Fresh Hop Lager
Wibby Brewing

fresh hopped american pale lager they call it now, so i was surprised to see it pour a copper color from the tap, well darker than the range i would consider pale, and there is quite a bit of crystal type malt to this, making it a little heavy and flavoring it enough that the hops arent as obvious as i kind of hoped they would be. that said, the fresh hop character is still comes through pretty well, juicy and green and oily, not overly fruity or distinctive, but wet for sure. i get soft pine when i taste it, a spruce thing that feels wintery to me, as well as a little toasted character from the grain, less sweet than it smells, more of a kilned dry earthy thing, actually supports the hops really well, and while this may not drink as light as i was hoping for, it makes a lot of sense for the fall, has great balance, and i do see the purpose for this more substantial malt base now. oily and slick from the hops, a light orange peel note, pineapple even for a second, and then just a quick wash of vegetal bitterness before its gone. really pleasant beer, nice for the chilly fall days. its hard to fully appreciate as a lager, its not that crisp or anything with the hop oils extending it, and the lager yeast doesnt have a ton of flavor, but i like the beer a lot regardless...

 

11-5