Reserve Lager
Stoudts Brewing Co.

Very impressed by this beer. I hate to say it, but that's the first time (in quite some time) that has been the case with a Stoudt's product. Perhaps a return to their original german-brewing roots? Or perhaps I am being too much the dreamer.

Pours a beautiful amber-golden color with a rich white head that lingers for a little while (think "beer-foam mustache" since I couldn't wait to try it =-) ). Aroma shows hops... plenty of the floral/spicy sort. Flavor has good firm pale malt supporting plenty of hops, but nothing too thick and sticky like you can get in Pale Bocks. Faint citric note of perhaps "grapefruit" to my taste in the middle of things there somewhere. Really quite enjoyable & far better than their normal fare (I do like their Pils, but don't care for their Gold for what that's worth). If you can find it, do try it... it might make you think better of the brand once more.

OK, I put this in with the Maibocks, but It is certainly an American Craft version in that it has a much more pronounced hop finish than it's German counterparts.

That said...

pours a medium gold / light orange with a medium, tight white head.

aromas are of slightly assertive floral hops - no citrus.

flavor is that of a maibock with a hop finish - maibock / uber pils hybryd ? Good malt backbone and flavor, not sweet or grassy.

finishes like a very big bodied American Pils.

truly enjoyable, seek it out.

k75