Judge's Review: 89 Rating - Cheetah by Rhinegeist Brewery

Cheetah, from Rhinegeist Brewery, is being judged as a Style 1B: American Lager. 

The aroma was refreshing, with clean fermentation characteristic, a very low grainy aroma, and the faint smell of spicy aroma hops. This reminded me of the beers my dad would drink as a child, although the aroma was somehow cleaner, brighter, and richer. There were no off-aromas, no cloying sweetness, and no skunkiness. 

The beer was a pale yellow, with a slight haze (not totally clear in my pour). The moderate head was pure white and had moderate retention (surprisingly high for the style). 

The flavor was similar to the aroma -- a low grainy presence, clean fermentation, and a low level of spicy hops with very low bitterness. The beer is balanced, with neither the hops nor the malt dominating. There was a low sweetness that is permissible for this style. The finish was decidedly crisp and refreshing.

The mouthfeel was in many ways unremarkable, which for this style, is an asset. With moderate to high carbonation but a relatively light body, the mouthfeel contributed to the bright and refreshing sensation of drinking a beer like this. 

This style is meant to be refreshing, brisk and extremely easy-drinking. This beer is all three. While it doesn't have the razzle-dazzle of many more popular styles right now, it is hard to make a beer in this style with so few faults -- this is a tricky style, and this brewery did it very well. I would drink another!