Lagers

On Deck: Victory Homegrown New American Lager

A beer that might have you dreaming of warmer temperatures. Victory Homegrown American Lager is on deck by the Pennsylvania based brewery.

Using American whole cone hops, the brewery touts this future lager at “distinctly resinous”. Victory may lean towards German whole Continue Reading →

Posted in AleSmith Brewing, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Alesmith is making 40oz bottles, with the band Sublime (in July)

Two southern California pioneers are teaming up this spring. Music and beer fuse in forthcoming Alesmith Sublime Mexican Lager.

Unless you’ve been living under rock, you’ve heard the musical stylings of SoCal’s Sublime, best known for the song “Santeria” and “What I Got”. 2017 marks the 25th Anniversary of the band’s debut album 40oz to Freedom? The duo is celebrating accordingly.

When you hail from Southern California and are celebrating an album called 40oz to Freedom, what do you brew? A Mexican-style lager. In 40 ounce bottles.

You don’t see a lot of “40s” in craft brewing. When Alesmith’s owner Peter Zien sat down with the band, he learned Sublime has an affinity for the Vienna-style lager (brewed heavily in Mexico, aka Mexican Lager). The style is very crisp and clean, finishing slightly sweet. A fitting style for sunny SoCal weather, or tailgating for a concert.

“It doesn’t taste like anything else. The flavor is great and it has a craft beer flare with a true Mexican lager taste. This is the one!” – Sublime co-founder Bud Gaugh. “

The 40 ounce bottles are a special release, sold as ticket pre-order on July 8th, on sale July 15th. The keg tapping party with include drummer Bud Gaugh, and DJ PRODUCT 1969c, who worked on Sublimes Robbin’ The Hood album.

Alesmith Sublime Mexican Lager will be available in 12 ounce cans and draft year-round starting in June, 2017.

Style: Vienna Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, 40oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut (40oz Bottles): July, 2017
Cans: August, 2017

5.2% ABV

Image: AleSmith Brewing

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Don't Miss This, Surly Brewing

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager, with Surly Brewing

In 2017, Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp is going international. One of America’s best breweries is pushing beyond their home borders, collaborating with folks across the world. As far as U.S. based collaborations, Minnesota’s Surly Brewing has been chosen to for 2017. Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager is the result.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying Beer Camp creations in the past, they truly are some very unique beers, brewed by some of the best brewers out there. A collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Surly conjures up images of outdoorsy types and metal enthusiasts in one room, with impossible to predict results.  What they came up with is a lager, which might not thrill everyone. That is, until the team adds spicy ginger, cayenne, and oak. You can forget forgettable lagers.

Absolute Beer Camp Highlight. 

This is far and away one of the best beers in the 2017 Beer Camp box. A crisp lager that leads with ginger, and finishes with a touch of cayenne and oak. If you thought lagers were boring, this one will have you rethinking it. Consider this an official nomination for this beer to go into full production. One lonely can is far from enough of this unique beer.

The abrasive attitude of Minnesota’s Surly Brewing Co. brings an aggressive yet refined approach to creating recipes. We came together to create this easy-drinking but complex ginger-infused lager. It’s brewed with hot ginger and a pinch of cayenne to spice up the heat and then dry hopped with an inclusion of oak for a touch of woody vanilla to round out the flavor.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager will be a 16 ounce can release, a part of the Beer Camp Across the World collection, debuting later this year.

Style: Lager (w/ Ginger, Cayenne. Oak Aged.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: June, 2017

6.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Coming Soon

SweetWater Mexican Style Lager debuts on Cinco de Mayo

For the first time in SweetWater’s 20 year history, the brewery finally has a pilot system. In keeping with the fishing and rivers theme, the 5 barrel brewhouse is lovingly called “The Hatchery”. The little brewhouse pales in comparison to the 400 barrel brewhouse just a few hundred feet away. This month a second release from the pilot system emerges – SweetWater Mexican Style Lager.

The first release from The Hatchery was SweetWater Mosaic IPA, a single hopped spin on their venerable year-round IPA. Side note – that beer is fantastic. Many fans hope that beer gets full-scale brewhouse treatment.

This Mexican-style lager is actually a Vienna lager, brewed a little lighter and sweeter than its American cousin. SweetWater’s Travis Stone wanted an easy drinking beer to chug as the weather gets warmers, and by the looks of it, he’s done it.

Slightly sweet, malty, and tropical fruit aromas.

SweetWater Mexican Style Lager will be available in 12 ounce bottles (in the brewery’s variety pack) and draft, starting Friday May 5th.

Style: Mexican Lager
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.=
Debut: 5/5/17

4.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Full Sail Brewing, Don't Miss This

Pairs perfectly with warm weather. Full Sail Sesión Cervesa

A member of the “Session” brand is hitting shelves this month – Full Sail Sesión Cervesa.

Think beaches, hot weather, tans. The Hood River, Oregon brewery is bringing a Mexican lager to the table. You’ve probably seen a surge in the “Mexican” lager across craft brewing recently. Examples include 21st Amendment El Sully, and Oskar Blues Beerito. Around the end of the 19th century, Germany ex-patriots started brewing Vienna lagers in country. Somewhere along the line, the style became synonymous with Mexican lagers.

Full Sail Sesión Cervesa falls right in line with the style, brewed with pilsner malt and flaked corn. We poured it ice cold on a sunny 72 degree spring day and couldn’t stop thinking about getting tacos or chips and salsa on a porch somewhere. Sesión Cervesa is an absolutely perfect day drinking. Let’s put it this way: if you are someone that doesn’t like the idea of industrial lagers On your next beer run, make sure you say Hola! to this one.

“The pour is pure gold in a bottle.” Sesíon Cerveza offers the refreshing character of the imports in a locally crafted beer, perfect for your next fiesta. The hops impart subtle hints of lemon and spice to complement the crisp malt body. -Full Sail Brewmaster Jim Kelter

Full Sail Sesión Cervesa is available in 11 ounce “stubby” bottles and draft, year-round.

Style: Lager
Hops: Celeia, Northern Brewer
Malts: Pilsner, Flaked Corn

Availability: 11oz Bottles, Draft.

4.5% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Victory Brewing Company, Coming Soon, Headlines

On Deck: Victory Homegrown New American Lager

A beer that might have you dreaming of warmer temperatures. Victory Homegrown American Lager is on deck by the Pennsylvania based brewery.

Using American whole cone hops, the brewery touts this future lager at “distinctly resinous”. Victory may lean towards German whole flower hops like Hallertau, and European styles like pilsner and radler, Homegrown New American Lager features Yakima, Washington grown hops. Brewed just outside the birthplace of America – Philadelphia. Seems pretty “homegrown” to us.

All-American hop aromatics-dank aroma. Dry-hopped aggressively. Full flavor, but dry finish. Clean VBC lager profile.

Victory Homegrown New American Lager is slated to be a draft, 12 ounce can, and bottle release. The brewery has not yet announced this beer.

Style: Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goodwood Brewing

Goodwood Louisville Lager

Goodwood Louisville Lager

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Veil Brewing, New Releases

The Veil Brewing Feel Feelings (Helles Lager)

Today, The Veil Brewing Feel Feelings, a helles lager, debuts in cans.

The Richmond, Virginia based brewery’s “Catboy” created Feel Feelings – his first recipe while working there. A pilot batch in the past, that was well received so the brewery scaled it up.

 Super clean, easy drinking lager. Just a great representation of the style.

The Veil Brewing Feel Feelings is a 16 ounce can release on March 11th, along side Benjelz. Incidentally the first Saturday can release the brewery has ever held.

Style: Helles Lager
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Brewery only.
Debut (Cans): 3/11/17

5.4% ABV

by Reid Ramsay