Cowlaboration #10
Fair State Brewing Cooperative

i cant believe this doesnt have higher ratings here. i am incredibly particularly about my helles lager, and they nailed this one. really its good! one of the lightest, most clear craft beers i have ever seen, looks like an ultra in the glass at the new red rabbit in saint paul, except that it has over an inch of rising pure white head on it with great retention and lace rings on each sip. it smells and tastes very traditional, albeit on the very light side of the spectrum even for a very light style. the lager yeast is evident, german, fresh, and crisping in here, cleaning up any of these pils malt residuals pretty easily, a patient brew no doubt. mild noble hops in the finish give it a little bitter snap and an old world grassy sort of softness, really compatible with the minerals in the water profile here, which they really dialed up right for this brew. bone dry, not watery for how light it is, and effervescently carbonated, it really pops with each sip, no dissipation of it at all. a ton of heavy food on this menu, and i think it works well in that context, for me it was rich meatballs in marinara. a perfect beer for that sort of dish. they should keep making this one!