Fort Collins Z Lager

Brewed by Fort Collins Brewery
Style: Smoked
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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An okay lager if it was just that, but the smoked flavor and aroma comes across all wrong. Leaves an unpleasant sourness on the tongue.

I’ve had smoked porters and stouts (some actually smoked, some with disgusting smokey additives), but never ran into a smoked lager before. It was quite good, the smoke and sweet malts mixed well, it didn’t taste or smell like an ashtray. Surprisingly good, a shame it is like an hour drive to the place I got it.

Does this taste like bran cereal or what? Pours amber. Aroma is malt, raisin bran cereal, faint caramel, and almost no smoke aroma. Taste is sweet "bran" cereal, malt, toasty, slight caramel, and faintly smokey. Finishes slightly smooth and creamy with a lingering sweetness... and faint smoke.

Bad label, standard US longneck. Clear, deep bronze beer - small, sand-colored, lacy head. Smells like ham, maybe the ham that you’ve boiled in a pot of green beans. Smoke is noticable, but not overdone. Lightly sweet, moderately bitter, dryish malting and a subtle tang. This would be a great tailgate brew, or a good foundation for some chili, jambalaya or game stew. Part of the Fort Collins Brewer’s Lunchbox mixpack, ABC Liquors, Betton.

Appearance: translucent amber color, head is about two inches when first poured, off white colored head, head dissolves slightly quickly but leaves a nice foam, slight lacing Aroma: caramel, slight smoky smell when inhaled heavily, earthy Taste: can taste the smoke flavor but not too overwhelming, nice surprise within the taste, light body Palette: flavor comes alot at the end, slight bitter Overall: this beer makes me want to bbq! It would be great cooking outdoors or camping, the smoke flavor is great and very different ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy copper with a half finger of coarse, off white head. Decent retention, and many rings of lacing. Aroma is smoked malt, beechwood, bacon, salty, smells like light rauchbier. Flavor is mildly smoky up front with a malty, caramel finish. Smokiness lingers only mildly. Smoke flavor is very approachable, good for someone looking to venture into smoke beers. The smoked tones are too light to be considered a true rauchbier. Soft to moderate carbonation, relatively full body, especially for a lager, and a smooth texture and finish. A pleasant, interesting, drinkable, smoky lager. Not sure why everyone is so down on this brew, other than it isn’t as smoky as your typical rauchbier.

Bottle. Rich orange pour with a small head. Slight smoked / charred wood. Slight sweet caramel. Okay.

Fort Collins Z Lager has a medium, cream colored head, a clear, bubbly amber appearance, and minimal, splotchy lacing. The aroma is mostly of sweet, brown bread crust, but one can pick up a whiff of smoke in the sniff. Taste is of the same, with a nice, hearty, but not heavy, hop bitterness in the sip. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Fort Collins Z Lager finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, and mellow. Overall, this is a much more approachable and drinkable beer that what is offered by the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbiers. Check it out and enjoy! RJT

12 oz bottle. Dark burnt orange with off-white head and lacing. The aroma is strong smoked malts. Light to medium body with a thin texture. Smoky flavor but not overdone. Light caramel malts with a smoky lingering finish.

It’s been a while since I’ve had one, but I seem to differ crom the crowd here in thinking if was quite good. Just enough smoke and not too much sugar. All is good here.