Sauvage Flö
3 Floyds Brewing Co.

 

 

Holy crap this is an AAL??? I rated it according to other beers in this style. I was blown away - I've never had an AAL this smooth, flavorful and crisp before. 3 Floyds you really impressed me! Looks nice, darker golden color with some nice fluffy white head and spotty rings of lingering lacing. Fine carbonation bubbles. Smells of some subtle malt, grain, floral hops and a little biscuit. Taste follows the nose - but I didn't get any of that typical sweet corn, overly processed flavor that I associate with most AALs. This one was crisp, easy-drinking, smooth, flavorful, delicious. Smooth, mild mouthfeel and good carbonation. Really a fantastic AAL and it certainly set the bar high for all other ones to come. Best once I've had in this category, by far. When they said "crushable" on the bottle they weren't kidding. I could drink these all day.

 

Billed as a lighter option, brewers like Three Floyds are more likely than ever to jump into the shallow end of the pool to keep the craft minded drinkers from straying to the industrial side of beer by making a bolder, more proper version of adjunct lager.

Pale straw and bright with clarity, Sauvage Flo pours with a racy champagne carbonation while leading with a moderate floral bouquet of honeysuckle, lemon and freshly milled grain. Its initial taste is of lightly kilned barley, cereal and fresh baked bread.

As the full breadth of taste explores the middle palate, the beer shares little difference as the flavors of lemon and herbal notes turn spicy with pepper, grassy and hop bitterness for a taste that begins to resemble soap while the floral attributes hold firm. A late palate of dryness, bitterness and tea only intensifies with the taste of lemongrass.

Light in body, the hockey minded hair beer trends dry, refreshing and crisp deeper into the session, perfect for mindless drinking during the game or to wash down the salty bar food. More assertively bitter than the average American lager, Sauvage Flo takes a bastardized lager and makes is less bastardized.

 

 

 

 

Tasted in a pint glass from draft at Kuma's Corner on December 5, 2018. Brewed with Tettnanger hops and flaked corn. Nice lager if you are looking for something lighter.