James Boag's Premium Lager - J. Boag & Son Brewing

Weizenmensch

Japan

4.6/5  rDev +48.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is Australia's best lager, because it's flavoursome, refreshing, and a good session beer that everyone likes. It looks good, light gold (Beck's colour), has good head retention, it's very well carbonated (but not too much) and has different flavours in different areas of the mouth, most notably the aforesaid fruity flavours which only occur in the rear corners around the tongue. It's somewhat overpriced but is better than the other readily-available Australian and imported premium lagers: Heineken, Beck's, Nastro Azzurro, and is far better than Cascade and Hahn premium. It's not the best Australian beer, as certain Cooper's and Redback are superior, but it's definitely a reliable beer from a reliable brewery. It's got a nice picture on the label too - the one in the photo is wrong - that's now the label for Cascade premium.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2004 13:09:13 | More by Weizenmensch

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.38/5  rDev +41.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a light effervescent straw color with 4+ fingers of creamy white head. Insane head retention & lacing

S: Lemon & soapy hops

T: Light floral hops with some lemon hops up front as well. A little breadyness, cracker & peppery hops come through as this warms. Finishes with a hop flourish; grassy, lemony & juicy, a little fruityness & loads of crsipness

MF: Light/medium bodied with a nice sprtizyness & great balance

Drinks very easy, this easily one of the best euro lager's & aussie beers I've had. Only thing better? Fresh coopers ale IMO

This well exceeded my expectations

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2007 20:30:37 | More by russpowell

BeerLover48Fan

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +41.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

James Boag's Premium Lager pours a light, clear honey amber from a 12.68 fl oz green glass bottle with a twist off cap. Head went to well over two fingers before settling down to a broken cap with a full ring and islands of foam. Lacing is ample and clinging.

Nose is of damp carbon dioxide, light corn and a very slight whiffs of green grass. I want to say there are traces of gypsum in the water, but I'm just not sure. There is this Artisan well water taste not unlike Rolling Rock. Palate is light malt with some hops bittering and very crisp carbonation.

When your looking for a cold one and have a few of these in the frig, more than likely you'll be grabbing one of these from the "Land Down Under".

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 19:26:26 | More by BeerLover48Fan

rowey77

Australia

4.2/5  rDev +35.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Appearance - This is a light and crystal clear yellow in color with a modest but clinging head.

Smell - There's a nice, easy grain aroma here that gets messed up just a little bit by some unnaturally-smelling sweetness.

Taste - The light, crisp malt is a pleasure but that sweet character is also present at the taste, maybe even a bit bigger.

Mouthfeel - This is light and crisp in the mouth and very refreshing. The carbonation rightly tickles the cheeks.

Drinkability - This is a very refreshing lager that's more American than Euro.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 23:32:24 | More by rowey77

ILJAY

Australia

4.1/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

What can I cay, I like it. I understand that it may not be as robust or intricate to the palate as a nice ale, but this is an Australian beer and should be viewed as such.

The hot Australian climate makes refreshing beer the most desirable and Boags is just the beer. It pours nicely, it is clear, crisp and has a nice hop aroma. It is very easy to drink and yes, it is very refreshing. Great one to get home to on a +35C (95F) day.

My only problem with this beer is its high price.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2003 05:35:08 | More by ILJAY

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a short strange)

A- This beer pours a golden-yellow crystal clear body with a strong carbonation of bubbles supporting a snow white head that last for a good bit.

S- The fresh aroma of pale malt was very clean with a light dry green hop finish.

T- The flavor of clean pale malt was smooth and gave way to a soft sweet sulfury flavor right before the herbal hops at the finish.

M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a tight fizz that enhances the hops just a bit in the finish.

D- This reminds me of a good Kolsch beer with the slight sweet sulfur note that enhances the hops but is not over the top. The full lagered malt flavors are great and it really is a nice lager with good depth and character. 4

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2009 16:53:06 | More by rhoadsrage

scruffwhor

Illinois

4/5  rDev +29%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Pours a clear yellow with very small bubbles that be seen only at the top of the beer. Light head only a half finger big with no retention. PLenty of grass, adjncts in the nose. Good and dry adjuncts though. The taste is a little tart almost, but I guess thats just the dryness of the light hopping and sanguine malts. Very refreshing, maybe dryer than I previously thought. Great session beer if I'm n Tasmania. I liked this lager.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2006 17:42:43 | More by scruffwhor

scarletfire79

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +29%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

new at my local market, thought i'd give it a shot. pours nice and golden, some have compared to a beck's kind of color, i would agree. the nose seems very two dimensional, there's the soapy kind of smell and the slight lemon citrus notes. great lacing and real solid head. nice bubbles as well. overall really nice, overpriced i think but decent. not something i would go to tasmania for but not bad for right down the street, much better than some euros i've tried.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2008 18:05:29 | More by scarletfire79

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.95/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

James Boag’s Premium Lager has a thin, white head, somewhat of a lacing sheen left on the glass, a hazy, yellow-golden appearance, streaming bubbles, and some suspended brown particles visible throughout. The aroma is of pungent, sweet barley malt, sugar, and white bread. Flavor is of sweet, bold malt, white bread, a shadow of paper, and a nice balancing hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium, and James Boag’s Premium Lager finishes semi-dry, refreshing, and supremely drinkable. Overall, this is another very good beer. Buy it, and try it!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 16:53:51 | More by RonaldTheriot

tugdriver7

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've been waiting two years to see this in the US and I finally found it at my local store. It was almost worth the wait. Smooth, crisp taste with just the right balance of hops and malt; and a decent mouthfeel. A bit pricey, but one of the few imports (outside some of the Germans) that I feel worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2005 22:18:17 | More by tugdriver7

DogFood11

California

3.9/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Impressive looking lager. Poured into a pils glass it forms a meaty frothy white head that leaves a thick cover of lace all the way down. Its a golden yellow body with champagne like carbonation of all sizes.

Soft pale malts are the first and last thing to hit the palate. Inbetween is a very subtle mix of grain notes and a slight hop backside to even it out. As it warmed it showed a bit more of a bready malt bill.

Notes: This is one of the better euro pale lagers I've had to date. Very clean and refreshing without anything annoying or out of balance. I'd put this up with budweiser as far as being clean crisp and refreshing. I haven't had this enough to know how consistent it is but this six pack was outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2007 00:26:11 | More by DogFood11

PorterLambic

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pale yellow with a good white head that drops fairly quickly.
Smell is hops, malt, with hints of citrus & apple. Good balance.
Taste is hops, malt, citrus, apple (very faint) good balance.
Medium body & effervescence, fairly smooth. I'm not a lager fan but this was quite good and I would certainly drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2008 11:11:24 | More by PorterLambic

SargeC

Japan

3.88/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear, pale gold with a foamy white head.

Smell: Good hop presence with malt undertones.

Taste: Good hop bite that transitions to a smooth malt flavor. Clean.

Mouthfeel: Light-medium body. Heavy carbonation adds to fullness.

Drinkability: Tasty brew. Smooth, refreshing and satisfying.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2007 21:55:53 | More by SargeC

budgood1

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours out of the green 375ML bottle an ever so hazed pure gold colour with a thin white head supported by ample carbonation. very thin wisps of lace. grainy, grassy euro inspired aroma. hints of honey and lemon. taste follows suit by gathering most of it flavour from rough grainy notes to grassy, herbal hop touches. it has a honey like sweetness and a herbal finish. tastes pretty nice. the overal body seems about right for a heartier euro like lager, and the mouthfeel is smooth and well received. it drinks really nice for a style that might not travel well in a green bottle...although the packaging protects it a bit from any unwanted exposure to light. i didn't get any out of place skunkiness either. drinkability is good...definitely more flavourful in nature than standard domestic lagers and maybe heftier in feel to euro counterparts.

i liked this offering and would recommend trying. i would love to have this fresh on tap for comparison.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 22:13:57 | More by budgood1

BeerSingh

India

3.88/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A : Clear and golden with a frothy head. A lot of activity from the base towards the head is noticeable. This beer is dancing as soon as its out.

S : The basic malt & hops lager smell. The breadiness hints of some yeast.

T : Smooth malt flavour with a decent hop bite. For a lager, i would say the concentration of flavour is above average - its not watered down at all, as are macros usually

M : Medium bodied with an over the top carbonation. The zing makes you wanna think twice before taking the next swig, till the time you realize that its a good foil for the smooth, malty taste.

D : Very tasty and refreshing beer. If I were in Australia, this would definitely be my session beer

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2009 09:03:44 | More by BeerSingh

hdofu

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer was Light in color, having a small white head. The taste was citrusy and hoppy. Smelled hoppy like you would expect beer too. Had a crisp smooth mouthfeel medium in body. It was really drinkable. Drank a bottle at outback with my king crab legs.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 01:48:14 | More by hdofu

acrawf6

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours out a clear rich straw with a white head.

Smell. small citrus, but a dry maltiness is what i get most.

Taste. Crisp with some lemon tartness. malts have just a touch of roastedness to it. Aftertaste is a touch warming.

Mouthfeel. body seems full, especially for the style. Nice amount of carbonation. Really fills my mouth nicely.

Overall, a nice and refreshing beer. Reminds more of a czech pilsener. A fine lager that is full of flavor and body, yet still maintains the crisp and refreshing characteristics you would want.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2007 22:21:32 | More by acrawf6

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single, 12.7 oz bottle just purchased from Gary's in Madison...
Pours a clear, clean, lucid, copper hue with a minimal head that deposited a thin film of lacing...
Smell: Very raw, earthy, grainy aroma... Strong and assertive...
Taste: Enticing flavor, crisp, refreshing, with a pepperish bite and an earthy taste... For a Euro Pale Lager, the taste was certainly complex, more so than the average sample...
Decent level of drinkability to match...
Worth a shot...

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2008 22:48:35 | More by dsa7783

RAdragna

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted this beer a few times while dining at a nearby Outback.

A: Pours a golden body with a slight head.

S: Not much to say in terms of smell. Just average.

T: This makes up for the lack of smell. Not too much in hops, but it's got a nice honey touch to it.

F: Fresh, goes down smooth.

D: Would recommend it if you ever go out to Outback as an alternative to Fosters.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2010 03:33:51 | More by RAdragna

vancurly

Australia

3.73/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I think BEERchitect got dudded....try it again some time mate. The moment you smell skunk, chuck it and find another. That's green bottles for you...
Anyway... it's good to compare this with its main competitor from Tassie...Cascade Premium. Both aiming for same market space...similar price, similar style...
A few years back, most Aussie restaurants would offer you Cascade or Crown. So, not wanting au-de-sulfur ruining my meal, I would always choose Cascade.
Then Boags hit the market segment, and we got some competition at last. The "Who Is James Boag" campaign was a classic.
Both are similar drops, big on Tassie hops. And similarly regarded, according to their comparative scores in BeerAdvocate (at time of writing).
Anyway....
Yellow gold, with some lace, but sinking head.
Great, hoppy, Pride of Ringwood (I think) aroma...maybe some doughy, grainey notes....
Flavour is full of malt grain, well balanced, crisp & refreshing. Nice balancing bitterness....and....to agree with Weizenmensch.... a good session beer.
Good lager for all occasions... a 6-pack at the local Chinese would be perfect....

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2006 04:22:36 | More by vancurly

Mitchster

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

$1.70 for a 12.68 oz bottle at Jack's. Pours out to a brilliantly clear sunshine golden, forming a rocky white head with superior retention and excellent thick sheets of lace. A great looking beer. The aroma is interesting, but hard to point out the nuances. There is the traditional eurolager skunkiness, but it's rather mild, delicately floral hops which almost smell like cascade with their acrid butter pungency, which would be an odd choice for euro-lager. As it sits, a rose like sweetness from the pale malts evolves with an odd sour milk nose, kinda like a baby's morning breath. In between light and medium bodied, with a slight acidity and dryness and a very brief finish. Pale malts are delicate and slightly husky with a twang of domestic macrobrew corn towards the finish. The finish is watery and the aftertaste is slightly corny.

This is an interesting brew. It's better than average but pales to the Kiwis much better Steinlager.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2007 01:13:57 | More by Mitchster

Kulrak

Australia

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a pale straw color with a light white fluffy tall head. Pretty impressive for a macro. Sticks around for a while too. Smells yeasty and hoppy, no skunk, despite the green bottle. Good so far. Taste is not very malty, more hops than anything, but really not much of anything. No bad flavors though. Mouthfeel is a tiny bit harsh, but not bad. All in all, it's a good beer, very drinkable. Would be better if it didn't cost so much, though.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2005 11:57:20 | More by Kulrak

mynie

Indiana

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-welcome to a land that's way under down under, the beer's sickly yellow in a-rain or shinnnne!

(Down in Tazmania, come to Tazmania)

Where topsy meet turvy and we start to spin, like a Tazmanian devil and his closest kin.

(Down in Tazmania, come to Tazmnia).

The pours a' real downer but it smells worth a slog. Wee bit of skunk and a dry hoppy little grog.

(Down in Tazmania, come to Tazmania)

Pils'ner grain is put off by rice, a little adjunct metallic--this isn't that nice. But a finishing hop connects well to grain, and a few sips later the adjunct starts to wain.

(Down in Tazmania, come to Tazmania)

A very nice potpurri floral aftertaste, and the light hoppy finish just can't be replaced. The strong fizzy body is what this beer's all about, the hops and malt and the--have we left anyone out?

Oh yeah, don't forget Taz . . . He put the Taz in Taz-Mania,

(Down in Tazmania, come to Tazmania... WE MEAN YOU!)

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2007 04:00:21 | More by mynie

RoyalT

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - This is a light and crystal clear yellow in color with a modest but clinging head.

Smell - There's a nice, easy grain aroma here that gets messed up just a little bit by some unnaturally-smelling sweetness.

Taste - The light, crisp malt is a pleasure but that sweet character is also present at the taste, maybe even a bit bigger.

Mouthfeel - This is light and crisp in the mouth and very refreshing. The carbonation rightly tickles the cheeks.

Drinkability - This is a very refreshing lager that's more American than Euro.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2008 02:38:52 | More by RoyalT

philphilphil

Australia

3.65/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best aussie beer so far.

A - deep yellow.
S - nice.
T - like a decent euro macro. crisp but tasty, certainly better than boags draught or cascade premium.
M - about right.
D - good, similar price per 6 pack to eurolagers, larger bottles, smooth beer .

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2010 13:52:24 | More by philphilphil