Abzug - Heater Allen Brewing

vkv822

Oregon

3.76/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz : tulip

Pours clear, medium-copper color with a thin, bubbly, foamy off white head.

Crisp, with a balanced blend of floral, grassy hops and mild biscuity, light caramel malts.

Medium+ body with mild, prickly carbonation, crisp finish.

These "simple" lagers are really an art to craft as there is little to no room for error and Heater Allen has again done a great job with it. Crisp, refreshing beer with an enjoyable hop and malt blend.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 09:08:34 | More by vkv822

DefenCorps

Oregon

4/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

I was going to drink either an 07 Decadence or 07 Older Viscosity on this cold night, but when I saw a bottle of this on the shelf, I couldn't say no. A 3.8% lager from (IMO) the best lager brewer in the country? Sign me up.

A clear, burnished copper with a dense, soapy, off-white head that falls off to a thin disk leaving patchy lace, this looks decent. The nose is great. Soft, doughy and toffee malt character are noticeable up front, along with a fresh, earthy, mildly minty hop character. There are also notes of lemon (hops), and the depth of the malt character belies the low ABV of this beer. Nutty, fresh and snappy - what's not to like?

The palate opens with the hops most noticeable. Fresh, earthy, herbal bittering hops, snappy, green and zesty, faintly vegetal even, are front and center here. It would be wasted, though, if it didn't have a well-matched malt character to ride on. The toffee/burnt sugar/nutty bitterness and sweetness pair rather excellently with the hop character. The mid-palate has dough, a little caramel, and is rather grainy. Drying on the finish, this beer is medium-light in body, has a wonderful, creamy carbonation (every Heater Allen beer I've had the pleasure of drinking from the bottle has been nothing short of sublime and refined on the palate). Quenching, refreshing, that this beer is 3.8% but is so flavorful is testament to the brewer.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 06:46:35 | More by DefenCorps

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22oz poured into a Tulip.

A- Medium organge, not quite clear. 1 finger white head that has good retention and some lacing.

S- Banana, Wheat, and grapes.

T- Similar, but more wheat and grape flavor.

D- Surprised at the amount of carbonation. I was afraid that this was an old bottle.

O- Mild and easy drinking. I mean, it's 3.8 ABV, come on.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 01:54:15 | More by HuskyinPDX

dukew456

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into my Lazy Magnolia glass. I'm the first to review this beer, which is a little intimidating.

Clear, light amber colored with a small off-white head that soon dissipates into nearly nothing.

Smells strongly of malty caramel goodness, with a slight fruity hop presence just barely peeking through, about what I expected, but a little bit one-dimensional.

The taste on this is of sweet malts with a very slight hop finish. Some kind of metalic bitterness on the finish, but that becomes less noticable. The mouthfeel is a little thin, but this leads to its drinkability.

Great sessionable beer with much more flavor than the 3.8 abv would lead you to believe. I enjoy Heater Allen's approach to brewing, focusing largely on well-made lagers; a rarity in the NW, and a welcome change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 21:32:39 | More by dukew456