Portland Lager
Bull Jagger Brewing Company

Portland LagerPortland Lager
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From:
Bull Jagger Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Helles
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.3 | pDev: 23.64%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
42
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 15, 2013
Added:
Oct 23, 2011
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  2
Portland Lager is a crisp golden, premium lager modeled after the traditional Helles beers of Bavaria. This original recipe follows the German Purity Laws of 1516 and use only the finest water, malt, hops and yeast. Portland Lager™ is handcrafted in small batches and aged to perfection. The result is a quaffable ‘micro-lager’ of the highest quality.
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Ratings by OtherShoe2:
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Reviewed by OtherShoe2 from Massachusetts

3.91/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours medium gold with a big thick head. Some slight lace, but head retention is terrific.

Some grassy and sweet malt aromas, some leafy herbal notes.

I like the balance of this one. Slight sweetness in the malt up front; maybe grassy, maybe a touch of sweet butter, a little spicy grain. It is immediately pushed out by toasted husk bitterness and a pure but not overbearing bitter flavor. The grassy sweet comes up again but the bitter is always there. Finishes crisp and bitter.

Medium bodied, good carbonation.

I liked this one. Fairly smooth and restrained in the right areas. They took the bitter right to the limit and nailed it. This is a very drinkable brew. Clean and flavorful.
Nov 16, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by MikeHRayn from Maine

Jan 15, 2013
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Reviewed by BeerAdvocate from Finland

3.73/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #61 (Feb 2012):

LOOK: Dirty golden, lots of foam

SMELL: Grainy, yeast, fresh-cut hay, ripe pears, faint lemon, flora, rustic

TASTE: Crisp, medium bodied, herbal hop, grainy, malt sweetness, leafy, grassy, nutty

More of a Kellerbier than a Helles, given the overall rawness. Regardless, a solid and highly quaffable lager from the New England area. Now all we need are some authentic German brats and pretzels. Ja!
Jan 09, 2013
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Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
From the 25 fl. oz bottle. Sampled on December 16, 2012.

It pours like a lager with a pale yellow-light amber tone and a fizzy white head. Carbonation is active throughout.

The aroma tends to be a little yeasty but it most definitely has the German biscuit malt character that is expected from a Helles Lager. The hops bring up the rear with a clean crispiness.

The body is light and a little acidic.

The taste has a bready, biscuit malty character at the start but it does not take long before the moderate hop bitterness kicks in to bring the tasting experience to a clean conclusion. Not a bad lager from this fledgling brewery.
Dec 16, 2012
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Reviewed by MrHurmateeowish from Maine

3.62/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased at Tully's in Wells, Maine. Pours a slightly hazy body with about a half inch of off white head. Smells bready with slight fruity notes. Tastes bready with notes of apple and lemon grass. No flavor is overly robust. Everything is balanced and subdued. Very drinkable. Tastes great and is an easy drinker. What more could you ask for?
Dec 16, 2012
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Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

3.47/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
500ml bottle: This one pours a Slightly hazy golden color. There was quite a bit of a big white head on it that doesn’t linger long or leave any lacing. Lighter aroma to this one, though not bad. Some grainy and grassy notes. Possibly a hint of breadiness and yeastiness also. The taste is not bad. More towards a medium body. Some grains, malts, hint of earthiness and a touch of bitterness. A decent enough lager. Probably not worth the price charged for it, however.
Nov 02, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by dunix from Vermont

Oct 29, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by raythealeman from Connecticut

Aug 18, 2012
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Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin

4.21/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
$5.49 for a 16.9 oz bottle

A: poured with an incredible meringue-type head, golden straw color, almost too much CO2
S: medium nose, herbal hops indicative of dry hopping
T: clean, crisp, lager, could use a bit more earthy malt but very good, subdued hops
M: clean, crisp, very, very sessionable and drinkable
Jul 11, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by Bilco from Pennsylvania

Jun 02, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by Pamola from Vermont

May 30, 2012
 
Rated: 2.75 by dcME from Maine

Apr 08, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by morebeergood from Massachusetts

Mar 24, 2012
Photo of jbear725
Reviewed by jbear725 from Maine

2.52/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
This is my second time having this beer. Had a bottle from the original release and wasn't impressed. Giving it another shot.

Pours a slightly orange light amber color, not a pale straw yellow like I was expecting. It's slightly hazy as well, again not what I'd expect in a Helles.

Smells mildly bread-y and has a pine and earthy hop aroma.

Taste is not what I would expect. Too many hops for the style and they come across pine, mild citrus and very grassy and raw. Has a good malt backbone but not a rich crisp grain flavor I would expect. Malt tastes more like a pale ale than Pilsner and seems like it has too much of a Munich malt flavor leaning more towards an Octoberfest than a Helles.

Mouthfeel is decent.

Overall I'm not a fan and don't consider this a very good Helles. The color and appearance is just too dark and the over use of hops is a turn off. Just can't get past the grassy raw hop flavors going on to make this enjoyable. The price is way too high for a mediocre to average beer.
Mar 24, 2012
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Reviewed by twelvsies from Maine

4.05/5  rDev +22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had this one a bunch now, finally getting around to giving it props. The original beer from Bull Jager, this one pours a crisp bright gold color with a white head, nice and fluffy for a lager. Lots of character in the aroma with lots of bread, dough, yeast, milk and honey, and some dusty hops. Crisp and drinkable yet with a nice sturdy body and some stand up flavor to this lager. I like it. Had this on draught recently and liked it even more than the bottled version. Looking forward to drinking lots of this in the summer.
Mar 02, 2012
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Reviewed by beerbiatchMD from Maine

4.03/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at Novare Res 2/11/12, reviewed from notes taken on iPhone. 16 oz pint glass.

A: yellow opaque, thickish looking for a lager, there is a half finger of white head, good lacing.

S: fruity, yeasty, and hint of citrus hop and great sweet malt background.

T: nicely balanced. Beginning is refreshing fruity sweet, pear and grapefruit, minimal biterness, very refreshing. Finishes with smoothly with a bit of hop bite.

M: Crisp, refreshing, good carbonation.

O: Wow, this is a fantastic lager. At least as good as Brooklyn lager in my opinion (which is very good). It's pretty complex for a lighter beer and very easy drinking. I'll definitely be picking this one up in bottles.
Feb 14, 2012
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Reviewed by jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.35/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Will pour a five+ finger cream head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving some lace. Hazy, pale amber color, some yeast left in bottle. Strong carbonation and medium bodied. Hay nose, sweet hay and bread flavor. $5.80 for a 500ml bottle from Tully's Beer & Wine Wells, Me.
Jan 30, 2012
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Reviewed by BeerKangaroo from Alaska

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Into a pilsener:

A: murky pale yellow colored body with a small white foamy head and a decent amount of carbonation seen rising, lacing is kinda thick and leaves spotty rings down the glass

S: some wheat, grains and bready malts

T: sweet wheat and breadiness

M: light to medium with a fair amount of carbonation hitting the tongue and mouth, fairly sessionable, no aftertaste, sweet finish

O: a decent MHL, but its nothing to go out of my way for
Jan 27, 2012
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Reviewed by mdfb79 from New York

2.6/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
From 01/07/12 notes. Thanks to joepaid for sending this one my way. 22 oz. bottle into a tulip.

a - Pours a murky pale yellow color with two fingers of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of wheat, grains, and bready malts. Not bad at all, but quite bland. Pretty average.

t - Tastes of wheat, grains, sweet corn, bready malts, and light vegetables. Not very good at all; oddly sweet. Major step down from the nose.

m - Light to medium body and low carbonation. Easy to drink for what I'm guessing is a lower ABV lager.

o - Overall a below average lager. Nose is a bit bland, and the taste is oddly sweet. Wasn't a big fan of this one, wouldn't seek it out again.
Jan 24, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by GehenHerzog from North Carolina

Jan 22, 2012
Portland Lager from Bull Jagger Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 42 ratings