding the punch top, is it possible that the hole has a functional purpose other than drinking faster? If the beer isn't working to get out of the can or bottle, it's going to be less fizzy in your mouth. Won't that create less air in your belly? Which in turn creates less gas to be released from your body? Plus, if the beer left in the can wasn't traumatized with every drink, doesn't that leave less flat beer towards the end? Just a thought.

Not to get all beer-snobby, but I think you want a little bit of turbulence when the beer flows to release the flavors of the beer. If you pay attention to the hoity-toity glass that Sam Adams designed for their beer (which I thought was bull when I first heard about it, but now am a believer), they add a lip to the glass to create turbulence, which releases the flavor of the hops of the beer.
 

stateofmind

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2007
6,635
4,174
113
Ankeny
Not to get all beer-snobby, but I think you want a little bit of turbulence when the beer flows to release the flavors of the beer. If you pay attention to the hoity-toity glass that Sam Adams designed for their beer (which I thought was bull when I first heard about it, but now am a believer), they add a lip to the glass to create turbulence, which releases the flavor of the hops of the beer.

I agree, but you get that turbulence when it goes through the opening of a can. Since Sam is usually in a long neck and poured into a glass you don't get the repeated turbulence that you would from drinking it repeatedly from a can. Plus, I'm not sure "American Style" light beers would really need this as they don't have the complex flavors of a Sam Adams.

I'm really starting to get thirsty. I'm headed to El Bait Shop at 5 to meet some friends. What should I order???
 

Hawkeye11en1

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2011
11,173
432
83
Colorado
I agree, but you get that turbulence when it goes through the opening of a can. Since Sam is usually in a long neck and poured into a glass you don't get the repeated turbulence that you would from drinking it repeatedly from a can. Plus, I'm not sure "American Style" light beers would really need this as they don't have the complex flavors of a Sam Adams.

I'm really starting to get thirsty. I'm headed to El Bait Shop at 5 to meet some friends. What should I order???

Vokda-Tonic
 
  • Like
Reactions: stateofmind

CtownCyclone

Midnight Rider
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jan 20, 2010
16,796
9,106
113
Where they love the governor
I agree, but you get that turbulence when it goes through the opening of a can. Since Sam is usually in a long neck and poured into a glass you don't get the repeated turbulence that you would from drinking it repeatedly from a can. Plus, I'm not sure "American Style" light beers would really need this as they don't have the complex flavors of a Sam Adams.

I'm really starting to get thirsty. I'm headed to El Bait Shop at 5 to meet some friends. What should I order???

The way I read your post was that the purpose of the punch top could be to make the beer come out smoother with less turbulence.

I don't care one way or the other, as I prefer a local craft brew (St. Arnold's) for my beers, but after working in the lawn in the Houston heat and humidity, I'll pound down just about any cold beer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stateofmind
Oct 27, 2009
39
6
8
64
I don't always drink canoe beer, but when I do it is usually Bush Light. It's not very good beer either, but they do price it right. And even a watered down lager is still pretty good.
 

isukendall

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2006
2,446
581
113
Fort Collins, CO
In the grand scheme of things, actual taste ranks probably third in importance for most beer drinkers. Price and brand identity/perception are what sells mass produced beers, and in many cases price will be the deciding factor. Brand identity is why Miller Lite has come out with the Vortex bottle and the Punch Top Can. These are two new things that draws attention to the brand. Most people won't think these two things are stupid, they'll think it's cool or different. The first thing I was asked a few weekends ago when I showed up with a case of Miller Lite was if the cans were punch top. Everyone who drank one proceeded to punch the top on every single can. Everyone now knows if you see a can with the punch top, that it's a Miller Lite.

To add my 2 cents in regards to the Miller vs. Bud debate, I can't stand Bud products. They all taste like they were made with poorly filtered Mississippi River water.
Truth. Interesting read in this article, here's a quote:

"The history of the face-off is illustrative. For decades, the big brewers (Anheuser Busch, MillerCoors, etc.) have marketed their products less on the basis of taste or quality than on identity branding. What you drank subsequently became a statement not necessarily of what your taste buds enjoyed, but of your self-image. The Miller versus Budweiser wars and Old Milwaukee ads, for instance, were so often a pitch to guys looking for working-class street cred. Meanwhile, Pabst Blue Ribbon lately has been pitched as a retro-themed statement of hipster style."

The New Brew Economy: How Craft Beer Can Save the Economy | BALLE - Business Alliance for Local Living Economies
 
Oct 27, 2009
39
6
8
64
I don't always drink canoe beer, but when I do it is usually Bush Light. It's not very good beer either, but they do price it right. And even a watered down lager is still pretty good.
 

Help Support Us

Become a patron