Miller Coors

I've debated as to whether I should add this one to my list of NC beers or not.  Theoretically it should be added since it is a brewery located in NC.  On the other hand it's really not a North Carolina brand.  Since I live less than 15 miles from the brewery in the same county I felt it should be added due to the economic impact the company has provided for Rockingham County since 1978 and it was the first brewery to produce Miller Genuine Draft in 1986.  So also theoretically Miller Genuine Draft is a North Carolina beer. This location does not provide tours and getting through the gates is quite tough.  I've had the pleasure of being able to go through the plant and it is a very impressive operation.  It looks nothing like the small craft breweries that I talk about mostly here.  MillerCoors spills more beer in a day than most of the breweries in NC combined produce in a day.  This location puts out 9 Million barrels a year.  In comparison most craft breweries put out between 3000 and 20,000.

I'm not a fan of the MillerCoors domestic product but there are times that I will suck down a Miller Lite or Coors Light if I'm in a location that only carries domestic style beers.  In my opinion the mega-beers are not really beer at all but a fermented rice beverage at best.  The water the brewery uses comes right out of the Dan River.  While the Dan is one of natures beauties gracing Rockingham County it isn't "as cold as the Rockies"...

Miller also at one time brewed the now defunct Pete's Wicked Ale under contract for Pete Slosberg.  MillerCoors also has a line of "Craft" beers with Blue Moon probably being their most popular.  They brew Leinenkugel's, and Henry Weinhard's as well.  They also brew other really good craft beers under contract in this location.

Being "local" I know some folks that work in the brewery and my local watering hole is also a "hot spot" for the MillerCoors "brass" when they come to town.  I've met their head yeast guy from Milwaukee and had a few beers with him.  I'm waiting on Tom Long to show up one day as I'd love to have a conversation with him.

One thing I recently learned is that MillerCoors now has a team of employees actually Home Brewing on premises at the plant.  I say Home Brewing lightly since they are not brewing at home and they are using state of the art equipment that would give a chub to even the beginner in the hobby.  They also don't brew outside or in a kitchen with a dog and a six year old running around.  They don't ferment beside the refrigerator or bottle/keg from the kitchen table while 3 of their 1/2 drunk buddies are all trying to hold the racking cane and picking up all the yeast cake off the bottom.  I did have to give them a lesson in Kegging and force carbonation.  The looks on their faces was priceless when I told them to just kick the keg around while the CO2 was on it and to be careful not to spill the beer they are to be drinking while kegging.

So this is my review of MillerCoors and while I didn't give my opinion of their individual beers I didn't see the need since I would not be favorable to them and I'd hate to hurt Tom's feelings and cause him not to come see me some day.

Cheers!

http://www.millercoors.com/

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