Big Bark
Live Oak Brewing Company

Orange-tinted amber brew with plenty of creamy foam in the Maredsous goblet. Lively on the tongue with a smooth mouthfeel. Pleasingly malty with a zingy finish. Some roasted malt and caramel taste with a touch of orange rind. Hops are understated but add some woody flavor and a modest bitter aftertaste. Overall this is one of the better beers I've had in the Vienna category, but then I like the malt flavors here and it's certainly balanced but the right amount of hops. From the 12 oz can

RB transfer

Draft at the brewery
Big pillowy creamy dense head with good retention, plenty of lacing, clear amber tan color

Nose rich toasted malts, grainy, a bit sweet, toasted sweet bread, a little bread crust, light fruity esters from the malts, light herbal floral hop

Taste brings malts again but not too rich, cereal grain, toasted biscuit and sweet bread, bread crust with a hint of caramel, mild malt derived esters with red orchard fruit, light to med bitterness when herbal hops turning a touch spicy on the dry finish, soft lager, crisp

Mouth is med bod, med carb, semi crisp on the finish

Overall quite nice, right up there with good amber or Vienna lagers, well balanced and crisp soft lager

 

 

Tasted on tap at the Live Oak Brewery & Taproom.

Beautiful, clear, copper beer with moderate, smooth white head. Aroma has some nuttiness and light raisin with noble hops. Flavors are also a little nutty and raisin-y, with some herbal and woody hops. Crisp, light body is a bit watery to me. I didn't enjoy this beer as much as the others in my flight, but it had no flaws.

 

 

 

Pours a clear orange-amber, brief 1" head with brief retention and very little lacing. Nose is roasted caramel, floral, grassy hop, touch of light brown sugar. As it warms, also getting so clovey-bananaish vibes as well. Taste toasted sugar and nutty caramel, but minus the sweetness; grassy, earthy and moderately bitter hops as well. Very little sweetness despite the roasty aromas. Overall, pretty dry and slightly tannic. Feel is crisp, very light slickness, and small, prickly carbonation. Another really enjoyable lager from this group - hope they keep sending their beers to the area.

(12 oz can, PKG: 05.23.24 2243, purchased from the brewery 2 days ago as part of a mix-six... poured into a wine glass - all I got atm)

L: crystal-clear, dark orange-amber liquid; glass is clean, but head won't hold...

S: dark honey, old stained wood, caramel cookie dough; nutty top note, clean beery lager at the bottom... perhaps a vague leafy hop poking out, but mostly crystal-malted malt-forward... relatively tepid intensity

T: definitely some hop popping out upon first sip: earthy, grassy, but not overtly bitter... got a hint on the nose of this, but the aftertaste is pretty bone dry, with some soft nutty/grainy malt lingering, bit of bread crust too... bitterness eventually builds, as well as a hint of Bananas Foster?! (overall a 4+: bold flavors, just fuzzy in expression)

F: mildly carbonated... silky, light-medium body... the unfermentables give this a needed roundness, as the finish is just damn, moreishly dry

O: considering how beautiful their Oaktoberfest was, I did have higher expectations for this... it has some of similar malt flavors, just far more subdued... this will get me my fix, but I couldn't see drinking this from desire (2373)

 

 

 

Pours a brilliant copper color that is crystal clear and sports a sudsy light tan head that lingers. Beautiful Vienna Lager.

The nose has a nice dose of caramalt and spicy hop notes, both of which are where the taste lands. So flavorful and easy drinking, especially with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. This is outstanding, IMHO.

 

Canned 1/21/2024, drank 2/22/2024. Pours a very clear, brilliant, dark honey/golden straw color. Thick, white foamy head and strong lacing in the glass. Smells of caramel and floral hops. Caramel taste with a strong hop backbone. Very crisp taste with notable hop finish. The best of this style I’ve tried. Very nice beer.

From a can. Clear amber color with a finger of foamy cream head. Smells of caramel malt with a floral note. Medium body with good carbonation. Caramel malt flavor with a little malty sweetness and some noble hops on the finish. Nicely done.

 

Canned 10/31/23; drank 12/25/23 @ Pokemon Communion.

See-through amber appearance.

Big white head; frothy lacing remained.

Fresh corn & honey notes in the nose.

Creamy medium mouthfeel.

Fresh corn & honey flavors. Simple but quite tasty, with a killer mouthfeel.

I'd have another!