Today I'm checking out Beau's All Natural Brewing's Hopfenlager, also known as an India Pale Lager. Hopfenlagers/IPLs have been only a recent trend in the beer industry for only the past five years or so - the first one I recall trying was an IPL by Sam Adams, which at the time was still when the bitter IPA craze was only increasingly becoming popular, so Keith's was still considered an IPA.
Notes from Beau's: In Hopfenlager, the clean, crisp backdrop of a lager sets the stage perfectly for allowing the herbal and light peppery spice characteristics of Alsatian Barbe Rouge and Mistral hops to truly shine. A perfect choice for the lager-lover who just can’t get enough hops.
Appearance: This isn't your father's lager - this one is a bit heavier and cloudier than your classic crisp every day lagers that are available everywhere from the beer store to BBQ joints to hockey rinks. This one is hazy, a dark golden colour for body. There's a moderate amount of micro-carbonation in the body but not as hefty as a Bud Light. The beer has a good amount of white head to start, only to diminish and leave behind a half finger's worth of head and a good amount of lacing on the glass.
Aroma: The hop profile is the first thing I notice every time I try this beer - it's a mildly bitter hop presence with notes of pine with a decent medley of tropical hops that give it a current year kind of vibe to it. There's a light amount of lemon, a bit of pineapple, and a hint of lime. There's a good amount of a grassy presence as well for hoppiness. Going to the grain profile - it's light, crisp, slight grainy, and a smidge of caramel at the end.
Taste: The tropical hop presence that I got in the aroma start off the tasting this time around - it's lightly sweet and tropical with pineapple, lime and lemon.. and perhaps a hint of orange peel. There's a light amount of caramel maltiness in there. So for the most part.. this isn't really reminding me of a lager. Well, once I get past those notes, the notes of lager start to pop out, yet lightly - there's a light cereal taste that gives off a crisp, light, slightly grainy flavour to it with a hint of pepper, light but satisfying.
Overall Thoughts: If I gave this to my mom, she'd cringe in disgust for the fact that it has a good amount of hop presence to it, whether it's piney and bitter or sweet and tropical, she'd flat out say that this isn't a lager. Well not, this is an India Pale Lager. IPLs didn't take off as much as I expected in 2013-15, but it's good to see the style still being experimented by breweries. This is an easy to drink beer with a good amount of piney and tropical presence to it, making it perfect for the hot summer. This combined with the light crisp notes from the lager side of things would've made this a beer I should've brought with me to savour by the last bonfire of the year... I almost did too! The crisp, grainy notes of your typical lager pop up as an afterthought, but there's definitely a noticeable spice profile that I've also seen in recent pilsners/craft lagers. If you're a lager fan and expect a Bud Light.. you won't like this.. buuuuut if you like that new Bud Light Orange, this might be up your alley? I definitely recommend this to those who want something to beat the heat, a bit of a tropical hopped beer... even though I'm reviewing this right when pumpkin spice season is only hours away. 🤮
Aroma: The hop profile is the first thing I notice every time I try this beer - it's a mildly bitter hop presence with notes of pine with a decent medley of tropical hops that give it a current year kind of vibe to it. There's a light amount of lemon, a bit of pineapple, and a hint of lime. There's a good amount of a grassy presence as well for hoppiness. Going to the grain profile - it's light, crisp, slight grainy, and a smidge of caramel at the end.
Taste: The tropical hop presence that I got in the aroma start off the tasting this time around - it's lightly sweet and tropical with pineapple, lime and lemon.. and perhaps a hint of orange peel. There's a light amount of caramel maltiness in there. So for the most part.. this isn't really reminding me of a lager. Well, once I get past those notes, the notes of lager start to pop out, yet lightly - there's a light cereal taste that gives off a crisp, light, slightly grainy flavour to it with a hint of pepper, light but satisfying.
Overall Thoughts: If I gave this to my mom, she'd cringe in disgust for the fact that it has a good amount of hop presence to it, whether it's piney and bitter or sweet and tropical, she'd flat out say that this isn't a lager. Well not, this is an India Pale Lager. IPLs didn't take off as much as I expected in 2013-15, but it's good to see the style still being experimented by breweries. This is an easy to drink beer with a good amount of piney and tropical presence to it, making it perfect for the hot summer. This combined with the light crisp notes from the lager side of things would've made this a beer I should've brought with me to savour by the last bonfire of the year... I almost did too! The crisp, grainy notes of your typical lager pop up as an afterthought, but there's definitely a noticeable spice profile that I've also seen in recent pilsners/craft lagers. If you're a lager fan and expect a Bud Light.. you won't like this.. buuuuut if you like that new Bud Light Orange, this might be up your alley? I definitely recommend this to those who want something to beat the heat, a bit of a tropical hopped beer... even though I'm reviewing this right when pumpkin spice season is only hours away. 🤮
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