Brooklyn Lager

Brewed by Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Vienna
Brooklyn, New York USA

Serve in Lager glass

Pours a fairly dark amber colour with a small tan head. The aroma is of caramel malts and hops but is slightly fruity as well. The taste is malty and a little sweet then becomes nice and bitter, almost dry. The finish is long and the beer has a nice medium body to it. Overall quite good and fairly unique.

On tap in a pint glass. Not bad for a lager. A decent amount of hops which wasn’t expected for the style. Light golden color, light body. Most interesting beer I saw at the bar, so a good choice.

12oz bottle, best by Sept 2010. Pours amber with a two finger off-white head that is quite pillowy and rocky. Leaves some nice rings of lacing. Aroma is floral hops, some fruit, biscuit, toast, light caramel malt, an attention-getting aroma for a lager, and the flavor follows suit. Nicely hopped overall, very floral, some citrus with good bitterness that is balanced very well against some sweet caramel malt and bread. Nice, enjoyable finish, very tasty and refreshing. Medium body, slick, good carbonation. Fantastic lager.

Clear golden with excellent head. Metallic hop aroma. Light body, medium carbonation. Sweet and tangy start with a good bitter finish. Very nice.

Nice smooth lager. Pours a medium yellow with a white head. Taste is smooth and delicious. I have a bit of hops on the tongue and maybe some hay. Nose is hoppy.

It’s hard to find a truly good lager. And by "lager" I mean a more traditional American-style lager rather than the many niche European (-style) bock and pilsner varieties. American lagers are unfortunately associated with "The Big Three," which isn’t fair to GOOD examples of the style like Brooklyn Lager. This beer has everything the typical American beer drinker wants in their beer: good flavor that anyone can enjoy, combined with easy drinkability and a body that isn’t too heavy.

APPEARANCE AND AROMA

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tumbler. Brooklyn Lager makes its distinction known right off the bat as the beer pours to a pretty shade of clear, dark amber/copper. It’s not overly-bubbly like so many cheap adjunct lagers tend to be. It has an off-white, frothy head that lasts throughout the life of the drink and leaves noticeable lacing on the glass.

The aroma is also a lot different than you might associate with an American lager. It’s quite strong with floral hops and a touch of sweetness. While mild overall it’s still inviting by virtue of the fact it doesn’t have that typical "beer smell" to it.

TASTE

Whatever flavors you’re used to tasting in a "Big Three" lager you won’t find them here. In fact, Brooklyn Lager has a lot of tastes that caught even me off guard. First of all, the head imparts a rich creamy texture followed by a slight caramel sweetness and the beer finishes with a gentle hop bite. Its unusual for lagers to have such hop distinction to their palates but Brooklyn’s hops are difficult to ignore.

The beer does have a slightly dry, bitter aftertaste as these hops seem to linger for a few seconds but quickly dissipate. Some brews like this tend to dry out the mouth, but this one does not.

DRINKABILITY

It should also be noted that this beer is only medium-bodied, but drinks like something much lighter. The palate is actually quite mild and the mouthfeel is thin, and it finishes with the smoothness of a velvety stout. If you drank Brooklyn Lager blind you might mistake it for a high-end "lite" beer. At only 5.2% ABV this is a beer well worth investing in a 12-pack for parties, BBQs, sessioning situations or just as a regular in your fridge. The satisfying taste and high drinkability would make it an ideal beer to pair with dinner.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Brooklyn  Lager is a perfect gateway beer for Joe and Jane Six Pack as well as yuppies, frat boys and party girls looking for something more satisfying than the usual "Big Three" without the intensity of a more high-end craft beer. Beer geeks will also appreciate and enjoy its craftsmanship and find it truly satisfying.

NOTE: WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS REVIEW AT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTP_7ofH-PY

UPDATED: MAY 14, 2010 Very strong. More of an experienced drinkers taste. Not a huge fan at all.

Excellent lager, one of my favorites of the style and goes so well with NY pizza. I don’t care to give a description...