Trailblazer
Stone Corral Brewery

TrailblazerTrailblazer
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From:
Stone Corral Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Vienna Lager
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 8.52%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
19
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 09, 2020
Added:
May 28, 2016
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by angrybabboon:
Photo of angrybabboon
Reviewed by angrybabboon from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Consumed 11/27/16

A: Darker than expected, medium to dark amber at its core with some light browns and dark gold around the edges - nicely clear - pours with a medium sized light beige head, fades to a wispy cap, leaves some nice streaks of lacing

S: A nice depth of malts - bread, bread crust, biscuits, caramel, dark caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, and toffee - some hints of dark chocolate, cocoa - some lager yeast - some spicy Noble hops, lightly grassy and herbal, hints of citrus - sweet and bready aroma

T: Hearty bread sprinkled with caramel - as the aroma suggests, bread, bread crust, biscuits, toast, caramel malts, caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, and tons of toffee - a very light touch of what tastes like chocolate malt, although I'm fairly certain chocolate malt was not involved here, lightly burnt and lightly roasty - sweet, but not too sweet - balanced with some spicy, herbal, and lightly citrusy hops - also finishes mostly clean, refreshing

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, very smooth, finishes with lingering bread

O: Blaze it

Stone Corral's Trailblazer kind of tastes like a cross between a Vienna lager, a Dunkel, and an amber ale. I've visited the Stone Corral taproom in Richmond a few times, and this has been one of my favorites. It's a bit unusual but it works well.
Nov 27, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

Aug 09, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by Velivolus from Vermont

Apr 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.92 by mmhannon from New Jersey

Aug 29, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This was poured into a pilsener glass. The appearance was a burnt rustic amber color with a smooth transparency about it. Carbonation rises at a moderate pace to fill a one finger white foamy head that quickly dissipated. Lacing is messy and slides into the beer. The smell, well, its a "clean Sam Adams Lager" with more sweet biscuits, honey and as it warms, chocolate. Its almost as if Jim Koch said, ok Stone Corral, take my recipe and beef it up to Vermont standards, lol. The taste was pretty much the same as the smell - sweet malty caramel/toffee goodness with the biscuits, honey and chocolate. Aftertaste is barely there - slightly bready. Quick wet finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionability about it. Carbonation rides fairly light. Slight acceptable stickiness on my tongue. Overall, damn nice Vienna lager.
Jun 17, 2017
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

4.39/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Canned March 9th.

Beautiful deep amber, a finger of foam, with lacing. Smells piney, hints of tropical fruit, caramel shines through piggy backed by some bread. Tastes like it smells witha bit extra zing with the hops. Wow. Colour me impressed!
Apr 17, 2017
 
Rated: 4.36 by TurboBrew from Michigan

Apr 15, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by sgregory from Connecticut

Nov 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by whatsgoody from Vermont

Nov 20, 2016
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

3.22/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
On tap at Stone Corral. Looks dark. I expected more of a pilsner, but it has the look and description of a Marzen. Smells bready and lightly citrusy. Kinda fruity. Tastes of citrus hops up front, but had an immediately bready and slick malty flavor. Spicy hop finish. Medium light. Like a citrusy Vienna. Interesting, but maybe one style or the other would have been better.
Nov 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by Cooker_stp from New York

Jul 29, 2016
Photo of GratefulBeerGuy
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber maple syrup grade appearance.
Light, mocha colored cap.
Aroma has dark chocolate, herbal hop zest, root beer ish malt, but subtle...zesty lager yeast.
Vienna malt rides in heavy with a creamy effect in feel and flavor. Amber style lager the whole way. On point, and very interesting for the style. The yeast is bold, the malt complex and the herbal hop blend brings it to heights of complexity you don't usually reach with the average amber lager offering. I think the hop combo of traditional Tettnang and saphire brings a certain layer of interest that some Amber's lack. "Finest water in the state" of Vermont should practically solidify a crispy, lush feeling and flavors . 16 oz. Can 4 pack.
Jul 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.99 by Hootie159 from Massachusetts

Jul 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.09 by costanzo_mike from Massachusetts

Jul 16, 2016
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Stone Corral Brewery "Trailblazer"
16 fl. oz. can, no apparent freshness dating
$3.04 @ Beverage Warehouse, Winooski, VT

I had no idea of what to expect from this beer as it's simply labeled "Vermont Lager" but the current listing of "Vienna Lager" on BeerAdvocate seems right.

It's a very dark, almost beyond dark-copper color with a ruby cast and orange highlights with a decent clarity. There are brown ales that have this same color. A short head of khaki colored foam rises up but then dwindles steadily, unfortunately leaving limited lacing behind.

The aroma expresses dark caramel that's similar to almost-burnt sugar backed by floral, grassy and spicy hop notes.

In the mouth it's crisp and zesty with a bristling standard carbonation and medium/medium-light body.

The flavor, as is quite often the case, reflects the aroma. In this case I think the malt is actually less caramelish than the nose suggests, or is it just that the hops are fuller and balancing it? Well balanced, and anchored by a very firm bitterness that leads to a dry, spicy, and grassy/floral finish. With that said, it's really quite clean, focused, and completely on point - it's exactly what it intends to be from start to finish.

Solid on all counts, Trailblazer delivers a full flavored and well-balanced Vienna lager that's at once drinkable and satiating, and yet a little bit beyond what a Vienna lager usually is.
Jun 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.29 by JMScowcroft from Vermont

Jun 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.25 by suckaj from Florida

Jun 22, 2016
Photo of NotAlcoholicJustAHobby
Reviewed by NotAlcoholicJustAHobby from Vermont

3.79/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
L- Pours a clear reddish brown with a 3 plus finger off white head. Lacing is spotty but there.
S- The nose is an even mix of caramel malt and spicy hops. The nose overall is fairly mild.
T- Taste is a stronger version of the nose. The malt and hops are well balanced. Initially you get the malt which then transitions into the spicy finish of the Tettnang hops.
F- Carbonation strong on the initial pour. The carbonation settles down into a light prickliness which keeps the beer drinking very easy. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium. Not AAL thin, but easy to knock back in multiples.
O- Stone Corral didn't reinvent the wheel here. What they did do is put a very approachable and drinkable beer into it's arsenal. I believe it's also their first foray into the Tallboy can format as well. A very nice beer I would drink again.
Jun 06, 2016
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

4.73/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
It appears that they have recently started canning beer in 16oz cans. This is the only one I've seen.

Pours a sultry amber hue with a thick frothy head. I just love the color of this lager.

Crisp and clean with smokey buttered malt.

Nice and bitter with clean, smokey malt accent. When I say smokey, I don't mean as in literally smoked. It's just my way of describing it.

Clean finish too. Bursting with flavor.

This lager has it all: color, flavor and finish.
May 28, 2016
Trailblazer from Stone Corral Brewery
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 19 ratings