Colorado Native Lager - AC Golden Brewing Company

chcfan

California

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received as an extra from knucks999 - thanks, Troy! My man must have ESP, because I actually wanted to try this when I first heard about this, but never posted about it or added to my Wants list.

Not a boatload of aroma or flavor, but what is there is good. Small amount of toasted, bready flavor and a little bit of hop flavor. Very smooth and easy to drink.

I don't know how much this costs, but if it was reasonable, then it would probably be my slumming beer if I lived in CO.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 01:14:19 | More by chcfan

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Thanks to JMBSH for this bottle!

I'm not sure why, but I felt I had to try this one. I blame my never being west of Iowa City before. It pours a clear copper topped by a finger or so of white foam. The nose comprises a decent bit o' caramel, countered by a stark bit o' hoppiness, mostly sharp pine and slightly less sharp ruby red grapefruit. The taste is identical. 'Nuff said. The body is light, with a light carbonation and a crisp finish. Overall, a decent brew, highly drinkable, not all that complicated. Now we've got about 49 more Native brews to craft...

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 04:02:27 | More by TMoney2591

jokelahoma

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a nice coppery amber with a decent head that didn't last long. Thin skiff of foam stuck around throughout.

Aroma is nicely malty, with a bit of toast and bread crust. Not a lot of hops in the nose, but there is a hint that something is there. Overall it's very clean on the nose.

Taste is remarkably balanced. Very clean malt, with again the bready, toasty flavor coming to the fore. There are hops in here after all. Not "in your face", but noticeable. The beer is far from bitter, but the hops serve to give this one character, and balance out the sweetness of the malt. Quite well done. No mistaking this one for a macro lager. It has some "oomph" to the flavor.

The mouthfeel has just a tiny bit of heft as well, again distinguishing it from its macro cousins. It won't be mistaken for alcoholic spring water, let's put it that way.

This is really rather well done. Not earth shattering by any means, but then it's an amber lager. It isn't supposed to redefine craft beer. As it is, it's a good beer worth trying. Nice to see the big boys know how to do good beers too, eh?

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 01:19:14 | More by jokelahoma

mentor

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a half finger of off white (lightly tan) head over a brilliant orange-light amber liquid. Smells fruity hoppy with a mild biscuity malt character way underneath. Hop aromas were oranges, mild lemon, tropical punch, and cherry sweet-tart.

Tastes wonderful. Light malt, strong hop flavor, and clean hop bitter that is crisp at the end like you get in a good czech pils. Each of these dimensions is balanced with the others, though the carbonation makes too strong of an acrid sting (so, swirl the beer to address that concern). Malt is mostly bready sweet with a hint of light-colored caramel. Hop flavor is lemony, earthy, grapefruit pithy, and a light hint of basil sweet. The pith works quite well with the clean hop bitter. By the end of the glass, the beer is coming across as quite hoppy bitter, almost to the point of minerally. I wonder if the brewer added calcium carbonate during the mash. The aftertaste sees a reappearance of the malt sweet. Md light body and very drinkable (keep in mind that I'm quite a hop-head).

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 04:30:21 | More by mentor

riored4v

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed 5/28/10

Poured into a pint glass. Crystal clear, ambered color body. White head.

Smell was mildly malty with hints of caramel. Slight butter aroma. Mild hoppiness.

Taste had hints of caram and a mild biscuity, earthy flavor. Extremely mild hop finish that seems floral. Mild malt sweetness. Smooth and clean.

Mouthfeel had some mild stickiness. Light body, medium carbonation.

Drinkability was very good. Clean beer, well balanced. Good summer session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 21:43:36 | More by riored4v

emmasdad

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Finally found this one in the mix six cooler so I figured I'd give it a try. Not at all what I was expecting. Poured a nice copper-amber color, with a bit of ecru foam. Aromas of sweet malt and caramel. Nothing too overwhelming on the palate, but a very nice malty body, with just a hint of spicy hops. A very pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2010 03:20:34 | More by emmasdad

SteelieB

New Mexico

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought at Mile High in Belmar at $6.99 for a sixer. I like that it is an all CO made beer.

Smell is bready with a light flowery and citrusy smell from the hops. Definitely not in your face like a PA or IPA.

Taste is a little sweet, bready from Munich-type malts. Fair amount of bitterness and a light orangey/grapefruit flavor from the hops. The sweetness makes me think of crystal-type malts, but I pick up only subtle caramel flavors

Drinkability is high. I could take down a lot of these this spring.

A good lager with some hops presence that has a good malt backbone that makes me think of a marzen. Price point is about right. I like this better than SA Noble Pils and Boston Lager which I think it competes with. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 13:36:22 | More by SteelieB

BlackHoleBrew42

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had to try one for muhself, and I am actually impressed.

Beautiful amber color, head fades quickly. Wonderful malt aroma, munich and honey? Malt backbone, quick hop bite, finishes nice and smooth. Easily sessioned. Might... actually... buy.

Bottom line, I wanted to hate it, and I can't find much fault with it. Kind of reminds me of Boston Lager. Kind of octoberfesty as well. All and all, damn solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2010 22:55:08 | More by BlackHoleBrew42

Domingo

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is the 3rd lager that's seen a bottled release from the Coors "craft" unit under the name AC Golden. I honestly liked the other two, so I'm looking forward to this one.
Pours a copper color with a really bubbly 1" head from a normal pour. The carbonation seems a tad bit heavy initially, but it calms down quickly and it does manage to lace the glass and stick around.
Smells hoppier than expected. Slightly sweet bready (Munich?) malts and American hops. It's a little familiar to be honest.
Oh...now I get it. It actually tastes a lot like Sam Adams Boston Lager. Dare I say it might be a tiny bit hoppier, but that's the inspiration. Bready and sweet up front, robust hops in the middle, and a finish that's dry with a little bit of lingering hop bitterness.
Easy drinking and tasty.
I could handle a couple at a time and not get sick of it.
It loses points for originality, but that isn't a BA score :)
I'd say it's a fine take on a Sam Adams-like brew that's no cheaper and with slight advantages/disadvantages in a few areas.

EDIT: I did a side by side, and this beer's hop profile from the 3 C's gives it more of a new world fruitier nose/taste (while the Boston Lager has more old world floral), but the two beers are pretty similar. Native definitely has more overall bitterness for better or worse, though.

Another interesting note. This beer is made with all Colorado ingredients from Monte Vista barley to hops from near Montrose. On tap I've found this brew to be a good go-to in the summer. Good stuff from Coors? Yes!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2010 23:52:27 | More by Domingo

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.51/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brewed with all Colorado ingredients and available only in Colorado; I feel that, as a Kentuckian, that I'll be ushered off to Colorado jail by publicizing my enjoyment of this rich red lager. But the beer has to be great- 'cause it's from Colorado, right? It's not ok to question this?...

Deep amber in color, the beer pours with bright clarity and releases a foamy sheet of bubbles that cling to the surface and the glass with spotty retention and lace. It's stained ivory foam liquefies into the beer while retaining spotty froth elements.

Toffee and nuts become the focal points for aroma- its malty components are semi-robust and give a "sun kissed" brightness tot he nose. With little in the way of hops, fruit esters or yeast spice, the beer is a dedicated scent of malt variation of caramel, toffee, nuts, and malty cream-like fermentation twang. Simple and pure.

Similarly, the taste is equally as simple and dedicated. Not relying on complex hopping rates or yeasty fruit or spice, the beer's flavors are predicated upon true malt variation: it starts caramel sweet but soon transitions to richer toffee and bread crust. Nutty with acorns and cashew, the richer malt complexes take on peanut brittle proportions but with a tad more robustness. Not quite coffee or toast, the beer flirts with deep caramelization.

Where the taste and aromas favor Amber Ale character, the mouthfeel reveals a smoother and more somber drinkability that invites a high rate of consumption. Making quick work of the beer, it starts supply sweet and finishes semi-dry with moderate alcohol warmth.

It turns out that a beer that's so simple in its plan and execution yields so much dialogue. I'm not one to sell it as as an undiscovered gem, it shows that there's a lot of appreciation to be said about simple beers done well. Turns out that native -Colorado ingredients make wonderful beers!

Serving type: can

04-02-2013 05:57:47 | More by BEERchitect

smakawhat

Maryland

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on tap into a shaker pint glass.

A very solid copper amber body with clear rising carbonation. Tan light head prsented and with scattered lacing. Pretty solid looking amber.

Nose brings a nice crisp feeling with toasty grains. Mild caramel and nice lager yeast compliment nicely.

Palate matches hinted nose. Lager thick with a nice light toasty caramel. A little bit of fruity esters also on the finish.

Just a real solid nice simple amber lager.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 22:49:03 | More by smakawhat

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from can into plastic cup. Purchased on Frontier Airlines LGA to DEN for $6. Enjoyed while watching Czech vs Portugal UEFA 2012. This is gonna be a good trip...

Pours a deep amber brown with a finger of off white head. Malt and buscuity aromas, slight hop notes. Taste is identical but more hops, malty and sweet buscuit but a nice balance of mild but present hops. It is very drinkable, balanced, and pretty tastey and at 5.5 abv is an easy session brew. Nice brew and great way to start my quick trip to Colorado.

Serving type: can

06-21-2012 22:15:13 | More by DrinkSlurm

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap this beer isn't bad at all, coming from Coors....er, AC Golden. It looks much like the same stuff out of the can, like a caramel/mahogany brown that's translucent.

The one thing I have against this beer is that the malt profile of Coors Banquet seems to be ensconced in this one. But it is a lager, and that stale malt, old sock element just won't go away.

Still, it does have other light flavors that help me move right along with this one. A different finish, a zipness, from other Coors..er, ACG...beers exists here a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2012 01:51:30 | More by Mebuzzard

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz skinny can.
A) Pours with a big white and creamy head that slowly settles. Clear bronze colored body.
S) A pleasant hop aroma with caramel malts but not too aromatic.
T) Caramel malts. Toffee. Subtle grainy-ness. Hints of citrus fruits and flowers. Mellow hops in the finish.
M) Medium light body. Dry in the finish. Clean throughout.
O) A delicious brew - proof that the "big boys" are capable of producing quality beer.

Serving type: can

12-14-2011 00:57:41 | More by u2carew

StonedTrippin

Colorado

2.8/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

this is not a craft brew, and it doesnt taste like one. pours slightly darker than the industry standard corn beers, decent white head. smells a bit metallic or something, malts in the nose, no hops to speak of. taste is pretty weak, cerealy a bit, with a slight metallic tinge. not as bad as a silver bullet, thats for sure, but a poor attempt to capture the craft beer drinker by a big company. still, when next to budlight at the hockey rink for the same price, ill get a native every time. credit for all colorado ingredients, but this just doesnt taste real good

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 23:35:04 | More by StonedTrippin

Tone

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, amber color. 1/2 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of hops, hint of sweet malt, and a hint of pale malt. Fits the style of an American Amber / Red Lager. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of earthy malt, slight pale malt, slight grain, and hops. Overall, great appearance, good feel, and good blend.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2011 21:01:06 | More by Tone

kylehay2004

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: single finger head foamy and nice lace. Murky crimson color.

S: malt and wheat.

T: sweet malt and lager yeast. Has a mild bitter/ sour citrus finish.

M: moderate to high carbonation and medium body.

Overall: a very good lager. Attractive appearance and solid lager taste. I wasnt expecting a macro brewed lager to be as good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2011 13:43:45 | More by kylehay2004

BarleyStud

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On touring the Coors Brewery in Golden, and getting a tear in my eye when told I was standing in the world's largest room of beer, I knew I had reached my Nirvana. The tour ended in the tasting room (actually it ended in the gift shop à la Disneyworld) but the tasting room is where I tried their newest brew, Colorado Native.

I was told it was a lager. It was nicely golden in color and topped with a small head with bubbles noticeable in size. The head disappeared in half a minute. The scent was powerful, like a sharp IPA. First taste reminded me of an IPA with strong but generic citrus and hops - not that there's anything wrong with that. It went down ok and I did want another, but I couldn't sense any of the lagering throughout the 2 glass session. I felt like I was having an IPA throughout.

If the objective is to bring hoppy, IPA-like beer to the masses and call it a lager, they've succeeded. But to review this as a lager doesn't seem fit the requirement. I liked it, however, and will buy it again if it gets to my state.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2011 01:24:26 | More by BarleyStud

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

woodychandler comes through with yet another canned beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. This beer almost exploded out of the can and settled down with a caramel color and 1.5 inches of head. Smell is rather mild, some hops are present. Taste is also hops up front, some grains, a tad bitter at the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall was a refreshing and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: can

06-29-2011 15:11:32 | More by tone77

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I CAN't remember who sent this to me, but it makes another fine addition to The CANQuest (TM)! Merci beaucoup. The Old Lady lives in CO, but she isn't a native, nor did she send it to me. 8=( Miss ya, gal.

From the CAN: "Available only in Colorado" (hee hee); "Born Brewed & Shared Local"; "Discover an Amber Lager that is crisp, clean and unmistakably Colorado"; "Colorado Proud. Better for you. Better for Colorado."

The Crack & Glug produced two tawny fingers of rocky head with moderate retention. Color was a deep coppery-amber with NE-quality clarity. BUPGOO! Nose was MUCH hoppier than I expected, very piney and very welcome. Mouthfeel was medium with a caramel malt and pine hops flavor intermingling on the tongue. Finish was more like an APA than anything else, malty, hoppy, the best of both worlds. Gimme some more! This definitely goes in my cooler if I CAN score some more. Do they have beaches in CO?

This is a lager?!? Made by the AC Golden Brewing Co. of Golden, CO, eh? Who's zoomin' who here, boys? I have long said that given their (unspoken) expertise and having tried some of the beers during the GABF at The Rockpile, like the (unnamed) Rauschbier, they should refocus on making quality craft beers, especially for a CAN.

Serving type: can

06-17-2011 10:23:30 | More by woodychandler

rawfish

California

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours from the can into a shaker pint a rich amber color to form 4 fingers of eggshell white head, retention is decent leaving many small spots of linked lacing on the glass.

Despite the darker color the aroma is very musty and of grains and grain husks, very raw. In the back ground is a the faint aroma of floral grassy hops with a apple sweetness and lager yeast notes.

Very sweet brew brown suger sweetness that doesn't have much depth, followed up by grain husks and raw adjunct grain feel, very coarse. Hops come in faintly, grassy and they are felt more in the way this lager dries. Sweet corn mash seems to also have made it's way into the aftertaste as the beer dries.

Average carbonation and fuller body for a lager. Dries really well, not very crisp but still well done.

Pseudo BMC-craft product but it really is pretty good, they have the amber lager part down pretty well, malty yet refreshing and drying. Flavors are rather sweet, coarse and grainy but it's a large step up from Coors.

Serving type: can

06-08-2011 18:38:15 | More by rawfish

mactrail

California

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dark amber in the tall Weizen glass. Plenty of head. Carbonation dissipates more rapidly than most beers. Very hoppy. Some touch of malt with a hint of roasting. Pleasant aroma of biscuit.

I don't find this very drinkable as an American Amber. It's about as hoppy as a Pale Ale. But I don't know what else to call it, since it represents this increasingly chaotic style of random recipes.

Serving type: can

06-05-2011 03:28:32 | More by mactrail

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour - dark golden in appearance with nice orange, brown and yellow hues. Very clean and clear with small bubbles streaming upwards and forming a good inch of thick, creamy white and foamy goodness. Looks very inviting.

Aroma - bread dough, biscuity, malty, caramel and a bit of apple combine with some citrusy hop aromas as well.

Taste - plenty of malt characteristics come out at first, this is sweet with some brown sugar flavors on the tongue. The sweetness is then followed immediately by a sharp, dry and bitter finish. Very crisp and refreshing...which is what I'd like to have in a lager. Very smooth and well-rounded with no off flavors. Instead this hits all the marks and comes together extremely well.

Overall - very impressive. I had my reservations at first but the folks at AC Golden have done a great job with this lager. I can't help but think that the packaging only improves upon something that was already well above par. If you live in Colorado definitely give this one a shot.

Would I buy more of it? - yes. I would be happy to get a 12-pack of this from time to time to stock the fridge or cooler this summer. This is an easy drinking, refreshing lager that would make both the craft beer enthusiast and the casual beer drinker very, very happy.

Serving type: can

05-10-2011 00:18:16 | More by indiapaleale

SassyBootblack

Colorado

2.48/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber color, plesant amount of bubbles.

Smell: Not much to mention.

Taste: Mostly a sweet corn flavor. The color suggests a maltiness that this beer doesn't deliver.

Mouthfeel: A good, crisp lager.

Drinkability: Goes down smooth, but there's not much interesting going on here.

A perfectly fine American style lager gussied-up with a little roasted malt for color, is my guess. Anyone expecting the likes of a Märzen or Vienna lager will be dissapointed.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 17:26:16 | More by SassyBootblack

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Bright, clear copper/amber color. Poured a 1 finger coarse white head that dissipated to thick skim and held. Lazily decanted. Spots of lacing.

S: Bready malt, but not strong. Light floral hop aroma; primarily citrus zest, but some spice as well. Also hay and grass.

T: Sweet bready malt and caramel up front. Transitions to a light citrus zest. Bread lingers a bit in an even bitter finish.

M: Light body. Moderate carbonation. Crisp and fairly clean with just a bit of malt flavor lingering in the finish.

D: Easily drinkable with all the well-blended balance of a good lager. Light abv helps too.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2010 18:36:09 | More by Haybeerman