Thirsty Dog Balto Heroic Lager

Brewed by Thirsty Dog Brewing Company
Style: Amber Lager/Vienna
Akron, Ohio USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Shaker

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Once in awhile you find a beer that is grossly underated...this is such a case. Maybe my palate is ass backwards...but a 2.86...WTF. Honestly this is one of the better lagers I’ve had. Pours a light clear gold and has a two finger white head. Aroma is lagering yeast and sweet bread/fruit. Flavor is sweet malt and caramel...with lagering yeast, but there is a bit of bitterness as well. I think it is incredibly well balanced. Mouthfeel is smooth and a bit oily. Don’t get why people don’t like this. To me, it is the biggest upset I’ve found...next to st ambroise oatmeal being a top 50...WTF is with that.

Hazy golden body, which surprised me as I was expecting something clearer and more copper in color. Poached pear drizzled with caramel sauce. Bit of a dry finish. I think much better than what the average score suggests.

Date: 12 oz. bottle on 8/30/08

Aroma - toasted grain , biscuit, some floral hops

Appearance - Clear orange, medium white head, reasonably durable

Flavor - Solid malt base of light sweetness with a gentle bitterness as it finishes

Palate - Light to medium body, smooht, clean

Overall - Refreshing, nice balanced flavors. Seems underrated to me.

Aquired from shigadeyo in a trade. Pours medium amber with a small frothy white head. Aroma is malts, corn, wheat. Flavor has a little spice zip to it along with caramel, light malts, touches of hops and citrus. Actually is pretty tasty. Thanks again Craig.

6/26/2007: Balto Heroic Lager is light amber-gold in color with mild carbonation and lots of suspended fine sediment. It has s diminishing beige head that leaves no lasting crown. Toasted malt, light caramel, and a touch of hops are incorporated into the aroma. The flavor is smooth, easy caramel malt with a bit of fruitiness and a good level of hop bitterness. It is also slightly sweet anf floral like honey. The boy is medium-light and smooth on the palate, but a bit thin at times. I like this beer and could really drink a lot of it. It is quite good and well-balanced overall.

12 oz bottle (IBUs = 9, O.G. = 14.5’ P, 5.4% alc./vol.) from The Party Source. Rating #85 for this beer...

Rated 7/13/06: Quality brewer, decent lager. Aroma is crisp and light with a minimal scent of pale malt and a nice sweet kicker. Bottle says there is a caramel presence and I’m sure this is what I’m smelling, pleasant. Poured a rather dark golden color with a medium amber tint, great color. Minimal head that diminishes and very little lacing, rather disappointing. Flavor is sturdy and very good, I’m not a huge lager fan but there is enough involved with this one to hold my interest. Dry and slightly malty the amber malt and caramel blend in nicely. Crisp and dry there is a clean mouthfeel with a mildly sweet finish. This beer complimented my sausage pizza real well, for what it is it’s a decent beer. Overall I like more complex and heavier beers but this is nice for it’s style.

bottle poured a apple cider golden in color with an initial wave of carbination quickly disappearing and leaving basically no head or carbination to speak of. smell is lightly cider like, good dose of yeasts and flowers, mild malts, and a lightly sweetened caramel background. on to the tasting, refreshing from the first sip, decent malts, good snap that comes from the yeast i believe, does have some toasted hints, and some slightly sweet caramel. initially goes down sweet but leaves a light bitterness on the tongue. at first i did not think this was going to be a winner but am warming to it as the glass goes on. I am partial to liking the thirsty dog beers though.

12 oz bottle from Trooper11 - thanks Adam! Pours a clear light amber with a quick diminishing white head. Sweet toasty grain nose, light toffee. Sweet malty flavor, light toffee and caramel. Mildly herbal bitter finish. A solid Vienna - not sure why this is rated so low?

Bottle from argo0. Hazy, golden body with a small white head. The aroma is apple, bread and caramel. The flavor is moderately sweet, cider, dough, caramel and spicy herbal hops. Medium/light body is soft with moderate carbonation. Quaffable for sure.

Hazy copper with a nonexistent head. Sweet aroma with a caramel ending. Thick rich mouthfeel, big ending, almost too much.