Dirty Word Lager
Ballistic Beer Co.

[SPOILER ALERT – REVIEW SPOILER IMMINENT, REPEAT: REVIEW SPOILER IMMINENT] Well, I’m glad we got that completely unobtrusive spoiler alert out of the way because I want to say something: I can’t freaking believe I didn’t try this beer when it was first released last year – it’s a real exceptional Lager, and all this time I was thinking it would be ‘meh’ because Lagers generally are ‘meh’, except of course when they aren’t (just like this Ballistic Dirty Word Lager). Anyhow, my face and egg are in alignment due to my missing out on a year of this stellar summer beer, so let us forget about my seemingly ongoing grudge against Lagers in general and move on to the now spoiled review… unless you actually skipped my preamble and went straight to the review part – then good for you.

Poured from a 375ml can into a Löwenbräu stein [my favouritest of all my steins!].

A: Slight hazed golden-straw coloured body with a decent 1 centimetre white head that stands proud and leaves chunky lace on the way down, this here is one finger licking good looking American Pale Lager. 8/10.

S: Dry, and intriguingly spicy, Lager yeast character upfront, honeydew melon notes (as mentioned on the label) with a touch of rockmelon (cantaloupe to US readers) and a slight crisp apple/lemon character lingering in the background. The hop bill is a tasty mix of German (Perle), Australian (Helga) and New Zealand (Motueka, Wakatu) hops and the character of these flowers are captured well in the aroma. 8/10.

T: Crisp upfront dry malt character is cut by a green apple tartness, then the palate mixes in some lemon, lime, honeydew and rockmelon, follows through to an almost Belgian yeast spicy note, finishes long dry with a lick of cut grass bitterness. Overall flavour profile goes through a gamut of characters, but then brings it all back with a moreish dryness in the finish – definitely a cracker of a lawnmower beer. 9/10.

M: Nicely medium bodied with an excitable but not OTT carbonation… there were some burps it must be said, still that body density just works so well. 9/10.

D: The reason this beer works so well, for me at least, is due to the combination of flavours clicking: hops, malt, yeast – everything adds to the flavour in a way that makes it all gel together. TBH I thought I had found my new favourite (and easily obtainable) Lager with All Inn’s Consequences recently, however this Ballistic hedges it in flavour, and price ($16 a 4-pack, hells yeah!). 8/10.

Food match: Bring this to your next hot summers day BBQ, I dare you.