Federation Christmas Lager

Formerly brewed at Dunston (Heineken UK)
Style: Pale Lager
Gateshead, England

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Lager glass, Shaker

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Unusually for a British made lager this has a quite malty aroma. However, that’s compromised by the familiar soggy cardboard notes often found in pasteurised beers. There’s a touch of hoppy bite on the palate, but its not really assertive enough and there’s a metallic aftertaste. There was a very unusual suspension of proteinaceous looking stuff towards the bottom of the bottle - not heavy enough to settle out completely - which I first thought was a chill haze (although more lumpy) but persisted even when the last inch or so at the bottom of the bottle had been at room temperature for an hour or so. Not great, but better than most UK keg lagers. 500ml bottle from Morrisons supermarket.

A pale, amber orange coloured beer, with a light effervescence. A light, hoppy aroma, with a tiny hint of spice. The taste is dry, tinny, hoppy and slightly wheaty, the aftertaste is lingering.

After trying their spicey and different Christmas Ale this was such a disapointment. It had little real flavour, a thin body and was alround very ordinary.If this is the best lager they can make then the brewery should stick to brewing ale.

Bottled. Gold, thin but long lasting white head and good condition. Initial peardrops in the nose soon subsides leaving sweet malt and a delicate low hoppiness. Clean and malty in the mouth with some grassy hop notes before turning dry chalky and slightly hop bitter in the finish. Unlike most English lagers it doesn't suffer too much as it warms suggesting it is all malt.

Usual lager appearance with a very light colour. Fresh grassy nose. Citrus light crisp taste. Pretty standard stuff.

Pastuerised Bottle. From Asda supermarket. Dreadful stuff. There's barely any flavour, but what there is is tinny and slightly chemical. This just tastes false and wrong.

Standard lager appearance with a very light aroma. Malty flavour with a slight bitter edge. Overall a fairly basic lager.