Stranger In The Alps
Fair State Brewing Cooperative
- From:
- Fair State Brewing Cooperative
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- American Lager
Ranked #19 - ABV:
- 5.1%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #15,182 - Avg:
- 4.02 | pDev: 4.73%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 18, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 05, 2021
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Stranger in the Alps is an Alpine Lager brewed in collaboration with Threes Brewing (Brooklyn, NY). We set out to brew a beer that tasted like the way the air at the top of a mountain smells. The result is a crispy pale lager brewed with noble hops, foraged spruce tips from Duluth, and lemon balm. Nuanced but quaffable, lemony and bright, it enlivens the spirit much like a breath of mountain air.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jzlyo from Iowa
3.97/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.97/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Aroma is fruit, malts and piney hops/very floral all around. The flavor is fruit, a hint of spring water, malts/grains and a very dry/Euro bitter hop finish.
Dec 18, 2025
Reviewed by GStone899 from Minnesota
4.09/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Taste is a piney Adventure. The most pine I've tasted from a beer in a very long time. Not for everyone and a beer that blurs the lines between a lager and an IPA. I enjoyed it tho.
Nov 22, 2025
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.41/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.41/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 9/1/22; drank 10/26/22 @ the Yarchives.
See-through dull yellow appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big white head; strong, frothy tree-rung lace.
Mint, fresh corn & pine notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Lime, fresh soap, juniper berry & faint corn flavors.
Bold, balanced and tasty; I really enjoyed this one. Hope I spot it again!
Oct 27, 2022See-through dull yellow appearance.
A rough pour yielded a big white head; strong, frothy tree-rung lace.
Mint, fresh corn & pine notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Lime, fresh soap, juniper berry & faint corn flavors.
Bold, balanced and tasty; I really enjoyed this one. Hope I spot it again!
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin
3.72/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a clear, crisp golden color with a strong white head. SRM of 7. (3.75)
Aroma: Mild aromas of lemon citrus and wheat. Hints of spruce. (3.50)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of lemon citrus, some spruce and flower. A spruce and bitter pine note lingers off the end. Bittersweet on the finish. (3.75)
Feel: Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation. A bittersweet finish. (4.00)
Compared to Surly's Hell Lager 10/2022: Pours darker, milder aromas. More lemon citrus and spruce. Less lemonflower. Less carbonation and more bitter.
Compared to Junkyard Grandpa Bill Pils 10/2022: Pours similar. Milder aromas. More spruce and bitterness. Less lemon hop flavors. Less tropical. and hoppy.
Overall: A pretty good and unique take on a lager. Nice lemon citrus and spruce flavors. If the goal was to brew a beer that tasted like how a mountain smelled then I think they reached this goal. Definitely has a component of that mountain air here. A bit tame, very nice stuff. (Rating: 3.72)
Oct 21, 2022Aroma: Mild aromas of lemon citrus and wheat. Hints of spruce. (3.50)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of lemon citrus, some spruce and flower. A spruce and bitter pine note lingers off the end. Bittersweet on the finish. (3.75)
Feel: Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation. A bittersweet finish. (4.00)
Compared to Surly's Hell Lager 10/2022: Pours darker, milder aromas. More lemon citrus and spruce. Less lemonflower. Less carbonation and more bitter.
Compared to Junkyard Grandpa Bill Pils 10/2022: Pours similar. Milder aromas. More spruce and bitterness. Less lemon hop flavors. Less tropical. and hoppy.
Overall: A pretty good and unique take on a lager. Nice lemon citrus and spruce flavors. If the goal was to brew a beer that tasted like how a mountain smelled then I think they reached this goal. Definitely has a component of that mountain air here. A bit tame, very nice stuff. (Rating: 3.72)
Reviewed by DavyJonesXXX from Texas
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
I enjoyed this 1. I would recommend it and purchase again.
The spruce tips and lemon balm do add a unique aroma, flavor and mouth feel. Awesome beer imo.
Oct 06, 2022The spruce tips and lemon balm do add a unique aroma, flavor and mouth feel. Awesome beer imo.
Rated by pkalix from California
3.59/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
tastes like last year's christmas tree
Oct 30, 2021
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
3.98/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
16oz can dated 7/22/21 into a tall lager glass.
L: Pours an almost clear gold with medium carbonation, big sparse bubbles, a thin, bright white head that goes to skin, minimal to no lacing.
S: Spicy honey, conifer, berries, blueberry, yeast, bread malt.
T: Lemon rind oil, spruce, pine resin, green tea, lemon balm flower and light earthy grass.
F: Crisp, bright med-light mouthfeel that turns sharply pale and dry. It is lightly oily and glassy with a fast drying finish.
O: This curious lager does in fact evoke a sense of high mountain air that is crisp, light and wafting with conifer growth. It has a malt base that is interestingly pale and yeasty which serves the resinous and citrus oil qualities well. It is balanced and is excellent in it's style.
Oct 02, 2021L: Pours an almost clear gold with medium carbonation, big sparse bubbles, a thin, bright white head that goes to skin, minimal to no lacing.
S: Spicy honey, conifer, berries, blueberry, yeast, bread malt.
T: Lemon rind oil, spruce, pine resin, green tea, lemon balm flower and light earthy grass.
F: Crisp, bright med-light mouthfeel that turns sharply pale and dry. It is lightly oily and glassy with a fast drying finish.
O: This curious lager does in fact evoke a sense of high mountain air that is crisp, light and wafting with conifer growth. It has a malt base that is interestingly pale and yeasty which serves the resinous and citrus oil qualities well. It is balanced and is excellent in it's style.
Reviewed by mothman 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
Can. White head with lace. Clear golden color.
Biscuit and toasted malts. Earthy, hoppy, piney. A nice light bitterness. Touch of floral hops. There is a touch of citrus, but I’m not really sure if that’s the lemon balm or not. Very drinkable and very enjoy. Tons of flavor for a low abv beer.
Sep 11, 2021Biscuit and toasted malts. Earthy, hoppy, piney. A nice light bitterness. Touch of floral hops. There is a touch of citrus, but I’m not really sure if that’s the lemon balm or not. Very drinkable and very enjoy. Tons of flavor for a low abv beer.
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