MacTarnahan's Full Bloom Craft Lager - Portland Brewing Company

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.11/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Enjoy by 8/30/12. Didn't notice that until after the purchase.

Appearance: Very effervescent when poured but settles down quickly producing a pillowy white head atop a clear golden body.

Aroma: Some pilsen malt, a touch of sweetness and earth from the hops, and a bit of yeast.

Taste: Much more bland than I anticipated with some odd overripe fruit and metallic flavors. The intended flavor is decent, an airy malt bill with sweet hops. Not quite what I was expecting for the style but close enough. There is a hint of a graham cracker-like flavor but it is too watered down to add much flavor. 6.3% ABV seems a little high for the amount of flavor here. Sort of a smooth ale-like finish which is surprising. Refreshing but not crisp.

Mouthfeel: I may have poured it too aggressively because the body is basically tepid after pouring. Just under medium in body with average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: I'm always up for trying new beers and Full Bloom was the cheapest bomber in the craft section at $2.99. While not exactly great I guess you get what you pay for. If this had been fresh I'd imagine it would be much more crisp. Would I drink it again? Yes, if fresh.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 00:36:07 | More by JamesMN

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy light golden color with a huge bubbly white head that displays moderate retention and lace. Smells of light grains with a hint of honey sweetness, floral earthy hops with a touch of buttery soap? The flavor is sweet and malty with hints of butterscotch and a really unbalanced earthy spicy citric hop bite. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet almost tart mouthfeel. I wanted to like this but I just didn't. A sweet unattenuated brew with a hop bill that doesn't mesh at all with the beer style.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 03:02:26 | More by johnnnniee

buschbeer

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

650ml bottle
Served in a pilsner glass

A - This beer is straw colored with a decent amount of carbonation rising from the etching at the bottom of the glass. It is topped with a couple inches of white head.

S - I get some floral hops and biscuit.

T - The taste follows the aroma. I get a solid bread malt base and a flowery taste. It reminds me of hibiscus or roses.

M - Moderate with lower than expected carbonation.

O - I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I didn't expect much. I enjoyed the flowery aspects of this beer, and the bready malt added a nice balance. It goes down really well on a hot day like today.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 22:49:51 | More by buschbeer

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.61/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours a golden straw color, decent sized fizzy head that fades fast, only small bits of spotty lacing on the glass.

Smell has a very grassy aroma, some light lemon zest to the nose as well, very floral.

Taste starts out with a mild sweet malt backing, the grassy floral hops provide a nice bittering balance, carbonation is very high and the body is thin especially considering the strength of this Pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 00:17:02 | More by deltatauhobbit

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a decent looking fizzy bubbly 2 finger head that retains well, lots of bubbles rising from the etch at the bottom, very clear bright golden tan yellow colored beer.

Nose actually presents a nice lager aroma, like pure lager. Nice soft straw and crisp lager aromas, juicy almost with the nice toasty malt. Hint of fruitiness from the yeast as well as, with some nice soft floral grassy style, almost noble but not quite, hops.

Taste starts light and crisp, not not light on flavor. Big toasty straw out front, with a nice full toasty malt, juicy malt, but still crisp. An almost biscuit but not quite, with juicy lager flavors, light and refreshing. Hops again tickle with light floral grassy, but get slightly spicy as it goes, with a light overall bitterness that balances well to the semi sweet nice malty flavors, and crisp lager flavors. The softness lends to a nice smooth finish that is crisp and clean, fairly dry, with a bit more slightly spicy hops, light toasty straw malts still as well.

Mouth is med to lighter bodied, nice fluffy carbonation.

Overall I'm a little impressed. By the label, and not knowing the brewery too well, adn on top of that knowing most breweries make a poor lager, this was nice. Good straw toasty malts, semi sweet, with nice lager crispness, juicy, and the right balance of floral grassy hops. Still not a knock your socks off kinda beer, but good.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:20:26 | More by jlindros

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, golden yellow color with a one-finger, white head of bubbly foam. It left thin sheets of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of grains, caramel and floral notes.

T - It tasted of sweet caramel and grains. Nice subtle bitterness adds good balance to the beer.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied lager with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a really tasty lager. At $1.99 for a bomber at Zipp's in Minneapolis it's a steal.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 03:42:31 | More by zeff80

GilGarp

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber served cold into a pint glass.

Full Bloom is a very pale golden yellow with thick white head. Is settles fairly quickly but leaves some nice spotty lacing.

Aroma is mild but nicely hopped for a pilsner. Not on the level of an imperial but somewhere in between traditional and double.

Flavor is nicely balanced but more bitter than sweet. Slightly herbal and spicy with a dry crisp finish.

Mouthfeel is light in body and balanced. Carbonation seems a little too high but isn't totally out of style.

Overall a good extra pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:51:34 | More by GilGarp

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Good starting head, leaves good chunks of lace. Crystal clear broth with a straw color.

Clean, fresh aroma of fresh malt and floral hop.

Refreshing clean flavor that starts with pale malt. Very soft taste like the best pilsner. There's balancing hop that is closer to flowers than bitter pepper. Excellent body for the style--quite full bodied with appropriate carbonation.

This is one of the superior pilsners I've ever had--beautiful smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 22:27:27 | More by smcolw

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.9/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up tonight at the Meridian Brewforia.. Paid a pricey (for a pilsner) $6, but I am a sucker for lagers. Poured into my slim tulip.. The brew is clear straw golden.. great rocky white head... good retention and lacing.

Pale malts and a traditional hoppiness in the aromas... The nose is good, but it is lacking some malty complexities.. though it is good for sure.

Flavor is pale malts and a soft bitterness that melts into a mildly spicy hoppiness... clean and nicely balanced..

body is about right, but the carbonation seems a touch light.. but what do I know?

This is a very nice brew.... expensive, but nice. It would be a goto for me if it was in 6'ers and more moderately priced... Very drinkable.. and has the pils style nailed down tight.

4/3.5/4/4/4

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 05:14:35 | More by JohnGalt1

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours crystal clear dark gold. Head is bright white. Head retains very well. Minute lacing patches. Looks quite nice. The body glows.

S-The nose is totally Pilsner, but it is much more aromatic than most of the style. Aroma just shoots out of both the bottle and glass. No skunkiness. Fresh white bread and herbal hops. Dusty yeast. Damp cellar. Pretty nice, definitely memorable.

T-The flavor is also quite tasty. The beginning of the flavor experience is outdone by the finish. At first I was unimpressed. It starts sweet with honey and yeast and caramel. Then the flavor comes into "Full Bloom" when a wave of floral and grassy hops pinches my taste buds. Notes of honeysuckle too.

M-A fuller bodied lager. The booze shows up a tiny bit. Pretty high ABV for a Pils. Not super clean or crisp, but the body and flavors make up for it. Subtle carbonation. Mild bitterness.

O/D-For $1.99 a bomber, the value is ridiculous. Also, it's a pretty damn good brew on its own. Value and flavor are a beauteous combo. It's not gonna blow your knickers off, but it is super-cheap and pretty yummy.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:01:23 | More by VelvetExtract

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.03/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a tumbler pint, the beer is a bright, vibrant, crystal clear, goldenrod coloring with a thin, sparse, filmy coating on the surface. Aromas of roasted grains, honey, and light herbed spicing. Flavors are more spiced, with lemon grass, fiddlehead, and some jasmine. Sharper flavors are accented by the carbonated, light body. The aftertaste is fairly clean, with a touch of floral highlights and an overall roasted quality. Slick, slightly filmy finish. Tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 23:21:38 | More by GarthDanielson

smakawhat

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a Pokal glass.

A real fluffy white head, some retention but not so much. Body color is a real nice brassy light orange. Crystal clear with some rising carbonation, most of it cola sized bubbles.

Simple bouquet. Light malts, a little bit of bread dough, faint grass hop. Doesn't seem particularly like a crisp lager is coming.

Palate hits with lots of carbonation, and hop grass like gas. Light malts hit with a big crisp body, but excessive prickly feel and quinine tonic sense seems to get in the way. Herbal finish, but also as mentioned gassy. Warmth brings out more malt backbone with some honey sense too.

Overall still pretty drinkable, it gets better as it warms up strangely.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 22:53:11 | More by smakawhat

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - bright golden yellow with a thin white head

S - herbal, grassy hops with some faint cereal grains

T - herbal, faint grass, cereal grains, just a little spicy

M - medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

Not a bad pilsner. It's definitely hoppy and refreshing. I'm not sure I'd pick up another bomber of this but if it was sold in six packs I may pick one up from time to time.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 13:04:03 | More by tdm168

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.43/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 ounce bottle - $5.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a bright yellow body just a teensy bit of haziness to it. Medium-sized, foaming, white head. It collapses, but leaves some lacing as it goes.

Smell: Sweetish and spicy with lowly grainy pils malts and grassy, spicy-minded American hops.

Taste: Gentle pils malt introduction with a little bit of sweetness and faint, faint hint of honey. Grassy, spicy hops (with a light floral tone) with sufficient bitterness to knock out that initial sweetness. Drying, near-crisp finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: A fairly clean, tasty lager.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 23:16:59 | More by ChainGangGuy

Kendo

New York

3.53/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from the bomber into a pilsner glass. Body is golden-yellow with a small white head. Some splotchy lace.

S: Cereal grains and florally hops.

T: Like a fairly generic pilsner: cereal grains and straw up front, florally hops with a touch of grassiness at the finish. Slight sweetness underneath that detracts from the crispness I like in a pilsner.

M: A wee bit slick for the style; light-to-medium in heft. Carbonation is modest.

O: OK. Nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 00:15:33 | More by Kendo

viverlee

Ohio

2.73/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Spotted this one at the supermarket. Will admit that the logo was the purchasing impetus, a neat flower ditty in what otherwise appears to be an English football kit. I might have been had.

STYLE: Czech Pilsner

ABV: 6.3%

LOOK: Flimsy pencil with a tornado of carbonation settling under a pretty decent, milky head. Definitely a stark contrast between the top half-finger and the rest of my full but not really full tulip.

NOSE: Garbanzo beans, dry towel, oats. Light spice, maybe white pepper, deep in the recesses. More flower stems than floral.

MOUTH: It won't satisfy any craving, you have to get past the too-bitter head to taste what's there. Light oats, soft pepper, generic flowers, empty fog. Despite that, it borders on refreshing and the finish is rather subtle and nice, a fleck of malty sweetness. I'm somewhat unsurprised to find a certain Northeast ownership lurking in the background. Magic Hat Marketing 2, Hayward Abbey 0.

Beeradvocate Rating: Not Available

Hayward Abbey Rating: 75

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 23:56:02 | More by viverlee

Jason

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz brown bomber with no freshness date.

A: Good clarity, sudsy ... very sudsy. Bright golden color.

S: Faint herbal, floral and fruity hop with some bread grain as well. Pretty clean nose.

T&M: Just enough crispness, very smooth with a bigger body than expected but still is very refreshing. Grassy malt backbone, slightly biscuity with a pulling bitterness from the hops ... herbal and spicy. A bit of warmth from the alcohol, clean. Hops and malt play well in the semi-dry finish.

O: Clean enough to get by, the rustic edge is inviting and my palate begs for another gulp. Seasonal ... ok, but they should keep thing one going year-round even if it was draft-only. Damn good.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 02:10:13 | More by Jason

madtappers

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at the MacTarnahan's tap room, poured into a tulip glass.

Clear golden color as expected from a lage beer.

Scent was more of a calssic german or czech pils rather than a lager as it stated to be. Lots of saaz hops I believe.

Very drinkable beer; very refreshing taste and neither the hops or malt are overpowering. Great summer BBQ beer. Not going to be a front runner for beer of the year however.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 17:21:16 | More by madtappers