Trader José Dark Lager
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Trader José Dark LagerTrader José Dark Lager
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Trader Joe's Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Lager
Ranked #69
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
77
Ranked #27,194
Avg:
3.34 | pDev: 14.97%
Reviews:
115
Ratings:
232
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 05, 2023
Added:
Feb 06, 2008
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  29
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of scootny
Reviewed by scootny from New York

3.67/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A good looking brew. Dark brown with an off white head of good substance and retention. Nice lacing as well.

Nose has lots of coffee and fall roasted malt. Brown surgery sweetness. A hint of molasses

Lovely smooth malt front. Mild roast and coffee flavors. Brown bread and light brown sugar sweetness. Firm bitterness brings a crisp finish

Feel is medium light body. Crisp and refreshing with an underlying richness.

An excellent bargain. Delicious, smooth, and very crushable.
Sep 05, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by Samnem from Pennsylvania

Jul 06, 2023
Photo of AlfromPA
Reviewed by AlfromPA from Colorado

3.97/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
I'm a recent transplant from Philadelphia and the unavailability of Yuengling Traditional Lager has inspired my search for a cheap, fairly mellow and drinkable lager here in Denver. Trader Jose's comes close, though I think it's actually a little richer and sweeter than "Lager." But still quite drinkable, with a fine taste of dark roasted barley. Highly recommended.
Jun 04, 2023
Photo of BillDakelski
Reviewed by BillDakelski from Oklahoma

5/5  rDev +49.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Nearly identical to Modelo Negra. Wins by a slight in a blind test with Optimator, Maduro, KC, and Marshalls. Nice balance of robust deep taste and refreshing finish. Hands down over Shiner, Weihenstephaner, Celebrator, Breken, Paulaner.
Mar 11, 2023
 
Rated: 2 by AbeO

Mar 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4.09 by PaulMayer from Illinois

Oct 25, 2022
Photo of cyclonece09
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours deep red with a small white head. Smells of dark roasted grain. Tastes of dark roasted grain with slight fruit notes. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a good beer.
Oct 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.96 by Satsuma from Florida

Sep 17, 2022
Photo of beernerd1963
Reviewed by beernerd1963

5/5  rDev +49.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Tastes almost identical to Dos Ambar or Modelo Negra. Not perfect but gets a perfect score for being a high quality tasting, delicious dark lager for such a low price($6.50 for a sixer by me). I buy this regularly, whenever I’m craving a solid dark lager.
May 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by BabaBeer from California

Apr 21, 2022
 
Rated: 4.19 by travelguy from Ohio

Apr 08, 2022
 
Rated: 3.49 by Rollmeaway2loadout from Illinois

Mar 05, 2022
Photo of chitoryu12
Reviewed by chitoryu12 from Florida

4.06/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Dark amber. Three fingers of off-white head with decent retention.

Smell: Immediately noticeable bread while the bottle is still sitting on my desk. A deeper smell gives sweet, metallic, and slightly fruity notes.

Taste: Dark bread, mild roast bitterness, clean and biscuity finish.

Mouthfeel: Average body, very high carbonation.

Overall: A surprisingly nice dark lager for a low price.
Jan 07, 2022
 
Rated: 3.37 by Meddwol from Michigan

Dec 12, 2021
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.52/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
this is actually really good, to me a step better than the two pale ones, its not quite as cheap tasting, has a full malt flavor and structure, but still the capacity to refresh, which i think puts it on part with more well known examples of the style, and it works curiously well in fall, where a little more body and richness make good sense. its sweet all the way through but not overly so, its toasted and nutty and hearty, with vienna lager character, european grain profile to me, caramelized but not too dense, bready and autumnal, maybe a little bit of a malt extract thing to it, but the flavors work. i taste some lager yeast in here which i like too, and its relatively quick finishing for what it is. you cannot beat the price, and of the various trader joes beers, you can do a lot worse than this one. great with spicy food, pleasant for fireside sipping, i really dont have much to complain about. maybe part of it is that i dont generally expect too much from this style, so when the beer is even decent i am typically pleased. not sure where that perception evolved from, or how to break it, but this did the trick for me just fine!
Oct 31, 2021
Photo of secondtooth
Reviewed by secondtooth from Indiana

3.74/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
APPEARANCE: Pours a deep browny amber, with huge off-white head and little lace.

AROMA: Malty, with a hint of bittersweet cocoa and toffee. Nice.

TASTE: Sweetly malty, smooth and light bitterness at finish, with a little roast even. Decent and refreshing dark lager here. No problem.
Aug 25, 2021
Photo of Weisenbeer
Reviewed by Weisenbeer from Ohio

3.39/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
As "dark lagers" go this is pretty good but not great ... Very basic, but that is not necessarily a bad thing... Just a good thing...which is good...just not great
Mar 20, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

Mar 14, 2021
Photo of Roon56
Reviewed by Roon56 from California

1.61/5  rDev -51.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.25
Ugh..weird urine like smell..tastes like paper..Thin with almost no body,very watery..
Maybe this batch was old. Dumped the rest of the six pack in the garden..
Feb 11, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by AndrewFord666 from Illinois

Feb 05, 2021
Trader José Dark Lager from Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 232 ratings