Union Lager
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
- From:
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- European / Dortmunder Export Lager
Ranked #11 - ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #14,304 - Avg:
- 4.02 | pDev: 6.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 18
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 13, 2025
- Added:
- Jan 14, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Collaboration with Schell's Brewery
Inspired by the Dortmunder Union brewery, Union Lager is our take on a Westphalian pale lager. Crisp, moderately malty, easy to drink but with a pronounced hop profile, this beer is a celebration of our newfound status as a Union-operated brewery. Brewed in collaboration and solidarity with August Schell Brewing Company, a union brewery since the 1930s.
TASTING NOTES
Crisp, lightly malty, bready, moderate hop bitterness, restrained grassy/noble aroma, crusher.
Inspired by the Dortmunder Union brewery, Union Lager is our take on a Westphalian pale lager. Crisp, moderately malty, easy to drink but with a pronounced hop profile, this beer is a celebration of our newfound status as a Union-operated brewery. Brewed in collaboration and solidarity with August Schell Brewing Company, a union brewery since the 1930s.
TASTING NOTES
Crisp, lightly malty, bready, moderate hop bitterness, restrained grassy/noble aroma, crusher.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
4.1/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
RB transfer
Sep 23, 2025
Rated by pathman from Ohio
4.5/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
02/28/25 can @ home
Mar 01, 2025
Reviewed by TreyIsWilson from Michigan
4.08/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A - Pours a clear gold with a nice fluffy white head. Tons of soapy lacing.
S - Aroma is big noble hops, yeasty white bread and toasted grains.
T - The taste is toasted white bread, candied lemon, sweet corn and floral noble hops
M - Medium carbonation with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a nice crisp finish.
O - Nicely balanced Dortmunder.
Feb 25, 2024S - Aroma is big noble hops, yeasty white bread and toasted grains.
T - The taste is toasted white bread, candied lemon, sweet corn and floral noble hops
M - Medium carbonation with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a nice crisp finish.
O - Nicely balanced Dortmunder.
Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan
4/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a gold color with a minimal white head that lasts quite a while. Aroma of grasses and floral notes. Taste is tangy and fruity with a slight hoppy bitterness and the finish.
Jan 25, 2024
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming
4.2/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From Good Times Oakland, canned July 28th 2023.
It pours a clear pale gold with a finger of foam initially, shrinks to a fine layer, leaves some lacing.
The smell is noble hops, grassy, toasted malt with light bread.
The taste is grassy noble hops, bread, mildly grainy, very good balance of flavours and so easy drinking.
Medium bodied, just the right amount of carbonation.
This would be a rotation Lager of mine if it was available locally.
Dec 02, 2023It pours a clear pale gold with a finger of foam initially, shrinks to a fine layer, leaves some lacing.
The smell is noble hops, grassy, toasted malt with light bread.
The taste is grassy noble hops, bread, mildly grainy, very good balance of flavours and so easy drinking.
Medium bodied, just the right amount of carbonation.
This would be a rotation Lager of mine if it was available locally.
Rated by Gary_Lee from Minnesota
4.29/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.29/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Love this beer.
Sep 02, 2023
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin
3.69/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a completely clear, medium golden color with a strong white head. SRM of 8. (3.75)
Aroma: Moderate aromas of bread, grains, hints of floral notes. (3.50)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of pale malt, toasted bread, grains. Honey as it warms. Some yeast off the end. (3.75)
Feel: Medium bodied. Low to average carbonation. Mildly sweet. (3.75)
Compared to Lupulin Dortmunder 3/2023: Pours similar, milder aromas. More grains and subtle honey. Less rich bread and yeast flavors. Less carbonation and milder.
Compared to Toppling Goliath Dorothy's New World Lager 4/2023: Pours darker, larger head. Similar aromas. More smooth bread and honey flavor. Less soapy yeast and grains. Heavier and sweeter.
Compared to Surly First Ave 4/2023: More toasted bread malt. Less honey and flower. Similar sweetness.
Overall: Was excited to try this combo from Fair State and Schells. Usually do some really good stuff and Dortmunders are some of my favorites. This was sort of disappointing though. Gets better as it warms and showcases the toasted note and Vienna malt here. Reminds me of Founders' Solid Gold. Not bad, but expected more for being the 10th ranked Dortmunder on BeerAdvocate. (Rating: 3.69)
Mar 29, 2023Aroma: Moderate aromas of bread, grains, hints of floral notes. (3.50)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of pale malt, toasted bread, grains. Honey as it warms. Some yeast off the end. (3.75)
Feel: Medium bodied. Low to average carbonation. Mildly sweet. (3.75)
Compared to Lupulin Dortmunder 3/2023: Pours similar, milder aromas. More grains and subtle honey. Less rich bread and yeast flavors. Less carbonation and milder.
Compared to Toppling Goliath Dorothy's New World Lager 4/2023: Pours darker, larger head. Similar aromas. More smooth bread and honey flavor. Less soapy yeast and grains. Heavier and sweeter.
Compared to Surly First Ave 4/2023: More toasted bread malt. Less honey and flower. Similar sweetness.
Overall: Was excited to try this combo from Fair State and Schells. Usually do some really good stuff and Dortmunders are some of my favorites. This was sort of disappointing though. Gets better as it warms and showcases the toasted note and Vienna malt here. Reminds me of Founders' Solid Gold. Not bad, but expected more for being the 10th ranked Dortmunder on BeerAdvocate. (Rating: 3.69)
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois
2.85/5 rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
2.85/5 rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Can dated July 08, 2022. Love the premise, and Schells does some great lagers, but this was brewed at Fair State.
Pale gold, plenty of foam, floating biscuit on the surface, spotty lacing.
Corn and caramel malt, papery and gross.
Taste is mainly twangy lager yeast, corn, pale and caramel malt. Malt-o-meal cereal. Completely disjointed and unpleasant. Trash adjunct lager, tastes nothing like a Dortmunder. Worse than a macro, as it’s so jarring. 6 months old and it’s already fallen apart. Dumped the remainder out. A joke this is in the top 10.
Jan 09, 2023Pale gold, plenty of foam, floating biscuit on the surface, spotty lacing.
Corn and caramel malt, papery and gross.
Taste is mainly twangy lager yeast, corn, pale and caramel malt. Malt-o-meal cereal. Completely disjointed and unpleasant. Trash adjunct lager, tastes nothing like a Dortmunder. Worse than a macro, as it’s so jarring. 6 months old and it’s already fallen apart. Dumped the remainder out. A joke this is in the top 10.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 7/8/22; drank 11/27/22 @ the Yarchives.
See-through pale yellow appearance.
A violent pour yielded a big, noisy white head; frothy lace.
Pine, corn & faint nutmeg notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Cornbread, pine & faint cream flavors. A nice, balanced lager. I'd have another!
Nov 28, 2022See-through pale yellow appearance.
A violent pour yielded a big, noisy white head; frothy lace.
Pine, corn & faint nutmeg notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Cornbread, pine & faint cream flavors. A nice, balanced lager. I'd have another!
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I got a 12pck of cans of this beer from my local beer store located just around the corner. It poured a clear golden with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had grain and grass like notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with crisp saaz hop presence of grass and grain. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.
Nov 05, 2022
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
4.25/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz can fill date Sept 01, 2022 into a 12oz Becher.
L: Pours clear rich gold caramel w a 1/2" creamy off-white head w very good retention, good carbo, some sticky lacing, banding & sheeting.
S: Toasted malts, toasted honey bun, caramel, grains, a suggestion of banana.
T: Taste pretty much follows smells with added tastes of firm caramelized malts & a hint of green grass. It has a velvety bitterness and an affable paleness. Fairly full-flavoured and slightly rich.
F: Crisp, well-balanced med-lite bodied w satisfying carbonation lasting throughout. It has a med-length finish w a slight linger.
O: A crispy golden American lager Germanic in style with excellent flavor and a great feel. Easy drinking, masterfully brewed and it is outstanding in its style.
Oct 10, 2022L: Pours clear rich gold caramel w a 1/2" creamy off-white head w very good retention, good carbo, some sticky lacing, banding & sheeting.
S: Toasted malts, toasted honey bun, caramel, grains, a suggestion of banana.
T: Taste pretty much follows smells with added tastes of firm caramelized malts & a hint of green grass. It has a velvety bitterness and an affable paleness. Fairly full-flavoured and slightly rich.
F: Crisp, well-balanced med-lite bodied w satisfying carbonation lasting throughout. It has a med-length finish w a slight linger.
O: A crispy golden American lager Germanic in style with excellent flavor and a great feel. Easy drinking, masterfully brewed and it is outstanding in its style.
Reviewed by dano213 from Pennsylvania
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz can purchased from the fridge as part of "The Mix Pack" for $20.99 plus tax - 12 beers (4 different varieties). The Union Lager is a Mix Pack exclusive.
Look: Pours a cystal clean golden color. A modest fluffy, white head that is sticking around a bit.
Smell: It smells very crackery/bready with grassy hop aromas and subtle floral notes. Smells like a crispy boy!
Taste: Pretty tasty. It is crispy. Very clean and smooth. The finish is mildly bitter with some fruity and grassy notes along with lingering pepperiness. I get some white grape notes. This beer is not sweet, it's pretty dry and the hops are nicely balanced with the malt. Neither component really dominates.
Feel: The carbonation is spot on. The mouthfeel is light to medium. Crisp, clean finish.
Overall: This is my first European / Dortmunder Export Lager. It's nice, very pleasant. Nothing spectacular, but it's a nice go-to easy drinker that can help to serve both a hoppy and malty craving. It's rare to find such a balanced beer. Cheers!
From the website:
STYLE
LAGER
FLAVOR PROFILE
CRISP / MALTY
ABV
5.3%
AVAILABILITY
OCCASIONAL
HOPS
TETTNANGER
YEASTS
LAGER YEAST
MALTS
CARAFOAM / PILS / VIENNA
COLLABORATORS
SCHELL'S
Aug 22, 2022Look: Pours a cystal clean golden color. A modest fluffy, white head that is sticking around a bit.
Smell: It smells very crackery/bready with grassy hop aromas and subtle floral notes. Smells like a crispy boy!
Taste: Pretty tasty. It is crispy. Very clean and smooth. The finish is mildly bitter with some fruity and grassy notes along with lingering pepperiness. I get some white grape notes. This beer is not sweet, it's pretty dry and the hops are nicely balanced with the malt. Neither component really dominates.
Feel: The carbonation is spot on. The mouthfeel is light to medium. Crisp, clean finish.
Overall: This is my first European / Dortmunder Export Lager. It's nice, very pleasant. Nothing spectacular, but it's a nice go-to easy drinker that can help to serve both a hoppy and malty craving. It's rare to find such a balanced beer. Cheers!
From the website:
STYLE
LAGER
FLAVOR PROFILE
CRISP / MALTY
ABV
5.3%
AVAILABILITY
OCCASIONAL
HOPS
TETTNANGER
YEASTS
LAGER YEAST
MALTS
CARAFOAM / PILS / VIENNA
COLLABORATORS
SCHELL'S
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