mwedge
08-18-2009, 09:47 PM
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Brooklyn-Lager-detail.jpgI’m pretty “thumbs down” on most lagers. To me, the lager stereotype seems to hold true — that they aren’t much for taste, have too much of an unpleasant yeasty quality, and are generally fairly weak and light-bodied.
But the Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Lager (http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/?id=BROOKLYN%20LAGER) puts its best foot forward. This lager is strong on hops and has a big caramel malt taste. It’s actually a pretty good beer, even with that “LAGER” name so prominently displayed on the label. How’s that for a back-handed compliment?
I knew I was in for something different as soon as I poured the beer. Brooklyn Lager isn’t a fizzy yellow beer — it’s a coppery, amber lager with a plump cushion of white head that looks thick and almost meringue-like.
The aroma is mostly malty but with an echo of warm, herbal hops. I had to take another look at the label to make sure it still read “LAGER” beneath the Brooklyn Brewery logo.
Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, but my first few sips were less than impressive. The beer initially seemed to be nothing but weak-tasting caramel malt and yeast, with a grassy hop chaser. Not my cup of tea, but still better than most lagers.
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Brooklyn-Lager.jpgBut then this beer caught me by surprise. Though Brooklyn Lager started off mostly malty-sweet, the hops took on more of an herbal quality and grew slightly more assertive; that soft, tea-like bitterness began to play off the malt. The still seemed sweet, but it became fuller and tasted toasted. Yeastiness fell away completely as the bitter hops and toasted malt cooperated to lift Brooklyn Lager up a notch.
I wouldn’t have guessed this beer was a lager at this stage. It tasted like an easy-drinking ale with some quiet hops. Certainly not my favorite beer, but I’ve got to appreciate the deliberate flavor coming from Brooklyn Lager.
The Brooklyn Brewing website describes this beer as a “Viennese-style” lager, and attributes the aromatic bitterness to dry-hopping:
Brooklyn Lager is amber-gold in color, and displays a firm malt center supported by a fine bitterness and floral hop aroma. Caramel malts show in the finish. The aromatic qualities of the beer are enhanced by “dry-hopping”, the centuries-old practice of steeping the beer with fresh hops as it undergoes a long, cold maturation. The result is a wonderfully flavorful beer, smooth, refreshing and very versatile with food.
Versatile, easy to drink, and just strong enough — at 5.2% ABV — to pack a punch while making it easy to drink more than one.
Incidentally, the now-infamous Boston Lager from Samuel Adams is also a Vienna-style lager. So if I’m ever in a situation where I simply must drink a lager — I think I’m turning Viennese.
Use Social Bookmarks (http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeraday.net%2 Fbeer%2Fbrooklyn-lager%2F&linkname=Brooklyn%20Lager)Related posts:
Blue Point Brewing Toasted Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/blue-point-brewing-toasted-lager/)
Saranac Adirondack Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/sarnac-adirondack-lager/)
Dundee Honey Brown Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/dundee-honey-brown-lager/)
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But the Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Lager (http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/?id=BROOKLYN%20LAGER) puts its best foot forward. This lager is strong on hops and has a big caramel malt taste. It’s actually a pretty good beer, even with that “LAGER” name so prominently displayed on the label. How’s that for a back-handed compliment?
I knew I was in for something different as soon as I poured the beer. Brooklyn Lager isn’t a fizzy yellow beer — it’s a coppery, amber lager with a plump cushion of white head that looks thick and almost meringue-like.
The aroma is mostly malty but with an echo of warm, herbal hops. I had to take another look at the label to make sure it still read “LAGER” beneath the Brooklyn Brewery logo.
Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, but my first few sips were less than impressive. The beer initially seemed to be nothing but weak-tasting caramel malt and yeast, with a grassy hop chaser. Not my cup of tea, but still better than most lagers.
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Brooklyn-Lager.jpgBut then this beer caught me by surprise. Though Brooklyn Lager started off mostly malty-sweet, the hops took on more of an herbal quality and grew slightly more assertive; that soft, tea-like bitterness began to play off the malt. The still seemed sweet, but it became fuller and tasted toasted. Yeastiness fell away completely as the bitter hops and toasted malt cooperated to lift Brooklyn Lager up a notch.
I wouldn’t have guessed this beer was a lager at this stage. It tasted like an easy-drinking ale with some quiet hops. Certainly not my favorite beer, but I’ve got to appreciate the deliberate flavor coming from Brooklyn Lager.
The Brooklyn Brewing website describes this beer as a “Viennese-style” lager, and attributes the aromatic bitterness to dry-hopping:
Brooklyn Lager is amber-gold in color, and displays a firm malt center supported by a fine bitterness and floral hop aroma. Caramel malts show in the finish. The aromatic qualities of the beer are enhanced by “dry-hopping”, the centuries-old practice of steeping the beer with fresh hops as it undergoes a long, cold maturation. The result is a wonderfully flavorful beer, smooth, refreshing and very versatile with food.
Versatile, easy to drink, and just strong enough — at 5.2% ABV — to pack a punch while making it easy to drink more than one.
Incidentally, the now-infamous Boston Lager from Samuel Adams is also a Vienna-style lager. So if I’m ever in a situation where I simply must drink a lager — I think I’m turning Viennese.
Use Social Bookmarks (http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeraday.net%2 Fbeer%2Fbrooklyn-lager%2F&linkname=Brooklyn%20Lager)Related posts:
Blue Point Brewing Toasted Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/blue-point-brewing-toasted-lager/)
Saranac Adirondack Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/sarnac-adirondack-lager/)
Dundee Honey Brown Lager (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/dundee-honey-brown-lager/)
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