Money Cat
10 Barrel Brewing Co.

Look: Straw colored and nearly clear with a silky white head that settles to a lid and leaves dainty lacing behind

Aroma: Soda crackers, a potpourri of floral notes, straw, pilsner malt, rice water, and a nectar-like sweet note

Taste: Opens up with some rice water before the floral parade begins. Flowering cherry, pink jasmine, Japanese skimmia, and currant all in play and hold the spotlight as cracker-led pilsner malt dances in the backdrop. Closes with more floral notes and a nectar-like sweetness

Mouthfeel: Light but not watery, clean, medium-high carbonation, and crisp and clean on the finish

Overall: This is some good stuff. I spotted this yesterday and immediately grabbed some as I love Japanese Style Rice Lagers and was pumped that these folks, which I can find easily and all over the place, made and packaged one. It’s tasty and a well-made example that I have so far enjoyed and will even more as the weather gets nice

Good low ABV beer (as per style) - but not particularly reminiscent of a Japanese Rice Lager - meaning, the taste had no elements of Rice. The offering from crosstown brewer Crux, which uses premium rice, outshines it. Several other 10 Barrel brews that I’ve enjoyed have been better. Despite not being ‘wowed’ by this offering from 10 Barrel, it is a good brew with no objectionable notes.

Draft at Boise BP. Bright golden. Small tight, creamy head. Full grainy aroma. Taste is bready, crisp, clean. Beautiful feel, tasty, light on the palate.

a new japanese lager on tap at the boise location, brewed with rice but not as light in flavor or body as a lot of them have been in my experience, which i kind of dig this time of year, a little more structure and substance to it, but still an all day drinker, i really enjoyed it and so did my wife, i believe she referred to it as liquid gold. the rice isnt that obvious in the aroma or flavor, this is never earthy or starchy to me, but it does have a light floral almost jasmine note when i let it, which works well with the seemingly very german, or at least classically european lager yeast. its not quite crisp, and its not quite dry, but the flavors are excellent and there is some balance, the sweetness thats here in the middle is pleasant, a little citrusy hops thing in it, the bready, almost doughy yeast, and some obvious minerals from the water profile. its all at once german, asian, and american, kind of a neat cultural fusion, intended or not, in a simple little lager. its great with spicy or smoky foods, but also works fine on its own, as its not as light as a lot of these are, so it drinks a little more satisfying on each sip. this is a style that i love, and a pretty robust version of it. the boise location is churning out some killer beers right now, im always pumped on what they have flowing when i go here! great lager.

edit: still digging this one like five and a half years since the original review above, and i think now even more distinctive with how many super light ones have sprung up since then, this still feels a little fuller and i like that, maybe i can appreciate the contribution of the rice a bit more, and there is a mild toasted note riding the honey sweetness in the center, and it kind of flows out from there. very well refined too, like great clarity and carbonation and all of that. a professional and now quite identifiable example of the style, consistently one of their best...