Hofbräu Premium Lager
Hofbräuhaus Newport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went to the Hofbrau Haus in Newport over the weekend and this was my fave. The Lager has a yeasty/earthy backbone with a dash of malt and hops.

The flavor is that earthy sweetness with a hint and i mean hint of banana... I know you'd expect that out of the hefe.. but it's in the lager too.

The appearance is pretty good... lacing is nice. VERY drinkable. Not too light on the flavors, just enough. A little bit more of a hop presence might have made this stronger, but it's still way above average. Kinda reminds me of a slightly less impressive GL DOrtmunder Gold.. to reference another local flavor.... that everso--slight copper metallic-ness.... this is a true export lager that I really enjoyed. I think some here are getting caught up in the whole microbrew/hofbrau expectations thing... the fact is - this is a good lager.... much better than most bottled micro's and better than any lager in the grocer save the local Dortmunder which may be the best in the U.S. Recommended.

This is a very average beer, at least for a microbrew. It is a typical German lager, but with perhaps less flavor than some. It does pour with a rather nice head that has good retention. The nose is mildly malty, as is the taste. The hops are not very pronounced even in the finish and aftertaste. The texture is rather thin, which combined with its refreshingly well-structured carbonation makes it a nicely drinkable summer brew. Decent for a session beer when you're more interested in visiting with friends in a neat place like Hofbrauhaus, than in focusing on the beer itself.

A fairly local beer that I haven't had until now. Looks lightly golden to straw colored. Highly carbonates and leaves a white head that fell to a trace. Smells lightly malty and a bit tart and sour. Earthy and a little hoppy. Tastes of a basic lager malty and yeasty. Hopped more than most throws this beer a little out of balance. Medium body for a lager, lessened by the carbonation. Begins to reveal some astringent grainy flavors that follow into the finish. Moderately crisp and not as clean as I had hoped. All in all, a drinkable beer.

Had this on-site at Hofbräuhaus Newport. I'm not a big fan of lagers, but I figured I'd give it a go. Pours a very clear yellow color with a small head that sticks around, but doesn't leave much lacing on the glass. The aroma is clean - slight bit of caramel malts and slight floral hops, but not too strong. The flavor was very smooth. Taste of the hops was a nice balance on the caramel maltiness. Drinkability was good and the body was light.