Vienna Dark Lager
The Porterhouse Brewing Company

Served in a flaring half-pint glass at the brewpub in Dublin.

A: Clear golden with a thin head and slight bubbles. It's rather pretty, although when I heard 'dark lager' I imagined something more akin to a schwarzbier; Vienna isn't black, but gold.

S: Strong malts, sweet grain, faint hops.

T: It tastes like a mixture between a lager and an amber ale. Sweet, grainily so (I would say corny, were it not for the avowed refusal to use any grain but barley), with a gentle aftertaste. Fruitiness -- white grape and greens apple -- is present throughout, but I wish it were more pronounced.

M: Neutral, but well-carbonated and tasty enough.

D: Quite nice or, at any rate, pleasant. A good lager and recommended if you like that sort of thing.

Tasted by half-pint at the Covent Garden branch of Porterhouse, London. This seems to be their new beer and doesn't even have its own tap-clip.

A: very dark caramel colour, with a tight, not big, frothy head with rather good retention.
S: preserved dates, a touch of raisins, deeper caramel note plus cre...my toffeeish aroma all mingled together--overall pleasant but a bit one-dimensional and timid, maybe due to the overly chilled serving condition?
T: bitter-sweet maltiness leads the way, followed by a flow of bitter-syrup, a light caramel sweetness, and gradually a vertical, slightly herbal/tea-leafy hoppyness prevails on the palate, leaving a roasted-malt and melted oriental "black" sugar in the aftertaste with a touch of sour, unripe dark fruits. Balanced and clean finish.
M&D: on balance this is a light-bodied and medium-flavoured Vienna style lager, remaining refreshing yet smooth on the mouthfeel. Not bad, but better served a bit warmer than cold to let its body and rounder flavour reveal.