Brown Lager
Wild Goose Brewery, LLC

Brown LagerBrown Lager
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From:
Wild Goose Brewery, LLC
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
European Dark Lager
ABV:
4.3%
Score:
76
Avg:
3.12 | pDev: 17.95%
Reviews:
29
Ratings:
31
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 18, 2012
Added:
Aug 28, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4.5 by weezarc from Maryland

Oct 18, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Exiled from Texas

Dec 09, 2011
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.21/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

And the Leaving Falls Church uber-bender continues, people. This spoke pours a clear ruby brown topped by a finger or so of creamy ecru foam, not unlike that of a nitro-tapped Guinness. The nose comprises light coffee, light roasted malts, and a few handfuls o' fresh flowers. It's all kinda vague and diluted. The taste is mostly diluted roasted malts, with a touch of coffee and a background meander of orange-peel bitterness. The body is pretty light, with a light carbonation and a smooth, though watery, feel. Overall, a decent little bit o' brown lager, easy to drink, but not something I would necessarily reach for regularly.
Aug 27, 2010
Photo of Arithmeticus
Reviewed by Arithmeticus from Maryland

3.13/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: 2-finger head, dark caramel color
S: sweet caramel, brown sugary smell
T: sweet brown ale, a bit more metallic than warranted. Not a dominating taste, but more than a lawnmower.

Overall, not a great beer. Unfortunately, that's something of par for the course for this brewer.
Aug 03, 2010
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A dark coffee brown color with a modest, very light tan colored head and similar lacing. The aroma brings somewhat skunky, dank yeast and toasted wheat. Not very inviting but onward to the flavor which brings acrid leafy hop and charcoal burnt coffee. It's finely carbonated for a good tingle and it's thin, light bodied. It stays sharp and generally a little harsh and watery. There is a dry hoppy finish that bodes well but otherwise it's not much my kind of beer. Needs a little more constitution and something to balance the one-sided edge of this odd lager. Nothing I would want to session.
Jun 23, 2010
Photo of DAllspaw
Reviewed by DAllspaw from Indiana

3.16/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
poured from bottle a friend got in club. Fair head for brown lager which quickly diminished with a bit of lacing.

Certainly smell the malts mostly and bit of toffee. The taste is almost too carbonated for my liking, reminded me of the 1554 lager (or whatever they call it) from New Belgium. The carbonation just doesn't match the color, malt etc.

Nonetheless, a good session beer, just not overwhelming.
Apr 22, 2010
Photo of tone77
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark brown color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of hops and malts. Tastes like it smells, malts, a lot of hops for a lager, a bit nutty. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and has good drinkability. Overall this is a fine quality beer.
Apr 17, 2010
Photo of adamette
Reviewed by adamette from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Live review. Poured from the 12 oz. bottle that my brother bought as a part of a mix 12 pack (a "sampler" I suppose) which included 4 other beers from Wild Goose. Poured into my Cooperstown Beverage Trail pint glass.

A Dark brown body that glows a ruby red in front of direct light. Head is light brown but only brief, dissipates to a ring on the top of the beer. 3.5

S Medium to dark roast malt, nice, inviting smell. 4.0

T I am not online so I cannot see right now how this beer is classified but it sure tastes like a Brown Ale to me. I suppose that it is considered a lager based on how it is brewed but it reminds me a lot of many basic brown ales that I have had, nice medium roast malt, minimal hops. 4.0

M Medium in that it is watery but there is carbonation on the toungue which fills it up a bit. I wonder if that is thanks to the "lager" aspect of the beer (meaning that a Brown Ale may not have as much carbonation). 3.5

D Good, as a Brown Ale would be as well. 4.0

Notes: This is a solid beer from Wild Goose, interesting in that it is considered a lager but it really tastes like a basic Brown Ale (and a good one I think).
Sep 16, 2009
Photo of Clydesdale
Reviewed by Clydesdale from District of Columbia

3.45/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a deep, clear chestnut brown color, with a medium-sized frothy light brown head. Retention is decent. Some patchy lacing left.

S: Some nutty, brown sugary aromas are present. Lightly toasty, with some caramel. Hints of chocolate and a slightly plumlike note.

T: On the sweet side initially, with a notable caramel/brown sugar flavor. Reasonably nutty as well. Again, slight hints of chocolate and dark fruit. A rather nondescript vegetable bitterness into the finish.

M: Medium-bodied, with fairly tingly carbonation. A slightly mealy dryness into the finish.

D: This beer has some potential, and a few nice flavors. However, the vegetable notes and generally average character are weighing this one down. Drinkable and a solid dark lager, but not much beyond that.
Jul 18, 2009
Photo of williamherbert
Reviewed by williamherbert from New York

3.13/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
The appearance is a deep, dark red color. Glassy but a little murky. Head disappears fast, but leaves a light-brown film.

The smell is some crisp, lagery malt aromas. Also a brown-sugar smell as well. Has a nutty quality in the nose, although as it warms it turns a little musty. Average.

The taste is the combo of a sweet, brown sugary flavor, mixed with a crisp, slightly sweet lager malt. Very close to a British ale, as sugary as it is.

The feel is creamy and fizzy. Not a watery lager. Smooth on the way down. It's sugary, like a sweet, British beer. Average.
Jul 05, 2009
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Wild Goose Brown Lager pours a rich, dark mahogany body beneath a frothy head of tan foam that holds remarkably well and leaves torn-curtains of hole-punched lace about the glass.

The aroma expresses dark chocolate, cocoa, and a bit of coffee.

The flavor is not nearly as flavorful as the aroma suggests, but it does contain subtle notes of coffee and dark chocolate, as well as a bit of light caramel. Gently spicy and floral hops can be found in the background. (It's important to keep in mind that this is a lager. It's more like a Munich dunkel than a brown ale). There's a moderate bitterness to it - not much is needed to balance it as there's not much malt there - and it finishes short and dry.

It's medium-light in body, and smooth across the palate with a fine-bubbled, median carbonation.

Overall it's an easily accessible, and readily drinkable dark lager that's well-balanced and smooth. Beer aficionados will not be impressed, but it's certainly a step forward for mainstream drinkers.
Jul 02, 2009
Photo of Aenema
Reviewed by Aenema from Maryland

3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - Pours a dark, clear mahogany with a thin off-white head. No lacing.
Smell - Roasted malt. There isn't much to the nose, but it's fine.
Taste - Fairly muted flavor in comparison to the nose. Some roasted malt flavor and a toasty malt character. There is a slight bitter hop finish.
Mouthfeel - A watery, light mouthfeel with fine, medium-light carbonation.
Drinkability - Easily drinkable, not much to it though.
Jun 20, 2009
Photo of MVotter
Reviewed by MVotter from New York

3.78/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Aroma from the freshly opened bottle: clove, spices

Aroma after the pour: malts, spices, some bread smells

The Wild Goose Brown Lager pours into a chalice producing a healthy one-finger head, which is quickly absorbed by the drink, leaving a very slight layer of tan bubbles at the surface; little to no lacing.

The taste is fairly interesting, combining roasted malt and coffee notes, and a combination sweet/burnt caramel finish.

The mouthfeel is light to medium gravity ... plenty of carbonation.

At 4.3% abv, the Wild Goose Brown Lager is a very drinkable, lighter gravity coffee/malt brew ... nice for summer.
Jun 02, 2009
Photo of briman
Reviewed by briman from Texas

2.96/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Pours dark reddish brown, clear, with a large somewhat rocky tan head with retains very well.

Aroma has some malt, with mild caramel. No obvious hop aroma to speak of.

Flavor is fairly non-descript to start, settling into a faint almost roasted coffee like character. Hint of a hop flavor to balance, finishing slightly sweet with little to no bitterness.

Medium body at best, with moderate carbonation. Tough to judge this beer, since it really doesn't fit into any recognized style. It's very mild in both flavor and aroma, and I think the term non-descript fits this exceptionally well. Looks great, but really doesn't follow up with anything that would compel you to have another.
Jun 01, 2009
Photo of JimmieFrisbee
Reviewed by JimmieFrisbee from Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle received from a beer of the month club.

Pours a very clear brown, with almost ruby colored highlights showing throughout. Small tan head with small little bubbles.

Weakly smells of roasted malt. Definitely smells like something I'd enjoy.

Even though the smell what somewhat faint, the taste is even less noticeable. Tastes of darker malts and water. Just enough hop bitterness to balance any sweetness from the malt. It actually reminds me of an American-style altbier, of which I am a fan, only watered down.

Mouthfeel is slick, like water, with low but acceptable carbonation. It is drinkable in the sense that it is not off-putting, but not something I'd be clamoring for another.

Might be good in certain social situations or as a potential gateway beer, as it does have some flavor but certainly wouldn't overwhelm any outsiders and scare them away. I won't have a problem at all finishing the bottles I was given, but not something I could see myself buying if it were available and I had other choices.
May 05, 2009
Photo of tmoneyba
Reviewed by tmoneyba from Ohio

3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottle from Party Town, KY.

Poured clear dark brown color with an average frothy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate toasted sweet malty aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Medium balanced bittersweet flavor with medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration.

Worth trying agian.
Apr 06, 2009
Photo of brentk56
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

2.59/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: Pours a medium chocolate brown color with a modest tan head that fades pretty quickly but leaves a bit of a lacing pattern behind

Smell: Has an odd acrid, almost burnt smell; unpleasant

Taste: Brown bread and a bit of nuts, up front, with a bitter nut skin flavor developing by mid-palate; after the swallow, you can tell this is a lager because the grainy twang arrives

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Not particularly well-crafted; give this one a miss
Mar 29, 2009
Photo of SykDoc
Reviewed by SykDoc from Wisconsin

2.9/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. It pours a deep brownish red. A 2 inch light head from and dissipates to a full tan lacing. It is getting close to opaque with some carbonation visible.

The aroma was the best part of this beer to me. It has a nice level of hops and malt combined. There is a pleasant sweetness, backed up by a unique earthy/mossy component. Hops linger in the background.

The taste is a bit weak to me. It almost seems watered down. There is an up-front malty/fruity sweetness. The quickly changes to a yeasty/bread-like part and then a german hops bitterness at the finish, which is primarily overwhelmed by chocolatey malts.

The mouthfeel is again light. It is quite light and light bodied. There is a refreshing bitterness that lingers. The carbonation is a bit high given the flavor, but this is similar to other really light beers.

Overall, I think this is a drinkable beer although it is definitely on the light side. It is worth a try although there are many things that I would improve about this beer, some of which are actually personal preference and some of which are style related.
Mar 20, 2009
Photo of matty
Reviewed by matty from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark brown beer with a rapidly fading head.Aroma is faint coffee grinds.Taste is coffee and chocolate.The flavors are not very strong but it is easy drinking and goes down like water.Refreshing and perfect for a hot day.I would recommend and purchase again!!
Feb 20, 2009
Photo of NJpadreFan
Reviewed by NJpadreFan from New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Wild Goose- Brown Lager

A- Dark amber/ brown with a small light filmy head.
S- Light dry smokey chocolate with bits of brown sugar malt.
T- Light sweet brown sugar malt. Bits of semi sweet bakers chocolate and watery molasses.
M- Very light with a lighty sugared malt base. Dry cocoa finish.

Overall- Very watery light. Not much flavor, I would avoid in the future.
Jan 20, 2009
Brown Lager from Wild Goose Brewery, LLC
Beer rating: 76 out of 100 with 31 ratings