Hardway Summer Lager
Old Ox Brewery
- From:
- Old Ox Brewery
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- American Lager
- ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.69 | pDev: 8.4%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 16, 2023
- Added:
- May 11, 2016
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
This classic lager is a tribute to craft brewers who really do brew the "hard way." It was allowed to ferment at 50 degrees creating a bright, crisp, and clean summer quencher that features subtle notes of citrus and berry.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Rhettroactive from Virginia
3.9/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Easily the best beer I’ve had from Old Ox. I didn’t know they had this kinda lager in ‘em.
Jul 15, 2023
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland
3.7/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.7/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from the can into a Libbey style pilsner glass.
Brass yellow body color, and lengthy carbonation. A bit of haze but mostly clear with a nice white two finger head and minimal retention and good collar.
Aroma is and interesting mix of hop oils of herb and citrus zest.
Palate is sharp hops. A bit of odd bitterness that is a bit indistinct but sort of hints to a dry lime. Overpowers much of the lagers malts and subtlety. Slightly crisp as well for easy drinking. Odd aftertaste that is a bit pasty and bitter sticky, with the hops really not complimenting. With some time a bit of hop sting levels out and some of the bready character kicks in nicely. Basic and solid mouthfeel with no faults.
A pretty simple and solid straightforward lager.
Sep 11, 2016Brass yellow body color, and lengthy carbonation. A bit of haze but mostly clear with a nice white two finger head and minimal retention and good collar.
Aroma is and interesting mix of hop oils of herb and citrus zest.
Palate is sharp hops. A bit of odd bitterness that is a bit indistinct but sort of hints to a dry lime. Overpowers much of the lagers malts and subtlety. Slightly crisp as well for easy drinking. Odd aftertaste that is a bit pasty and bitter sticky, with the hops really not complimenting. With some time a bit of hop sting levels out and some of the bready character kicks in nicely. Basic and solid mouthfeel with no faults.
A pretty simple and solid straightforward lager.
Reviewed by IvoryFoxhole from Virginia
3.61/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Can dated 7/8/16. Poured into Carton glasss.
L: Big foamy head with decent retention, leaves spotty lacing and a ring. Beer is a partly hazy straw.
S: Pretty standard Pils and Munich malts with Saaz hops. Hints at slightly bitter and crisp.
T: More or less as predicted by nose. Some bitter citrus and blackberry notes smoothed out by malt. Finish is a bit odd, almost cardboardish, which is not good.
F: Light body, medium carbonation for decent drying, but finish is all out of whack and construction is fair to middling.
O: Not sure if it would have been better a month ago, but there's better options out there and lagers are steadily improving these days.
Aug 20, 2016L: Big foamy head with decent retention, leaves spotty lacing and a ring. Beer is a partly hazy straw.
S: Pretty standard Pils and Munich malts with Saaz hops. Hints at slightly bitter and crisp.
T: More or less as predicted by nose. Some bitter citrus and blackberry notes smoothed out by malt. Finish is a bit odd, almost cardboardish, which is not good.
F: Light body, medium carbonation for decent drying, but finish is all out of whack and construction is fair to middling.
O: Not sure if it would have been better a month ago, but there's better options out there and lagers are steadily improving these days.
Reviewed by delta490 from Virginia
3.48/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.48/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
It is deep gold, effervescent with a thinner and slightly foamy white head. There is decent retention and while the head is mostly soapy it leaves small spots of lacing. The aroma has a hint of butter but mostly is light crackers and a little grass and pine. It just needs more oomph in both. The taste is much the same but the butter is absent. The body is light, a little tingle with a crisp finish.
Aug 08, 2016
Reviewed by AnalogReigns from North Carolina
3.87/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.87/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Surprisingly traditional classic pilsner (or Helles, or somewhere in-between). Germans or especially Czechs should be happy to drink this... I found this a surprise as Old Ox normally produces fairly heavy ales--not delicate lagers. Really excellent beer--whose name "Hardway" really seems to reflect the effort put into this smooth, hearty, lager. Highly recommended!
Jul 29, 2016
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia
3.47/5 rDev -6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.47/5 rDev -6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap at brewery:
Pours with fairly little head, at least barely retaining. The beer is also translucent at best.
Nose has some fruity notes in with a fairly neutral to cereal grain note. Not very strong, I want to say light citrus orange to even nectarine.
Not lightened by carbonation, but body is fairly light in and of itself. Ever so light tartness in with a malt opening is similar in flavor to the nose. This does turn a little bitter 2/3 the way through - a grassy bitterness that transforms into a light pine note. A nice ending that takes a little while to develop. Light metallic note at the end.
A bit more bitter than a lighter American lager, but not into Czech Pils bitter bite. Enjoyable but could use a little effervescence.
May 11, 2016Pours with fairly little head, at least barely retaining. The beer is also translucent at best.
Nose has some fruity notes in with a fairly neutral to cereal grain note. Not very strong, I want to say light citrus orange to even nectarine.
Not lightened by carbonation, but body is fairly light in and of itself. Ever so light tartness in with a malt opening is similar in flavor to the nose. This does turn a little bitter 2/3 the way through - a grassy bitterness that transforms into a light pine note. A nice ending that takes a little while to develop. Light metallic note at the end.
A bit more bitter than a lighter American lager, but not into Czech Pils bitter bite. Enjoyable but could use a little effervescence.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!