Profiled by Maria Devan
Pours a true amber with a fat head of dirty white foam that fell slowly and left patchy lace. A stream of bubbles rise up from the bottom and the clarity is perfect. It has a corny nose that is more like girts than corn syrup but it is sweet underneath. A grassy hop herbal cruises the nose and so does a bit of grain and a touch of appleskin. It’s not off putting and it does add to the sweetness. No alcohol on the nose.
Taste is a bit fuller than your average AAL. it has more abv and more grain even if it’s corn and more mouthfeel. This is smooth and well integrated. it’s not coarse or rough and there is no alcohol on the nose. Nor is there vanilla or bourbon. There is a prominent grassy herbal form hops and a corn like grits. Naturally sweet. The green apple does get sweeter as it warms. It drinks with a moderate light mouthfeel. The hops in this are present , even more present than the average macro light lager but not as much as an IPA. They lighten the beer substantially. In fact as far as a lager that is toying with an IPA abv this one is exceptional in drinkability. There is no alcohol on the palate. This drinks without any yeast bite from lager yeast and the biggest criticism I have is the acetaldehyde. This beer does the abv as well if not better than many of the craft IPL’s out there. It drinks like a lager without fanfare. The only thing is that if you let this beer get too warm then it does get a lot sweeter and more syrupy. Finishes off dry.
So in the grand scheme of things lagers re meant to be drunk a bit colder than stouts and that is true of this beer. This has a smooth grain taste that while corny is not over the top with sweetness. It has a grassy herbal and no alcohol on the plate. It has successfully preserved the lager character even with this minor flaw of appleskin.
3
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.