New Zealand Lager
Goldfinger Brewing Company
- From:
- Goldfinger Brewing Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- India Pale Lager (IPL)
Ranked #13 - ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #12,724 - Avg:
- 4.13 | pDev: 2.42%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 27, 2022
- Added:
- Aug 28, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
We took what we learned about last year’s batch and made some tweaks to move this beer into the next level of modern lagers. Our goal with this beer was to create a lager that blurred the lines between styles. Our research began by selecting hops that were the offspring of one of our favorite German hop varietals: Hallterau Mittelfruh. As we learned more about the New Zealand Wai-iti hop, we began to grow fond of its more delicate qualities. In a world of juice bombs, Wai-iti was softer and more reminiscent of its noble hop parent, while still providing pungent aromas of citrus and stone fruit.
After selecting the hop combination, we knew we wanted to preserve our multi-step mashing regimen in order to balance the beer. Employing a five step mashing process brought out some of the deep biscuit and honey flavors that would serve as the base for the fruity and floral hops.
As with all of our lagers, we kept this beer cold throughout fermentation and maturation to ensure a smooth mouthfeel and finish. This year, we dry hopped it and cold extracted the hops over an extended period of time to contribute a bigger aroma.
Modern lagers have so much potential, and we’re very proud of where we’ve brought this beer. Come trick your palate into thinking it is your favorite hop forward ale on the front end, and then reassure it with the smooth lager finish.
40 IBU
After selecting the hop combination, we knew we wanted to preserve our multi-step mashing regimen in order to balance the beer. Employing a five step mashing process brought out some of the deep biscuit and honey flavors that would serve as the base for the fruity and floral hops.
As with all of our lagers, we kept this beer cold throughout fermentation and maturation to ensure a smooth mouthfeel and finish. This year, we dry hopped it and cold extracted the hops over an extended period of time to contribute a bigger aroma.
Modern lagers have so much potential, and we’re very proud of where we’ve brought this beer. Come trick your palate into thinking it is your favorite hop forward ale on the front end, and then reassure it with the smooth lager finish.
40 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Jaycase from Illinois
4.24/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 05/26/22
a: pours medium copper. translucent. 1 finger frothy, white head recedes to a thin layer.
s: peach, slight grapefruit.
t: mostly fruits like peach & apricot. touch of honey sweetness
f: medium-low carbonation. soft body.
o: Will preface by mentioning I'm generally not a fan of IPLs & typically avoid them but had to give this a shot as Goldfinger are producing some of the best lagers in the area. Well, this did not disappoint. The fruity hop characteristics are reined in and the Wai-iti hop works perfectly.
Jun 14, 2022a: pours medium copper. translucent. 1 finger frothy, white head recedes to a thin layer.
s: peach, slight grapefruit.
t: mostly fruits like peach & apricot. touch of honey sweetness
f: medium-low carbonation. soft body.
o: Will preface by mentioning I'm generally not a fan of IPLs & typically avoid them but had to give this a shot as Goldfinger are producing some of the best lagers in the area. Well, this did not disappoint. The fruity hop characteristics are reined in and the Wai-iti hop works perfectly.
Rated by emerge077 from Illinois
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Draft at the brewery.
Jun 13, 2022
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 5/26/22; drank 6/4/22 @ the Yarchives.
Mostly see-through dull orange appearance.
A rough pour yielded a decent eggshell head; decent, frothy lace.
Peach, dry wheat & faint strawberry notes in the nose.
Soft, medium mouthfeel.
Peach & dry wheat flavors up front; faint strawberry notes on the finish.
It's got a dry lager note with some fruity IPA notes. Overall, pretty damn good!
Jun 05, 2022Mostly see-through dull orange appearance.
A rough pour yielded a decent eggshell head; decent, frothy lace.
Peach, dry wheat & faint strawberry notes in the nose.
Soft, medium mouthfeel.
Peach & dry wheat flavors up front; faint strawberry notes on the finish.
It's got a dry lager note with some fruity IPA notes. Overall, pretty damn good!
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.09/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours cloudy and amber colored with a thin cap; limited lacing
Smell: Grapefruit, apricot and peach with a hint of spice
Taste: Bready malts forward with the grapefruit, apricot and peach flavors emerging; a crisp, somewhat grassy not on the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
Overall: A pleasant lager with a different angle
Thanks, 77apm, for the opportunity
Sep 01, 2021Smell: Grapefruit, apricot and peach with a hint of spice
Taste: Bready malts forward with the grapefruit, apricot and peach flavors emerging; a crisp, somewhat grassy not on the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
Overall: A pleasant lager with a different angle
Thanks, 77apm, for the opportunity
Reviewed by GrumpyGas from Illinois
3.97/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can poured into a pilsner glass shows a clear, glowing copper body and almost supports a 1" cap of mixed bubbles with nary a whisp of lacing.
Floral aroma that comes too close to perfume, yet the flavor has no such astringency. Full flowery flavor, bitterness and all, that rounds off well.
Softer mouthfeel, yet still clean and just short of crisp.
Overall an eye opening lager.
Aug 15, 2021Floral aroma that comes too close to perfume, yet the flavor has no such astringency. Full flowery flavor, bitterness and all, that rounds off well.
Softer mouthfeel, yet still clean and just short of crisp.
Overall an eye opening lager.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.08/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear amber brown body, sudsy white head and lacing. Big floral hops with slight resin atop caramel malts and hints of citrus in the nose. Malts are more expressive in the taste, get date and plum to go with the citrus, floral hops with slight resin, apricot, and red grape finish, but overall is dulled in intensity compared to the nose. Feel is malty and large for style, hops are smoothed out in a way actually, has almost a sweet texture by the finish. Fun beer
Aug 07, 2021
Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois
4.18/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
16oz can dated 6/28/21. Poured into Riverlands Dimpled Mug.
Appearance: straw dull golden body with 3 fingers of eggshell / off white head. Head is dense and fluffy with great staying power. Lots of lace clinging to everything it touches.
Smell: spicy, floral, and fruity hops with a light dank note. I am getting a weird stale note from the aroma. Not sure what's up with this...
Taste: spicy hops are the first thing you taste and spicy hops finish the aftertaste of the beer. In the middle you get honey and buttermilk biscuit sweetness from the malt profile that adds nice depth and balance to the hops. Fruity lager yeast? Or is it fruity hop notes? Either way, I get a light, but distinct fruity flavor to compliment the spicy hops. Lightly bitter finish and a lingering "green" flavor that I can't quite describe. Maybe somewhere between grassy and dank, but that does not seem to describe what I can't put my finger on.
Mouthfeel: Light body. On the lower end of medium level of carbonation. Crazy smooth, crazy drinkable. Outlandishly creamy and soft textured body. Clean finish. Just excellent. Bravo! Very well done! This is what really bring this beer together is the exquisite texture. It kept me coming back for another sip.
Overall: The texture and mouthfeel of this body is quite impressive. I would put this at New Glarus and Dovetail level. Which I hold both of those breweries as the authentic and benchmark for all other breweries to reach as far as German or European lagers go. This is the first brew from Goldfinger that I can say the brewery took the extra steps to make this beer world class and it accurately showcased by the texture /mouthfeel alone. Not sure this is a IPL, but I am not sure what to call this beer as far as beer style classification goes.
Side note.... In the description of the beer they talk about a 5 step mashing process to accentuate the malts and I gotta say that it really was legit and apparent here in this beer. I would like to see Goldfinger make a Zwickel with this 5 step mashing process to showcase all that doughy / biscuit malt goodness in a beer style that just begs for the malt richness that Goldfinger proves they can pull off. If they do a Zwickel like that, I would honestly buy a keg and drink it instead of water until it is gone. Ohhh the possibilities!
Jul 20, 2021Appearance: straw dull golden body with 3 fingers of eggshell / off white head. Head is dense and fluffy with great staying power. Lots of lace clinging to everything it touches.
Smell: spicy, floral, and fruity hops with a light dank note. I am getting a weird stale note from the aroma. Not sure what's up with this...
Taste: spicy hops are the first thing you taste and spicy hops finish the aftertaste of the beer. In the middle you get honey and buttermilk biscuit sweetness from the malt profile that adds nice depth and balance to the hops. Fruity lager yeast? Or is it fruity hop notes? Either way, I get a light, but distinct fruity flavor to compliment the spicy hops. Lightly bitter finish and a lingering "green" flavor that I can't quite describe. Maybe somewhere between grassy and dank, but that does not seem to describe what I can't put my finger on.
Mouthfeel: Light body. On the lower end of medium level of carbonation. Crazy smooth, crazy drinkable. Outlandishly creamy and soft textured body. Clean finish. Just excellent. Bravo! Very well done! This is what really bring this beer together is the exquisite texture. It kept me coming back for another sip.
Overall: The texture and mouthfeel of this body is quite impressive. I would put this at New Glarus and Dovetail level. Which I hold both of those breweries as the authentic and benchmark for all other breweries to reach as far as German or European lagers go. This is the first brew from Goldfinger that I can say the brewery took the extra steps to make this beer world class and it accurately showcased by the texture /mouthfeel alone. Not sure this is a IPL, but I am not sure what to call this beer as far as beer style classification goes.
Side note.... In the description of the beer they talk about a 5 step mashing process to accentuate the malts and I gotta say that it really was legit and apparent here in this beer. I would like to see Goldfinger make a Zwickel with this 5 step mashing process to showcase all that doughy / biscuit malt goodness in a beer style that just begs for the malt richness that Goldfinger proves they can pull off. If they do a Zwickel like that, I would honestly buy a keg and drink it instead of water until it is gone. Ohhh the possibilities!
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois
4.05/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a moderately cloudy burnished amber color - its quite a bit darker than I would have expected. Thick 3-4 finger, pillowy tan head forms on the beer and then slowly recedes leaving just a thin layer of foam on top of the beer. The aroma on this is really interesting - I am getting some notes of grapefruit, dank citrus, apricots, and plums with a touch of brown sugar- but there is also a spicy character coming through the hops.
Taste follows the nose with notes of grapefruit, dank citrus, apricot and plum, even a bit of pine coming across the palate before giving way to a light spicy finish. There is a nice, rich bready malt backbone that underlies the hops. While a hoppy beer for sure, this is not just a "cold IPA" or something similar - the lager base has been crafted with care and it shines through the hops. The hops on the back end do provide a moderate bitterness with a slight spicy, grassy note on the finish. That noble hop ancestry is most apparent on the finish. Feel is moderate to medium bodied as it has a certain doughy/bready heft to it. Crisp, bright carbonation.
Overall another very nice beer from Goldfinger. I was a bit apprehensive of this as an IPL - but I will admit they've crafted a very nice beer here that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Jul 04, 2021Taste follows the nose with notes of grapefruit, dank citrus, apricot and plum, even a bit of pine coming across the palate before giving way to a light spicy finish. There is a nice, rich bready malt backbone that underlies the hops. While a hoppy beer for sure, this is not just a "cold IPA" or something similar - the lager base has been crafted with care and it shines through the hops. The hops on the back end do provide a moderate bitterness with a slight spicy, grassy note on the finish. That noble hop ancestry is most apparent on the finish. Feel is moderate to medium bodied as it has a certain doughy/bready heft to it. Crisp, bright carbonation.
Overall another very nice beer from Goldfinger. I was a bit apprehensive of this as an IPL - but I will admit they've crafted a very nice beer here that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Reviewed by michaelsmith11 from Illinois
4.09/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
My first trip to Goldfinger brewing and my first beer from them. They have a really nice setup. The beer I tried was a New Zealand Lager. They classify it as a Strong Lager. The New Zealand hops give it a nice citrusy peachy aroma. It still had a good crispness in the finish. I will definitely be back.
Aug 28, 2020
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