Thai Rice Lager
Barbarian Brewing

this one bangs pretty hard. i think the lager game here has always been strong, but this one is real polished and has a ton of summer appeal. i get the jasmine thing from the rice, it is floral and the hops used in here lend well to that, nice little synergy, and this is super drinkable without being overly light, like it has a lot more body to it than some other rice lagers out there, but its not weighty in any way, some barley malt obviously fleshing it out a bit. it drinks as clean as it looks, super sparkling bright golden with immaculate clarity, a ton of racing bubbles, and an inch of head that takes the whole pint to fade out. it smells like cut flowers, light lemon, and biscuity pale malt more than rice to me, some light bitterness there, nice minerality, really fresh and jovial and inviting. some hops running through it really work, the end is snappy and fast and i do taste just a bit of clean lager yeast, this seems really well conditioned. subtle jasmine and elderflower, a verdant almost cucumber flash, and it stays together real well as it warms. the carbonation is awesome, the balance is new world and beautiful, and overall this is among their best beers. its easy to forget just how well these guys do the basics, with all the crazy stuff they always have on the board. put it this way, i rarely, if ever, get the same beer twice in here, so much cool diversity on their menu, but i ripped off a pair of pints of this the other night when i was in, its flawless and exceptional and i want some more!

Draft at brewery. Clear golden, steady streams of carbonation, diminishing head. Grainy aroma with light floral notes. Taste follows with sweetness, malty, and soft floral and fruity notes.