Summerfest Lager
Barley Creek Brewing Company

 

 

Date: June 28, 2015... Glassware: 22 oz. Pilsner... Occasion: lazy Sunday before Camp Summer number five begins... Appearance: golden orange -yellow body that releases large, sporadic bubbles from the growler...thick, soapy sudsy off-white head settles from two fingers to a cloudy, quarter-inch of a bubbly ring...Aroma: refreshing, slightly citric hints of orange and lemon; cereal and grainy malts make for alager that is not so bready as it is damp and earthy... Palate: lively, welcoming intensity, with a biting aftertaste that is equally refreshing in a lager; not as immediately refreshing as the summertime moniker would suggest, but I will give it time before I make a final judgement...Taste: hops are clear and punchy, with some aromatic herbal overtones; the malts are strong, pitched with some toasted elements and rounded enough not to be abrasive...again, not as summery as suggested, but flexible enough to be enjoyed during this anomaly of a June day (65 degrees!) or a warmer summer afternoon...Overall: a solid but unspectacular offering...I would love to--and probably could have, given the kindness of the bartender who poured my growler--line up their lagers and identify the nuances of each...for now, I will tout this offering as a serviceable beer to pass a Sunday with...FYI, the alcohol content according to their website is 5.6%....

 

 

 

On tap at the brewpub. Pours a clear copper with a thick white head. Aroma of sweet sorghum and sugary malt. Flavor of sweet malt (although not as sweet as the aroma). Very watery and pretty awful. I thought this sounded interesting, but I was wrong. Avoid if you can.

This beer came in a stupid white plastic cup due to the current festival. From what I could gather, it looked the color of a very pale cola that picked up a bit of green near the edges. The head was a small collar of off-white.

Smells of dry, under-ripe strawberries with a little hint of molasses behind it.

Tastes light with a slight dry coffee in a sour, doughy base with a light, earthy hop snap at the end.

The mouth feel was light and quickly dumps off it’s small carbonation leaving a flat beer in my mouth.

I thought this one was a little sour for the style, but it wasn’t without its charms.

Appearance: Typical lager color. Caramel brown in color with a frothy head on top.

Smell: The smell was a bit hard to find. It was not unpleasant just a very muted caramel malt aroma.

Taste: The taste was also a bit thin. It was grainy with a hint of sourdough bread in the finish. I can not say I really enjoyed the aftertaste but it was not bad either. I do think they use the same Bavarian lager yeast in this beer as they do in the Black Lager.
It seems to be a middle of the road lager. If you are used to drinking Yuengling Light, then you will enjoy this beer (IMO).

Mouthfeel: Light! Basically sums it up.

Drinkability: I found this to be an appropriate session beer for a festival if you were just looking for something to drink while playing games.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!