Premium Lager
Shades Brewing

simple but decent beer here, its nice to see more and more breweries doing this sort of thing. its nice to break up all the bold beers these guys do, but its also just a drinker, a something for everyone sort of beer that makes this place just a little bit more accessible, and i appreciate that. this is golden and lively beer from the tap, has a pleasant pale malty aroma, even in front of the yeast, and seems kind of light on the fermentation and hop sides to me, its the malt i smell the most, very basic, some minerals in the water profile in the mix as well, very light grassy character as well. the flavor is robust for a basic pale lager, just a touch rich on the grain side but not heavy at all, some light bitterness creeps in as it warms, but its in balance. the yeast is mild here, i think i want to taste it just a little more, and the beer isnt overly crisp, drinkable without necessarily being refreshing, if that makes sense. i think this fits on their menu, but is largely unremarkable...

edit: had a few cans of this recently and it seems to me much improved from the draft experience i had at the brewery with it years ago. noticeably brighter now in feel, more balanced and refined, a little more from the yeast in a good way, slightly corny maybe but still dry, minerals coming through, and frankly a pretty solid take on the style, more evolved and dialed now. improving a few scores here to reflect the evolution. if you are looking for something light and brisk and refreshing but still flavorful and sort of on the fringe of being a pils type, this is your horse.