Four Year Festbier
Lost Grove Brewing

classic marzen here, very well refined, a step up from a lot of the other more traditional styles i have had from these guys, really quite good, maybe one of the best local examples of the style i have had this year. its deeply rust colored, pushing amber, softly hazy not overly cleaned up, but it doesnt need to be, and sometimes i like it better when it isnt. great inch or two of white head, looks pretty in the glass. the aroma and flavor both show distinct caramelization, a european vienna sort of malt vibe, sweet in the right places but not over the top there, and some minerals in the water profile that push through all the grain, nice build on this, sturdy but not heavy, good structure. the yeast is nice too, this is well lagered and even crisp for a marzen, clean too. not overly old worldy or anything, its not a bold yeast flavor, but it does its job more than adequately here. similarly, the hops are genuinely noble to be, but in a pretty soft voice here, just enough balancing bitterness at the end but never green or grassy, just slightly sulfuric and quick finishing, again right on. there is decent body here, and amazingly lively carbonation. maybe perhaps a little more robust overall that a lot of these, but it hits on all points for the style, and might actually be one of the best lost grove beers in recent memory for me. delicious on tap, works with fried and spicy foods, and warms up super well too. outstanding fall lager here!

Draft at Bittercreek. Dark, cloudy amber, thick foamy head. Malty aroma, fresh brown bread. Taste is full of rich, toasty malts, mildly sweet. Thick, creamy mouthfeel.