Milwaukee's Best Ice 24OZ

Milwaukee's Best Ice 24OZ is an ice-brewed American lager with 5.9% ABV, sold in a 24oz can. This expression earned a Bronze Medal at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival in the American-Style Specialty Lager category, followed by another Bronze at the 2006 World Beer Cup — tangible recognition for a beer that often flies under the radar of formal competition.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.9%  |  Origin: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA  |  Style: American Ice Lager  |  Brewery: Miller Brewing (Molson Coors)

Production & Heritage

Milwaukee's Best traces its lineage to the Gettelman Brewery, established in Milwaukee during the 1890s. The brand joined the Miller Brewing family in 1961 and has remained rooted in Wisconsin brewing tradition ever since. What distinguishes the Ice variant is the sub-freezing temperature step during fermentation: the beer is chilled below 32°F, forming ice crystals that are then removed, concentrating the alcohol slightly to 5.9% and producing a noticeably smoother body than the standard Milwaukee's Best. The grain bill relies on barley malt supplemented with corn syrup (dextrose), with hops and hop extract providing balance.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet cereal grain leads, followed by a light corn character and a faint malt-liquor-like sweetness. There is minimal hop presence on the nose.

Taste: The entry is moderately sweet with a soft malt backbone. Mid-palate introduces subtle sour corn and a fleeting fruitiness reminiscent of pear and green apple. The sweetness resolves into a creamed-corn quality that keeps the profile approachable and uncomplicated.

Finish: Short to medium in length, with residual sweetness tapering off cleanly. Low bitterness surfaces at the very end, providing just enough structure to prevent the beer from feeling cloying.

How to Drink Milwaukee's Best Ice

Serve it cold — ideally between 34–38°F straight from the can or poured into a chilled pint glass. The 24oz format is built for straightforward, no-fuss drinking on a hot afternoon. Its sweet malt character also makes it a serviceable base in a Michelada, where the tomato juice and hot sauce counterbalance the corn sweetness. It works in a classic Beer-a-Rita (beer margarita) blended with frozen limeade concentrate, and holds its own in a simple Shandy mixed half-and-half with lemonade, where the fruit brightness lifts the malt.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts and tailgating where quantity and cold refreshment matter
• Budget-conscious beer drinkers seeking a higher ABV than standard light lagers
• Casual game-day drinking with friends
• Warm-weather sessions where smooth drinkability is the priority

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Milwaukee's Best Ice taste like? It delivers a moderately sweet, malt-forward profile with creamed corn, faint pear-apple fruitiness, and minimal hop bitterness — smooth and easy-drinking for the style.

How does Milwaukee's Best Ice compare to Bud Ice? Both are ice-brewed American lagers, but Milwaukee's Best Ice (5.9% ABV) sits slightly higher in alcohol than Bud Ice (5.5% ABV). Milwaukee's Best Ice tends to lean sweeter with more pronounced corn character, while Bud Ice is often perceived as slightly drier and more neutral.

Is Milwaukee's Best Ice good for casual drinking? Yes — the ice-brewing process creates a smooth, low-bitterness lager specifically designed for easy, high-volume consumption in warm weather or social settings.

Where is Milwaukee's Best Ice made? It is brewed under the Miller Brewing Company banner, historically rooted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and now part of the Molson Coors Beverage Company's portfolio.

What foods pair well with Milwaukee's Best Ice? Grilled hot dogs and bratwurst complement its malt sweetness; spicy buffalo wings benefit from the beer's cooling carbonation; pepperoni pizza matches the corn-forward profile; salted pretzels accentuate the subtle grain notes; and barbecue pulled pork stands up to the fuller body without clashing.

What sizes does Milwaukee's Best Ice come in? Milwaukee's Best Ice is commonly available in 24oz single cans, 12oz cans sold in multi-packs (6, 12, 18, and 30-packs), and 16oz tallboy cans.

Is Milwaukee's Best Ice worth the price? It positions firmly in the value tier of American ice lagers, delivering higher ABV and a smooth drinking experience at one of the lowest price points in its category — strong on volume and drinkability per dollar.

Why Milwaukee's Best Ice?

The ice-brewing step is not just marketing language — the sub-freezing crystallization genuinely smooths the body and nudges the ABV above most standard American lagers. A Bronze Medal at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival validates that the technique translates into measurable quality within its style. With roots tracing back to a 19th-century Milwaukee brewery and a grain bill built around barley malt and dextrose, this is a no-pretense American ice lager that delivers exactly what the format promises: smooth, cold, and sessionable refreshment in a generous 24oz pour.