David Brockington's Tasting Notebook

Blue Ridge Amber Lager

Initial Impressions:

This is the second Blue Ridge product that I managed to sample before the bottle exceeded its "best by" date. The Porter was a disaster. Indeed, I could not finish it. My expectations for the Amber Lager, sampled after the Porter that same evening, were thus limited.

As I have stated, I review a beer against its self-described style. As this beer claims to be an Amber Lager, I will consider it in the tradition of Vienna lagers. A lager ought to be crisp, meaning that the primary flavor constituents (malt and hops) ought to be highlighted without intrusion from fermentation byproducts such as diacetyl, phenolics, or esters. Furthermore, like any beer, it ought to be clean -- free of procedural flaw and infection.

The Amber Lager appeared a hazy, opaque amber in my Blue Ridge glass. A limited white head displayed decent retention.

Nose:

The first thing noted in the nose was a strong sulphur note. This was followed by the usual malt and hop aromas. Finally, a hint of oxidation was apparent.

Flavor:

The flavor profile of this beer was uni-dimensional. A seemingly underattenuated sickly-sweet flavor overwhelmed the palate. A chalky finish halted the unsavory flavor.

Final Analysis:

Bad. Simply bad. The only positive note that I can mention about the Blue Ridge Amber Lager is that it was not obviously infected. Unfortunately, the Porter was. Unlike the Porter, however, the Amber Lager lacks a strong foundation on which to build. I can see the Porter, on a good day, being a decent example of the style; the Amber Lager has no redeeming qualities. The sickly-sweet flavor profile prevented a consideration of its lager qualities -- there was no basis for measuring its lager-crispness.

Rating: *

(5-star scale)

Next Up:

Saxer Liberator Doppelbock
Oasis Nileator Doppelbock
Star IPA
Wharf Rat Blackfriar Stout
Copyright 1995 by David Brockington, all rights reserved.
Seattle

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