Blissful Loral Hop Lager
Payette Brewing

looks like they brewed this one again, a throwback from their anniversary series awhile ago, was bummed to miss it back then, thankful for it now. i like loral hops, they arent the end all be all of american lager, and they arent noble hops despite what they were bred for and what everyone wants to claim for them, but i like them anyway, and they make this slightly fuller bodied lager come to life, one of the better payette beers ive had in some time. simplicity is key here, and this is well enough refined to stand out as such, so well done. golden and perfectly clear, nice luster, better than average white head with only slow fade, some lace marking each drag, nice looking pour. it smells like dried grass clippings on the hop side with a mild floral note, some sweetness left in the grain, the didnt lager this to dry, and the yeast is near neutral in the nose, clean then, and not insanely light which is fine. the flavor is similar, some light oily hop character earlier on with a citrus lean, light dankness and soft earthy spice before more familiar green lawn and honeysuckle notes kick up. the bitterness is moderate, but its cool because it starts a bit early, not all a finishing thing, adds a lot of freshness and i think really is a good expression of loral as a varietal, old worldy but distinctive, can be bitter as needed, and adds brightness in this application. the beer is short of super refreshing and light, its fuller and deeper as these go, but its a worthwhile trade off as the flavor here and the texture are both excellent. nice all season lager, not just for summer, good carbonation too, minimal yeast character. well done!

Poured from 16oz can into a dimpled mug. Canned 4/15/21.

Appearance: light golden-yellow hue with minimal haze and two fingers of very frothy eggshell foam. Looks the part!

Smell: floral, slightly lemony hop aroma, that mixed with the malt gives a kind of soapy character. This is not necessarily bad; it reminds me of a lot of pale ales.

Taste: there's a relatively neutral, somewhat sweet malt character here; however, the real story here is the brightly lemongrass hops with a definite springtime feel. Not bad, per se, but I feel like it's something you gotta be in the mood for.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a big carbonation and a surprisingly big creaminess. Maybe not to-style for an American Lager, but you know, I'm always a sucker for creaminess.

Overall: not bad. Worth a try if the idea of "lemongrass lager" appeals to you.

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Clear golden pour with small foamy, white head. Grainy, malty aroma. Taste is sweet and grassy, smooth, slick. Clean finish.