A review of Mile Wide’s first six beers

Hidden away in the back of the Diamonds complex off Barret Avenue is the newest addition to the growing family of Louisville microbreweries, Mile Wide Beer Co. With an open-space layout, Mile Wide is a warm and inviting atmosphere with plenty of room to put your feet up and hang out with friends. And that was clearly on display last Thursday night, as it was a little more than half full of patrons who had braved the cold on a work night to check out the latest brews on the block. Here’s our takeaways from their first six beers on tap.

White Ale A Belgian-style witbier, the White Ale is a delicious springtime treat, light in body with a cloudy yellow hue. With an ABV of 5.6 percent, the ale has a slight sediment presence, complemented by a rich, wheat aftertaste. There is a nice pop that contrasts the otherwise sublime flavors of a witbier, perhaps most noticeable are its fruity citrus notes. It is best suited for warmer weather — not only for the comparatively sweet flavor, but as a way to quench your thirst on a humid summer day. As a winter brew, this is the perfect reminder of brighter days to come.—Syd Bishop

Uncle Disheveled The darkest beer of its inaugural batch, the Uncle Disheveled is a Southern pecan coffee stout that blends the flavor profile of a conventional coffee stout with a nut brown. A dark black body is capped off with a light-colored foam head, with a thickness to it that makes for an especially hearty brew. At 5.5 percent ABV an excellent stout, and one that goes down smoothly. Where Uncle Disheveled shines is in the excellent combination of tastes, sweet on the front end, but cut by a mildly bitter coffee flavoring on the end, with a creamy body.—Syd Bishop

Wooderson Smoked beers can be particularly tricky given the flavors involved. For some, the inherent smokiness can be overwhelming, almost like drinking meat. Mile Wide subvertS that pitfall by combining the aforementioned smoked taste with a traditional blonde ale, which is a surprisingly remarkable pairing. The Wooderson is sweet, but not overtly so, with a smoked flavor to match. The body is thin with a brownish hue and a truly sublime symphony of tastes. Likewise, there is a welcome aftertaste that rewards repeat visits, all with a low 5.2 percent ABV. Taken together, there is a warming quality to the beer that recalls campfire hangouts with friends.—Syd Bishop

Good Evening, Miss An anomaly of a style, this English Mild Ale has a dark color that makes it seem like you’re getting yourself into something heavy and robust, but at just 3.5 percent, it has the drinkability of something with a copper profile. On first sip, it tastes a little bit like a stout, with a zip of initial flavor, which is kind of surprising, until it’s followed by a watery aftertaste that makes a lot more sense when keeping in mind the ABV. If you’re looking for something that’s a reflection of the season, I would go with the Uncle Dishelved instead, but if you’re in the mood for something mild that is different from the most other beers below 4 percent, this is certainly worth trying.—Scott Recker

Catalina Breeze Of the two installments in the Scavenger series, this has slightly more alcohol (7 percent ABV), but it seems better for a refill or two, as its well-balanced, straightforward hops make-up screams flagship beer. There’s no gimmick, no surprises — it’s just a really solid, consistently flavorful ale with enough kick for the IPA obsessives, enough drinkability that it’s not necessarily a one and done and flavor and individuality that it stands up to the endless crop of beers that are structured in a similar way.—Scott Recker

Tessie Of the two installments in the Scavenger series, this is the more adventurous, with a roller coaster of a taste that puts bouncing hops up against a tangy, fruity zip. At 6.5 percent, the Northeast Scavenger, is slightly lighter in alcohol content, but it has more twists — it’s the most interesting and memorable to the two, but will probably also be the more polarizing one. Although that’s super subjective, it worked for me, as it seems like Mile Wide is looking for consistent classics, while simultaneously taking chances.—Scott Recker