Lemondrop Lift
Fifth Hammer Brewing

A: Pours a clear medium yellow in color with light to moderate amounts of active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass and faint bright yellow + lemon yellow + straw yellow colored highlights. The beer has a finger tall fizzy foamy white head that reduces to a large patch of very thin film covering a little more than 60% of the surface of the beer and a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light aromas of pale + grainy malts with a light amount of grainy sweetness and light aromas of lemon citrus. Hints of lager yeast.

T: Upfront there are light flavors of pale + grainy malts with a light amount of grainy sweetness. Hints of lager yeast. Light flavors of lemon citrus and a hint of grassy hops. Light amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Slightly less than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp and clean.

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol. Enjoyable with a nice clean lager presence with a light amount of lemon citrus keeping it interesting.

 

On-tap at Fifth Hammer Brewing, Long Island City, NY

A: The beer is clear yellow in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head.
S: Light aromas of pale malts are present in the nose with slight bits of lemons.
T: The taste is nearly a mirror image of the smell, having flavors of pale malts and some some hints of lemons in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied and clean on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The subtle aromas and flavors of lemons in this lager prevent it from being bland.

Serving type: on-tap

fashioned like a pilsener but liberally hopped with lemondrop, i found this one both clean and flavorful, a really cool beer overall. these guys really covered a lot of ground with their beer list, which is diverse, ambitious, and inspired. this is simple and bright, with a distinctive herbal element to it from the hops, obvious citrus, but to me also a noble characteristic, which gives this simultaneously an old world charm and a modern twist, pretty compelling for a basic lager at its core. not quite all the way clear but light looking, heady from the tap, and really active and crisp and alive on the palate. a fresh but elementary european pils type malt base, not much else on the grain side, and a fast finishing somewhat minimal lager yeast strain that does its job but stays largely out of the way. refreshing and easy drinking, really nicely selected and dosed hops on this, they should serve it in a five gallon bucket. super impressed with these guys overall, one of the unexpected treasures of our new york trip so far...