Kräusen
Art History Brewing

Chill fogged pale gold with a tight white foam head of moderate height.

Tangy white grape skin and a hint of filmy corn meet grape nuts and a faint grassiness before a semi-dry finish brings out a touch of almond.

Refreshing.

My favorite beer. Drinkable lager with this light sweetness on the end that makes it addictive. Never had anything like it.

Poured from a 16oz can into a SP Willi Becher pint glass. Pours a bubbly straw golden with almost three fingers of fluffy white foam head. Nothing exceptional nor offensive about the nose. Light bready malts and lager yeast. Taste follows. It’s clean and drinkable with a full and crisp mouthfeel. Solid lager.

This is how I remember Old Style tasting back in the 1970s. It’s crisp and clean with so much flavor. It’s a macro lager with nothing in common with the macro lagers of today. This tastes like a time warp to when lagers were distinct to each brewery instead of the modern convergence towards the same bottom line. I can definitely pick this beer out of a lineup. Amazing lager.

Pours a crystal clear straw color with a sudsy white head that dissipates fairly quickly. Beautiful AAL.

The nose features herbal notes, a hint of mint (thanks Akoya hops), some grass, and the corn referenced on the can.

The taste mirrors the nose exactly, with the herbal notes and corn most delicious. The crisp, clean finish is perfect for this fantastic AAL.

 

CAN:

C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE

Pours very pale gold with not much of a head or lacing. Not much of an aroma, but what is there is pretty much corn and other cereal notes. Taste is pleasant if a bit weak. More cereal notes here, and the slightest hop presence. Mouthfeel is fine with an appropriate amount of carbonation, though a slight bit thin. A decent enough beer that seems to be an improved or higher end interpretation of a typical American adjunct lager.

16oc can dated 8/28/24 and poured into a pint glass shows a clear, yellow-gold body with active bubbles rising to form a ghostly island of wispy bubbles and an edge ring. Spotted lacing falls back to the edge.

Aroma evokes memories of beer, pre-craft era, beer. Good times.

The flavors kick those memories in the gut and make me wish this existed then, although I couldn't have afforded it then. Oh so much like beer, really fresh beer, made for more than mere intoxication. Delightful appreciation for actual beer.

Overall This is right.

16 oz can into a pint glass.

A: Crystal clear slightly pale golden color with a large rocky white head.

S: Pilsner malt and herbal hops.

T: Grainy malt sweetness is nicely complemented by herbal/medicinal hop bitterness that lingers into the aftertaste.

F: Crisp and super smooth. Even considering the style, this is one of the smoothest, easiest-drinking brews I've ever had.

O: One of if not the best AALs out there.

16 oz can canned 5/15/24 into a Pokal.
L: SRM 3.5 Pours clear light gold with a medium-thin white head that recedes to thick edge foam, very lush steady carbo bubbles, light lacing.
S: Pungent malted cereal grains, a hint of fruit, distant apple & honey.
T: Lightly sweet malts, soft subtle apple, a hint of white grape, background lingering corn. It is very gently pale without much aftertaste.
F: Brisk then smooth light-bodied medium-soft feel with a short and lightly drying finish. It has a round feel.
O: One of the finer AALs I've had. Delicious and has class unto itself. Hailing more brewers to follow this example as it is outstanding in its style.

 

 

Krausen is so enjoyable, it is hard to believe it is an AAL. But it clearly is. Its subtlety, particularly how the corn stands by itself with the barley, boosts Krausen to high levels in the style.

As for Looks, I rarely notice a lager this pristine and clear. While Smells are less inviting, the balance in the Taste is exceptional. Totally clean. The krausening creates a medium-mouth with gentle bubbles. I started this copy with lunch and wish I had another at dinner. Even mediocre food likes this lager.

Art History continues to impress me, a Belgo-phile fruity ale guy. I see that they opened the Geneva Lager Works as a production site last year. It will be interesting to see how that influences and procreates the lager micro-revolution that is emerging here in Chicagoland.

 

 

Golden tone, bright clarity, billowing head that leaves flecks of lacing all around the edges of the glass. Aromas of lager yeast and crackery malt.

Mellow and supple, round feel. Malt forward, crackery, mildly nutty. Easy drinking, effortlessly smooth. Anyone not rating to style is just putting on airs, this blows away all other AAL’s easily.

Thanks to Tim for the later draught at the Great Taste.
American Adjunct Lager #83

Wonderfully quenching light lager. Excellent for warmer weather outdoor drinking and bbq’s.

 

So, I'll admit -- this one fooled me on the shelf again. I see Art History and I think good traditional lagers. I see Kräusen and I think traditional German brewing (Urban Chestnut Zwickel, not Old Style). I completely forgot the discussion in the GL Forum about just what this newer beer was all about. Nevertheless...

Canned 03-06-24, notes written 04-15-24. Poured into a short, wide mug.

L -- Clear, pale gold with a finely-bubbled white head that settles to a thin cap. Spunded natural carbonation, according to the ink-jetting on the can's bottom.

S -- Herbal hops with mild cereal grain and a touch of DMS and sulfur.

T -- Cereal graininess up front with a balance of lightly bitter, herbal hops. Light corn and a touch of breadiness back. Finish and aftertaste are lightly bitter herbal hops and mild corn adjunct character.

F -- Mouthfeel is soft to lightly crisp with a light body.

O -- As advertised as an AAL, I guess. With a touch of sophistication in that there is no harshness from a very grainy malt bill and the hop character is more recognizable than usual per-style.

I guess the question is, with so many AALs available, why a "craft" version? AH makes great, traditional lagers that far outshine this one -- and I'll reach for them before the terminology fools me again.