Platinum Circle
Zoiglhaus Brewing Company

Clear, rich yellow brew with plenty of foam in the goblet. Aromatic in the herbal and flowery vein and a hint of mango. Sudsy and light on the tongue. Pleasant modest flavors of grain and malt with a touch of cucumber and lime. It's quite interesting to have such a line-up of hops and then use them so sparingly in a Lager. I like the idea of brewing a more flavorful light beer with a light hand on the hop scale. From the 16 oz can purchased at Special Brews in Lynnwood.

Collaboration with Breakside Brewing. Date stamp reads "04/24/25".

Look:
The beer has an attractive aspen gold body clouded with a hint of haze. The head of bright white foam shrinks to a collar that lasts to the bottom of the glass, and leaves blotchy lacing like a late-period Miró painting

Smell:
Clean, crackery malt with tasty details: nectarines, pears, Swedish Fish candy, and a spicy floral/woody undertone that suggests "men's cologne" more than it suggests "noble hops." (I know it sounds weird, but it's subtle and works really well here.)

Taste:
Faithfully follows the nose. The malt is dry and the fruity notes are a little underripe (which is how I like my nectarines and pears). Mouthwatering, not sweet, not too heavy. Mingles nicely with the light malt. The "spicy floral" character from the nose leans more floral than spicy on the palate. The finish is dry and quenching.

Feel:
Light-bodied and crisp with bracing carbonation.

Overall:
Zoiglhaus seems to fly a little under the radar in Portland, but they consistently make a range of excellent lagers. Breakside's "modern" lagers are always solid, sometimes excellent, and sometimes fall squarely on the too-fruity side. Together, these breweries made a winner. Platinum Circle is a hoppy lager with subtle fruit character that hit me just right today. I might have to try it again next weekend when temperatures hit the 90s here for the first time this year.