Nama
Liquid Riot Bottling Company

Taster at Liquid Riot Very, very pale golden pour, wispy head, lacing. Sweet, grainy aroma. Taste is sweet, malty, crisp, slightly dry. Smooth, lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

Pint can - no date - poured into a tall German flared pint at 45F.

Pours a brilliant pale straw gold, quite clear, with four fingwrs of rocky, foamy, bone white head, with excellent retention, holding shape for several minutes. Some irregular but tenacious lacing is left behind. Tons of constant streams of effervescence, flowing forcefully upwards, feeding that big white head.

Nose: Right off the bat, this is something special. It's clearly a lager, but it's just so malty smelling. No weird sweet corny notes, or unusual grist additions. No dirty, musty, or off aromas at all. No weird yeasty notes. Just a crisp, clean, malty lager. Some very mild hop presence, giving some spicy floral undertones. Not super complex or mystifying, but just so clean.

Palate: I'm not sure if this is a combination of malted barley and malted rice, or what the ratios are, but whatever it is, it is so incredibly clean. Opens up with a clean, mostly dry, malty note, with absolutely zero metallic flavour. The hops are so incredibly subtle in the background (as they should be in a lager), but they provide the perfect hint of floral and spicy note. The yeast profile is among the cleanest I've ever had in a lager, giving only the tiniest hint of fruitiness. There's so sappy, saccharine sweet note, nor is there any tacky, grainy flavour. Not even bready. Just ultra clean malt. Gotta be from rice. It's just so neutral and clean. I cannot use the word "clean" enough. The finish brings just a touch more spiciness from the hops, before everything fully dries out, leaving a dry, clean aftertaste of malt and faint spicy hops.

Mouthfeel/Body: The beer is light-bodied, but not thin or watery at all. It's insanely crisp, refreshing, and drinkable. It just goes down. A true thirst quencher. The maltiness provides enough body so that it has texture, roundness, and depth, while still being incredibly light on its toes. The exceptionally lively effervescence furthers this crisp, airy feel.

Overall: I don't use the words, "the best" lightly. That's a big commitment. I can say confidently though, that this is the best lager I have ever had. I'm not a fan of them at all. I usually don't even finish them, the rare instances where I buy them. This one caught my attention, primarily because of the whole 100% malt idea. I had to try it. In my mind, i had this idealized concept of a 100% malt lager, and how it would completely change my opinion of the style. Sure, it wouldn't be that good... Of course it wouldn't. Lagers are weired, with tacky grainy notes, and saccharine corn sweetness, with funky yeast. Except when they're not. This 100% malt lager is precisely what I envisioned as the perfect lager. The one that would change my mind. It's so,incredibly polished, refined, and brilliant. It's clean, simple, and in that simplicity, shines all of its glory. This is a wonderful beer, and anyone who isn't a fan of lagers needs to give this a shot.

On tap at the brewery