Balkan Lager
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company - Midtown Brewery & Biergarten

 

 

16 oz can pours a hazy golden yellow color with a substantial head of rocky white foam that leaves lacing as it fades down to a thin layer. Smells richly of white bread, honey, and noble hops. Somewhat ephemeral bready, crackery flavor with a minor note of honey and an unusually strong yeast flavor for a Helles. Almost more of what I might expect of a Hefeweizen, but it's welcome nonetheless. Medium body, mild sweetness, mild bitterness, slight spicy/grassy hop flavor, smooth carbonation mouthfeel, a long finish, and a slightly sweet aftertaste.

This was a solid beer. Might get again.

 

 

 

16oz can. Poured out a clear, golden yellow color with a small, off-white head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass. It smelled of bread crust, caramel, toffee and grasses. Sweet caramel taste with bready malt and a light citrus taste.

Gold in color with a lightly hazy complexion. There’s a quarter inch of dishwater white on top. Light, soapy lacing is present. The aroma is of grassy noble hops and sourdough bread. I’m tasting grassy noble hops and a saltine cracker like light malt. The mouth is delicate and crisp.

 

Fluffy white head is damned near as generous as FBarber. (Thanks for sending this in NBS BIF #17).
Seriously stacked head. Great retention with layers of lacing. Golden in hue.
Nose kicks off with fresh bread dough malt kiss that quickly steps aside to make room for an assertive spicy herbal hop note. Pretty firm nose for style, but hitting the right notes.
Taste is simultaneously carrying the bready malt notes and the hops. Here the hops are more balanced between the aforementioned herbal spice and the newly shining floral citrus. But this definitely takes it in a drying direction towards the finish.
Mouthfeel is crisp, active, and like I said, bitter on the back end.
Overall, this may be a slightly more assertive, for style, Helles. But it's solid.

 

Had on tap. Mostly clear golden pour with a fat finger of white foam, waves of lacing. This is really well balanced, I wanted to note this mouthfeel right away because it sets up the rest of the beer with the crisp malts, bread but compact yeast, and light hops. Smell has bready yeast, faint grain, floral hops, german malt and cracker. Taste leads more with the cracker and breadiness before the hops botanicals and dash of lemon enter in smoothly. Again great balance through out, nothing overpowers. The wife liked it

This beer is brewed for Balkan Treat Box, a St. Louis restaurant. The beer, from a tall can, is hazy and pale straw in color, with a thick white head. The aroma is soft, with a focus on grain and floral hops. It's wonderful, and continues through the taste. Light, malty sweetness and soft hop notes. Well balanced and flavorful. An excellent Helles.