Brooklyn Lager

There will always be a market for clean, flavorful lagers, and beers like this one will always hoover up that market. There's not much to ding here and nowhere for faults to hide.

The beer pours a clear pale copper with a thin white head. My sample had just a touch of haze that might've easily been confused with condensation on the glass.

The aroma is clean and simple: toast, biscuit, a hint of caramel, and some low apple-like ethanol. If there is a fault here, it's that the aroma is a bit too restrained: If you're drinking this from a typical bar tap system (in other words, way too cold) you might think there's practically no aroma at all. Let it warm up a bit; you'll get more for your money!

The flavor follows the aroma, with a substantial dry toastiness and moderate bittering. The flavor is austere, stark, crisp and clear -- like an amber rendition of a German Pils. Body and carbonation are both medium, and keep the beer from coming across as a light lager.

Bottom line: this is an excellent "drinking" beer. You could easily pop one open any time of year and enjoy it. The only real fault is that spartan "spareness" -- it's like a room with a beautiful view but no art on the walls. Even with that caveat, this is a beer you will definitely want to try (if you haven't already).