Pioneer American Lager
Connecticut Valley Brewing

Tap at the brewery/pub.

Light creamy head as the pint glass is filled to the brim, nice bubbles rising to the top, crystal clear golden pilsner color.

Nose nice toasty pilsner malts start, hint if straw and hay like malt aromas, crisp lager with a hint of a sweet malt and very light creamy lager fruit.

Taste starts crisp, a nice lager almost pilsner like feel, hints of lager fruit and creaminess, then layers of malts that hint at decoction but not quite layered or soft enough, with toasty almost bready pilsner malts, hint straw and soft hay like, light sweetness, and hint of yeast breadiness. Very light grassy hops cut in with the faintest hint of hops, probably the only thing I would have liked to change (adding more imo). Finish is somewhat crisp with more lager softness, hint if toasty malts and hay lingering but otherwise pretty clean.

Mouth is a bit lighter bodied but good, decent carb.

Overall pretty nice, fairly pilsner like but not quite, nice malts overall and good lager characters, no off flavors, clean crisp and very drinkable. My only qualm is the lack of hops which could have used a bit of beefing up imo.

Screw-top growler bought from the cooler at the brewery's Stein Hall.

First stein (old Pioneer #42, circa 2008) pours with a 1" eggshell head, over the clear golden amber brew. Thick head holds on well, with tons of frothy sticky lace. Aroma is lightly sweet, with some floral hops character.

Taste starts sweet, a breadiness in the middle with a touch of citrus, and closes crisply with light bitterness. Mouthfeel is so soft and smooth, and drinkability is superb. Not sure if it's the situation, ie after a busy day of outside work, but DAMN is this going down quick and easy.