Summer Hopfenlager
Dovetail Brewery

 

 

 

16oz can, dated 04.30.2025, poured into a 16oz tumbler glass. Enjoyed on 06.15.2025, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a cloudy pale gold color, light amber and straw hues, big, tall, fluffy white head, great lacing and retention. The aroma is nice, very floral and bright, green and earthy, light citrus, pale grain, and mineral water. The flavors are nice, tangy citrus, floral, lightly bitter pine, grass clippings, herbal tea, soft grain, pale and doughy, mineral water. The mouthfeel is good, coating, vibrant, crisp, lighter medium body, smooth finish, lightly dry.

Verdict: An excellent hoppy lager, super crisp, bright, bold, refreshing.

 

 

8/1/25 - (Home) (Chicago. Illinois) Can Notes: Purchased a single 16 oz can from Beer on the Wall at store temperature on May 22, 2025 for $3.98 including tax. Canned April 30, 2025, 4.5% ABV Summer Hopfenlager. Traditional methods, modern hops. Balanced, old, surprising. Vista & Strata Hops. Brewed and canned by Dovetail Brewery, 1800 W. Belle Plaine, Chicago, Illinois.

Appearance: Poured about half the can into a half liter into a Dovetail willi becher glass, yielding a very proficient foam I slurped to avoid spilling. Took a few minutes for the very bubbly and creamy bright white foam to settle over the unfiltered yellow murky base yielding mild sustained carbonation. 3.75

Aroma: Salty cracker, fresh cut grass, wheat, citrus. Flavor above average strength and enjoyment. Really likethe cracker. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with the aroma, salty cracker leads and is as good as the aroma. The secondary flavors less pronounced, wheat and corn the two highlights. Drinking this fast. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Hoppy bitter and dry, beyond expectations but in line with my taste preferences. Drinks easy at first, but at ABV getting into it further. Hoppy, more bitter than sweet, salty cracker and roasted corn finish. 4.25

Overall: This is an enjoyable selection I'm glad I finally got a chance to sample. Nice crispy boi hoppy dry lager, pronounced enjoyable flavor. Just be careful with the pour, as foam will emerge like a rocket. Cheers Dovetail for another job well done! 4.25

THis is the best HopFenlager that Dovetail has produced to date. Really excellant. Strawberry hops upfront with tropical fruit medley finish. Low bitterness from the hops and fruitiness. Texture is nearly perfect. Lovely beer by Dovetail this was a reminder of just how excellent Dovetail is... Traditional lager with modern hops is such a cool concept and they hit a homerun.

 

 

 

Pale yellow cloudy body, big eggshell white head, but very little lacing surprisingly. Big piney hops slice through pineapple, peach, lemon, and general berries. Taste has vegetable tones added to the pine, yeast is shortlived but nicely bready, but then it is back to the hops with the fruits this time, but overall more bitter than the nose. Feel is almost dank with how hopped it is, but honestly underneath the hops is an airy lager that retreats from the palate with much haste

 

 

Canned 04/20/25

a: Light straw color. Mostly opaque. Fluffy, foamy 2 1/2 finger eggshell white head.
s: Some tangerine and other citrus. Malt grain in the background.
t: Light fruit notes (peach, tangerine mostly).
m: Light bodied. Effervescent carbonation.
o: A nice 'summery' hopped lager. Refreshing, light in flavor and body. Nicely suited for a warm day.

05/01/25. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.

A: Mildly hazy gold with two finger, foamy white head with excellent retention and copious lacing.

S: Aroma is mostly herbal, pine, honeysuckle hops with subtle pils malt breadiness

T: Flavor is very refreshing with similar bright, lightly fruity, herbal, and pine hop notes, and good background of pils malt character. There’s a little bit of tea-like leafiness in the finish which is pleasant. Bitterness is light – medium.

M: Feel is light-bodied with high carbonation and dry, clean finish.

O: Nothing fancy just solid refreshing light bodies, summer drinking lager.