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08-06-2021, 16:20
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Pale lager, it's just my thing people.
Whether it's a pilsner, of German or Czech extraction, a Helles, a Maibock, or a Kellerbier, if it's pale and lager I'll give it a bash. Some might draw the line at drinking mass produced pale lagers, but I have a soft spot for Tennent's (if anyone fancies sending me a slab of those beautiful yellow cans, feel free), and from time to time I quite like a Budweiser, not Bud Lite, proper Bud.
English lager is not really a common sight over here in Virginia. Once upon a time our local Wegmans stocked Charlie Wells Dry Hopped Lager, which was ok, but more recently they have started stocking Pure Brewed Lager (https://www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/shop/bottles/lagers/pure-brewed-organic-lager/) from that bastion of ale brewing, Samuel Smiths. In one of those spur of the moment things, I picked up a four pack as I had no recollection of ever having tried it, though I did recall that the Tadcaster brewers used to brew under license for Ayinger, so I guess they know what they are doing.
The cans themselves don't really give much away in terms of style, but the beer has an abv of 5% and won a gold medal as an "International Style Pilsner" at the US Beer Open in 2018. In a rare moment of brand consistency, I poured the 16oz can into one of my several Samuel Smiths pint glasses...
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vv52weZavk4/YL96YN1augI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/4tm556qG9cM9p0_4RI77w6TLu7P9xyVfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w113-h200/20210606_115131.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vv52weZavk4/YL96YN1augI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/4tm556qG9cM9p0_4RI77w6TLu7P9xyVfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210606_115131.jpg)
Pretty looking beer there, I think you'll agree. However, I have a minor gripe, nucleated glassware often does my head in, you know the kind of thing, glasses with laser etchings on the base that ensure the head is constantly refreshed, I am just not a fan. Next time I try it, I will use one of my standard German beer glasses to get a better sense of actual, unaided, head retention.
So, yes, top marks for looking exactly as a pale lager should do, suitably golden, crystal clear, and all topped off with white foam. That anything in the aroma made it though that mass of foam is a wonder, but there was some lovely floral notes, some grassiness, and the very subtle toastiness of a Vienna malt. The breadiness was evident in the drinking as well, with a lovely lemoniness that firstly put Tettnang hops in mind, but then made me think of lemon curd on toast, minus most of the sweetness of the curd though.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0H6GpV4rdk/YL9823Z8y_I/AAAAAAAAERA/ZWEX3l4avdwU1dhYG4bMpDokJ8z9fXwlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w113-h200/20210606_115144.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0H6GpV4rdk/YL9823Z8y_I/AAAAAAAAERA/ZWEX3l4avdwU1dhYG4bMpDokJ8z9fXwlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210606_115144.jpg)
Overall, a very respectable pale lager that put me more in mind of a Helles than that grab bag of naff that is the "International Pilsner Style". Assuming that the 4 pack I snagged at Wegmans on Saturday wasn't the last they will every have, I still haven't forgiven them for no longer stocking Black Sheep Ale, then this might just become a frequent visitor to the Velký Al beer fridge.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Fuggled/~4/ZHtu9pt_ySE
More... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Fuggled/~3/ZHtu9pt_ySE/going-for-english-lager-edition.html)
Pale lager, it's just my thing people.
Whether it's a pilsner, of German or Czech extraction, a Helles, a Maibock, or a Kellerbier, if it's pale and lager I'll give it a bash. Some might draw the line at drinking mass produced pale lagers, but I have a soft spot for Tennent's (if anyone fancies sending me a slab of those beautiful yellow cans, feel free), and from time to time I quite like a Budweiser, not Bud Lite, proper Bud.
English lager is not really a common sight over here in Virginia. Once upon a time our local Wegmans stocked Charlie Wells Dry Hopped Lager, which was ok, but more recently they have started stocking Pure Brewed Lager (https://www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/shop/bottles/lagers/pure-brewed-organic-lager/) from that bastion of ale brewing, Samuel Smiths. In one of those spur of the moment things, I picked up a four pack as I had no recollection of ever having tried it, though I did recall that the Tadcaster brewers used to brew under license for Ayinger, so I guess they know what they are doing.
The cans themselves don't really give much away in terms of style, but the beer has an abv of 5% and won a gold medal as an "International Style Pilsner" at the US Beer Open in 2018. In a rare moment of brand consistency, I poured the 16oz can into one of my several Samuel Smiths pint glasses...
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vv52weZavk4/YL96YN1augI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/4tm556qG9cM9p0_4RI77w6TLu7P9xyVfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w113-h200/20210606_115131.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vv52weZavk4/YL96YN1augI/AAAAAAAAEQ4/4tm556qG9cM9p0_4RI77w6TLu7P9xyVfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210606_115131.jpg)
Pretty looking beer there, I think you'll agree. However, I have a minor gripe, nucleated glassware often does my head in, you know the kind of thing, glasses with laser etchings on the base that ensure the head is constantly refreshed, I am just not a fan. Next time I try it, I will use one of my standard German beer glasses to get a better sense of actual, unaided, head retention.
So, yes, top marks for looking exactly as a pale lager should do, suitably golden, crystal clear, and all topped off with white foam. That anything in the aroma made it though that mass of foam is a wonder, but there was some lovely floral notes, some grassiness, and the very subtle toastiness of a Vienna malt. The breadiness was evident in the drinking as well, with a lovely lemoniness that firstly put Tettnang hops in mind, but then made me think of lemon curd on toast, minus most of the sweetness of the curd though.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0H6GpV4rdk/YL9823Z8y_I/AAAAAAAAERA/ZWEX3l4avdwU1dhYG4bMpDokJ8z9fXwlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w113-h200/20210606_115144.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0H6GpV4rdk/YL9823Z8y_I/AAAAAAAAERA/ZWEX3l4avdwU1dhYG4bMpDokJ8z9fXwlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210606_115144.jpg)
Overall, a very respectable pale lager that put me more in mind of a Helles than that grab bag of naff that is the "International Pilsner Style". Assuming that the 4 pack I snagged at Wegmans on Saturday wasn't the last they will every have, I still haven't forgiven them for no longer stocking Black Sheep Ale, then this might just become a frequent visitor to the Velký Al beer fridge.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Fuggled/~4/ZHtu9pt_ySE
More... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Fuggled/~3/ZHtu9pt_ySE/going-for-english-lager-edition.html)