REVIEW: Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager

I am a sucker for funny animals. Ever since the days of Duck Tales and old Uncle Scrooge comics. The  squirrel on this can looks like he would fit right in in Duckburg. He's got an interesting look about him. I'm not sure if he'd be hanging out with Donald and the nephews or the Beagle Boys. But more on the beer inside the can, it's a 5% 24 IBU amber lager. Let's get to it! To the beer!

Lore Lorelei Lager

Today we have a new beer from a new brewery. Well, at least new to me and new to this blog. Danville, Kentucky's Lore Brewing Co. and their Loreli Lager. I'm always on the hunt for a good lager and one from a brewery I've never had with label art this solid is a hard proposition to pass up. Lorelei checks in at 6.2% ABV and 35 IBUs which at first blush seems a bit high. But then again, I really have no idea what specific kind of lager I'm getting here. To the beer!

REVIEW: Triple Digit Gravitator

So Bockfest was this weekend. I went and had a great time, but I didn't really feel like there was enough there to warrant a blog post. But I didn't want to let the weekend pass without taking a look at one of my favorite beer styles, the venerable doppelbock. The biggest and maltiest of all of the lagers. This one is from Cincinnati's own Triple Digit Brewing whose beers I have been on the hunt for since being blown away by Chickow! Let's not waste any more time. To the beer!

REVIEW: Flying Dog Underdog Atlantic Lager

Today's beer is indicative of three things in beer that I have really grown to appreciate in the year that I've done this blog. First of all it's canned. A vessel that I honestly prefer to bottles at this point. Two, it's sessionable, only 4.7%. And third, it's a craft pale lager. That's good enough for me to give Underdog from Frederick, Marlyland's Flying Dog a shot. To the beer!

Underdog pours a pale slightly hazed golden yellow. I'm beginning to think the reddish hue that many of these beers have been taking in my photographs have less to do with my meager skills behind the camera and much more to do with the brick wall backdrop. It looks cool though so you guys will just have to take my word on the color. It's topped by a dense finger of bone white head that left rings of lacing on the way down.

On the nose things get started with a fairly pronounced biscuity crackery malt. That is contrasted by a floral herbal hop character. Light and simple, but somehow deceptively complex.

A robust carbonation lends Underdog a pretty creamy yet light body. Much like with the aromas, the flavors of this beer are very simple: slightly crackery, slightly herbal. A strong bitterness gives the beer a crisp bite and a clean finish.

As I was sitting down to review this beer I couldn't help but find the flavors a bit one note. Not a ton of complexity. But you know what? I didn't mind at all. This is a simple, crisp, drinkable lager with a nice bitterness. It isn't trying to be anything that it's not. And sometimes, that's all you need. It hit the spot.

HD

REVIEW: Uinta Baba

I started this blog almost a year ago. Back then I talked about very few beers that weren't imperial this, or barrel aged that. If a beer wasn't big, or wild, or 10% ABV I didn't make much time for it. But in the months since starting this blog my tastes have changed a bit. While I still love the big bruising beers quite dearly, I have grown to appreciate, and even sometimes prefer something more sessionable. A well crafted lager or lighter ale is a thing of beauty. Enter another new to Ohio beer from Uinta, Baba. A schwarzbier, a German style black lager. I believe this is the first schwarzbier I've taken a look at on the blog. This one checks in at only 4% ABV. Take a look at that beautiful label again! One special thing about this lovely, monochromatic label is that seal down towards the bottom that indicates Baba as USDA organic. To the beer!

REVIEW: Sixpoint The Crisp

So I've taken a look at just about all of the beers to be had from that Brooklyn beer maker I hold so near and dear, Sixpoint. Up until now those beers have all been ales. Today's beer, The Crisp, Is the only lager in their rotation. Take a minute to notice the subtly different shape of the "label" on the can here which serves to differentiate the lager from the ales. That's a pretty damn good piece of design work. The Crisp is a German pilsener that clocks in at a rather robust 42 IBUs and 5.9% ABV. To the beer!

REVIEW: Christian Moerlein Exposition Vienna Lager

Today's beer is one of the newer brews from Christian Moerlein, a Vienna lager. A german style of beer. Vienna lager is a style of beer that you may not be familiar with, at least by this name. It may be more well known by the name Boston Lager. Yup, you learn something new every day. I had no idea what the actual style of one of the grandfathers of craft beer was. So now that we're all acquainted with the Vienna lager and we know what we're getting into with this new Moerlein beer we can get down to business. To the beer!