The Bruery Humulus Lager

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils
Placentia, California USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Footed Pilsner, Lager glass, Stein

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Draft at 16 Tons, Eugene. Pours a tawny golden color, aroma is rich and resinous. Body somewhat medium, a bit lively, finish suprisingly bitter, but I guess what’s to be expected from this combination of ABV and style.

Draught at Blind Tiger. Pours light amber with foamy head. Light citrus aroma, not overwhelming. Taste has definite lager yeast. The taste is clean, slightly bitter, fairly floral. Nice balance.

Poured from a 64 oz. growler into a tulip. Humulus Lager pours a hazy bronze color with lighter golden edges where light shines through. A full and creamy head fills up the top of my glass with a firm pour. Nice head retention, and there is a bit of lace sticking to the sides of my glass. The aroma is of sweet grains, orange and grapefruit hops, and a bit of lager yeast in the back. It smells more like a traditional IPA than it tastes, for sure. With my very first taste of this beer I can sense the difference between this and any ale IPA. The lager yeast adds another character to the flavor, accentuating the hops in such a unique way. There is a little bit of genius in doing it this way. There is a little bit of honey and straw sweetness up front, but the flavor resides in the blast of bitterness that comes next. The hops come through with grapefruit and orange citrus, including a fair amount of pith and zest, with a little bit of pine on the back end. The hop combination is not unusual, but the way it is presented is, which makes this beer that much more interesting. The dryness of the lager yeast is apparent for sure. The carbonation is bubbly and creamy, just barely on the full side. The body is right about where I expect it to be at 7.2% alcohol. Overall I was impressed with this beer. Usually I feel that Bruery beers are overhyped and underwhelming, but I enjoyed the thought that was put into this beer’s design. This is the type of beer where the total is definitely greater than the sum of the parts; the interaction between the lager yeast and the hops alone makes this beer worth trying.

Draft on tap at Redlight Redlight (Orlando, FL). Pours a nice well hazed golden pour, a dulled glow, touches of orange, golden glow in the body. Frothy brighter white head atop laces well, films as a nice layer. Aromas are well hopped, lemons and florals, some grass and gentle bready and doughy sweetness. Some tangerine, growing fruity hops. Earth, and some straw. Initial is really hoppy, nicely bitter with grapefruit, florals, some grass. Some fruity Amarillo fruit, gentle gumball, and soap. Oranges, tangerines, firmly assertively bitter hops up front. Middle is some fruit, crisp bready malts and straw, mellow sweetness but a big fruity hop presence from that girthy hop load. Firmly bitter and hoppy as we round the corner into the backend, melon and bitter florals, grapefruit, touches of resiny pine, dry earthy florals, good bitterness lingers on. Touch of heat, this offers some bigger ABV, mellow sweetness. Well hopped and tasty offering. Glad to finally get to try this.

Draft at sb. Pours a cloudy medium amber with a big rocky white head that towers over the top of the glass without leaking or dripping. Huge fresh pine and garlic nose, with heavy wet grass and bright piercing herbal notes showing. Very flashy and attention getting nose. Creamy medium body with soft carb. Caramel and soft lemon on the mid palate. Hops are less prevalent on the tongue than the nose, but the grassy and herbal notes show well. Pleasant herbal finish. Really good stuff.

On Tap at Max’s. Look: Golden yellow body, 1/2 finger white head. Smell: Citrus, sweetness, earthiness. Taste: Citrus, smooth earthiness, rice crispy note. Feel: Light body tight carbonation. Overall: Beautiful looking brew. The aroma lacks a little but makes up for it in flavor. Very hop forward, hides the 7% ABV nicely. If Budweiser tasted like this at 5% ABV, It would be the King of Beers. This brew is worthy.

Draft at ChurchKey. Hazy golden yellow color, huge white head, solid lacing. Aroma of freshly cut pineapple. Taste is tropical fruit. Delicious.

Tap. Light foamy slightly off-white head, fairly hazy light golden orange hue. Nice citrusy hop aromas, with some slight breadiness and yeastiness in the aroma. Flavor is not as well-rounded as the aroma, but the citrusy hops do play the dominant role, but the alcohol comes in a bit too much for me making it leans to the malt liquor warming factor. Fairly dry, but a bit watery.

On tap at Backcountry Pizza poured a clear golden amber with a lasting creamy white head. Aromas of straw, grapefruit, pine and earthiness. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of straw, grapefruit, earthiness and light pine with a smooth lingering grapefruit finish.

UPDATED: MAR 24, 2013 Clear, deep golden, absolutely beautiful. Dry Hopped to all hell. Complex yet drinkable, a hop bomb. This is a gorgeous beer!!!