Oak Aged Lagerbier
OEC Brewing (Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores)

No can date
Pours a frothy foamy 1 finger head with med retention, fair lacing, hazy tan to deep golden color

Nose starts with the cereal grain, dough, a bit of a layered decoction malt, light herbal hop, a touch grassy, touch of fruitiness as it warms

Taste brings more cereal grain and decoction layered malt depth, cracker doughy notes, a bit of straw, grassy, a hint fruity probably from the oak tank, light to a bit med herbal floral hops, touch of bitterness, just a hint of an oaky character late, drier finish with lingering mild to med spicy hop bitterness

Mouth is med to lighter bod, soft lager, med to a bit lighter frothy carb

Overall not bad, decent lager with some unique characters probably from the oak tank lagering, and nice decoction layers

Canned: no canning date

L: The beer pours a pale to deep gold color with a light haze. The pour results in two fingers of fine, white head with good retention. As the beer goes down it leaves a light ringed lacing on the glass.

S: The nose presents light notes of lemon pith, big orchard notes, a good bit of oak character also presenting a hint of funkiness, herbal notes of fresh cut grass, very light note of noble spice, and a light grainy malt character.

T: On the palate I get a nice oaky barrel character, light notes of citrus pith, a restrained yeasty sourness, herbal notes of fresh cut grass and earthy green tea, berry notes, a light noble hop spice in the background, and a nice bready malt backbone. This one is not terribly bitter, but I detect almost no residual sweetness.

F: Medium body with medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth and substantial with a light dryness on the finish.

O: The nose really pops for a lager with a nice layered complexity that is followed by an even better experience on the palate. I really love what OEC has been doing with their "rustic" lagers. Here I am thinking of their coolship lager series as well as Triskel and their Pilsener (among others). I know some people don't really dig their historical interpretations of lagers; specifically the open fermentation and its resulting mouthfeel and hints of sourness. Personally, I really appreciate the "keeping the traditions alive" angle as well as the resulting products. High quality and craftsmanship all around. Highly recommended!

Looks: it's a beauty, with a floofy head and clear dark gold. The lacing slips down too fast to make rings, but still pretty.

Smell: mild and oaky. Promising.

Taste: Love how the spicy hops come out to play with the oak. I'm getting a tiny bit of sourness too, I guess from the yeast? Oh right, open fermented. Amazing. An excellent combination. Now that I'm thinking about it, the tartness is more prominent but still far from overwhelming.

Feel: I'm feeling a bit of acid in my teeth, too, which feels weird in a lager. Otherwise, pretty normal, maybe a little more full bodied than I expected.

Overall: what a life this is, where I drop by my local packy and walk out with such a *specific* beer. Super interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing whether it tastes different to me tomorrow.