Review: Molson M

I know, I know. Beer marketers have never been known to over-sell their products, concocting crazy ad copy that hypes up the beer experience while glossing over the actual taste of their product. They’d never stoop to such a level.

So I’m just going to have to take it at face value that Molson M, “the world’s only microcarbonated lager” (their words, not mine) , is, in fact, a remarkably innovative product that tastes completely and totally different (and, naturally, better) than every other beer on the shelf. Right? Right?

First, a bit of beer nerdery.

Tinkering with beer carbonation is nothing new. If you’re looking for tight foam and silky smooth carbonation, look no further than beers packaged with a so-called widget. Using nitrogen in the draught dispensing process is another common trick to soften the texture and lend a creamy mouthfeel to beer.

Where does that leave Molson M? Are the bubbles, to quote a beer poet, groin-grabbingly transcendent?

Meh.

The bubbles aren’t that different than in other straightforward beers like Molson’s flagship Canadian. It’s not creamy like a widgetized beer, so don’t expect anything that dramatic. The head vanished very quickly when I poured the M, and I had to hurry to try to snap a few photos before all the foam subsided. If anything, I’d say there’s a briefly prolonged carbon-dioxide tingle on the tongue with M. Nothing to write home about.

Compared side-by-side with Canadian, the taste of Molson M is a touch sweeter. They’ve very similar, so if you like one, you’ll probably like the other. Of the two, I prefer the M. The aftertaste is nicer, and it tastes less watery.

Of course, given the beer marketing machine, how long will it be before we see ads for plain old Canadian selling it as “the world’s classic macrocarbonated lager”?

Sigh.

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RATINGS AND DETAILS

Cost: $2.99 for a 473 mL (16 oz.) “tall-can” at Liquor Depot in Edmonton.

Value for cash money: Not bad in this format, I guess. I could only find it in single tall cans, 12-packs of 341 mL bottles and 15-packs of 355 mL cans. The 12-pack price I saw worked out to around 2 bucks per bottle. There are better beers out there for the same price.

Availability: According to the Internet, Molson M has been available in Quebec since 2009, though it only crossed into Alberta in February 2011. It’s now easy to find in Edmonton.

Nutrition?: It’s beer. Moderation, friends, moderation.

Beerish power: 4.9% a.b.v.

The verdict: I like Molson M more than Canadian, but it’s less about the carbonation and more about other flavour tweaks. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s drinkable.