Wet Hop Lager
Fair Isle Brewing

Poured into a Reuben's Brew pint glass. Pours a hazy, light to medium golden amber with a fine, three finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of grainy, lightly biscuit lager malt, citrus and grassy hops, lemon, melon, mild hay; lightly floral. Flavor is rustic, grainy and biscuit malt, citrus and grassy hops, lemon, green melon, mild camphor, grass hay. Moderate grassy bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess and solid carbonation. An interesting take on a lager in a couple of ways; first the noble hops instead of the usual local Northwest/West varieties and a yeast that leans to a rustic farmhouse style. It's almost a hybrid flavor of a saison and standard lager yeast. It's actually just what I'd expect from Fair Isle, which is big on saisons and farmhouse ales. There was also more light citrus than I'd expect from Tettnanger hops, but perhaps the result of freshness; most Germany ales have a big of age on the hops before they get to me. I don’t seek out lagers any more, particularly noble hop ones, but I liked the herbal hop flavors and the interesting yeast in this one. I'd get this over a traditional lager any day. Nicely done. There seem to be a lot more styles of fresh hops this year, a nice break from the standard pale ales (not that I'm not grabbing those too).

2024-09-29
16oz can served in a snulip. If there's a date, I don't see it.

Pours a clear whitish yellow, moderate head. Smell is juicy and green, lime and melon, menthol/mint medicinalness.

Taste is...hm. "Gummy" is the word that comes to mind, but not because it tastes like gum -- melon and medicine kind of lean that way, but there's something indefinite about flavor, like it can't decide if it's juicy or resinous or bready.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, just a little bit of fizz, fairly smooth texture. Overall...it's not bad.