Vienna Lager - Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the brewpub last weekend.

Pours a clear copper color with a single-finger white head and a ring or two of lacing on the way down. The nose brings some slight notes of bread and caramel and a faint hop presence. The flavor is mostly bread crust and a touch of caramel with light hops toward the finish, providing a nice bitterness. Light body and good carbonation. Another winning lager.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 11:23:43 | More by Thorpe429

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a becker a clear rich bronze with a well defined half finger white head that was pretty quick to fade.Aromas mainly of caramel doughy malt,flavors start out with caramel malt notes along with a whiskey-ish element to it,a decent smattering of spicy hops in the finish.A solid vienna lager not overly sweet with a nice amount of hops.A good beer for yard work and opening day Tiger baseball!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 20:42:49 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Devil's Backbone willibecher.

Do they drink a bunch o' similarly-styled brews in good ol' Osterreich? No matter, this one pours a clear pale amber topped by a finger of quickly-dying white foam. The nose comprises tofee, buttered biscuits, and a dab o' honey. Honestly, this is sweeter than I imagined it would be. The taste is not as sweet, holding notes of light caramel, light honey, rye bread, and a bit o' citrus zest. The body is light, with a light carbonation and a decently smooth feel. Overall, a slightly above average Vienna, nicely drinkable but not much beyond that.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2010 21:11:48 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Beer is yellow and mostly clear with decent carbonation and a soft white head with decent retention that leaves a little lacing on the glass. Looks like a beer.

The aroma is sweet with pilsen malt and no vegetal or off notes in the aroma, a little weak but still quite good.

Beer is wet and medium to light in body without being watery. Strong malt presence props this beer up nicely. The finish isn't dry or grainy, no apparently acidity just a nice finish. I'd have this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 20:29:26 | More by drabmuh

Gavage

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: copper in color with a short 1/4" head that broke apart quickly.

Smell: caramel and some fruit sweetness came through to the nose.

Taste: caramel, soft fruity tones, some mild grass flavors, and a hint of bitterness makes up a nicely balanced beer.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Aftertaste is short lived.

Drinkability: superb sessionable beer as this went down quickly and the alcohol level is low. Great flavors make this one a must try while at the brewpub.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 23:46:20 | More by Gavage

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.05/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured copper with a medium white cap, transparent body, crystal clear, the head fades in a New York minute leaving a copper liquid ithout any lacing or bubbles present

S: Nose is faint with a lightrly toasted note, some nuts thrown in for good measure and a very faint windex like note

T: Initial taste is a bit astringent leading into a combo of toasted grains, biscuits and nuts. A little toffee is detected but there is a underlying bitterness that tags along throughout the taste, really detected more upfront and mid taste. The finish is light, somewhat refreshing, more toastiness and nuts with a light bite

M: Light bodied as it should be, well carbonated for the style, no major complaints.

O: No major flaws, recommendation is a tighter, longer head. The nose could be stouter, a little more sweetness could happen and less bite.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 02:34:50 | More by barleywinefiend

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I've heard great things about this brewery, and hopefully they deliver. Bottle from Chevy Chase.

A dark amber with a dense, white head that falls off to a ring rather quickly, leaving no lace, this looks decent. The nose is pretty excellent. A nice, rich, complex, bready Vienna malt character is present, with a firm noble hop bitterness, a little leafy and a little lemony. This smells extremely clean.

The palate opens with a blend of earthy hop bitterness, a little calcium/chalky mineral character and a toasty malt character. A little bit of burnt sugar, toffee, toast and bread are also present, all excellent flavors in great balance. What this beer does lack, however, is a little bit of body to carry these flavors, as it is a little watery on the mid-palate. Drying, mildly bitter (herbal, leafy) on the finish, with a light mineral character, this beer is light (too light) in body and has a medium-high level of carbonation. Solid stuff, definitely worthy, but I think the Sam Adams Boston Lager is a better alternative.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 01:21:40 | More by DefenCorps

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner glass.
4.9% ABV, "Boned on Aug 15 2012" printed on shoulder in black.

Thanks to Chaney for another brew sent in his ungodly large and generous box!

A - From the beer's incredibly designed, painted, illustrated label to the fact the bottle reads "boned on", it's already scoring points and the beer hasn't been poured yet! Once in the glass, a turbid pour froths up a dense off-white bone-colored head with specks of lace dotting the glass once it disappears. The beer is a brilliantly shimmering sienna color with little carbonation streaming through the crystal clear beer.

S - Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager has an amazing crispness about it's aroma that's so simple and intoxicating upon first whiff. Vienna malt creates a plethora of light complexities from wheat toast and flaky biscuits to woodiness that works well with the beer's hop notes of faint herbal and spice notes.

T - Sweet malt suggests caramel tones with a thick bready flavor following and toast notes finishing. Hop balance is certainly prevalent, but it's flavors are near absent. The taste is quite elegant and delicious but not as subtly deep as the aroma.

M - Soft creaminess washes over the tongue while sipping this medium-light bodied lager. Gentle carbonation keeps the feel lively with a touch of dryness on the finish that's balanced by the hops.

O - Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager is a malt-forward classic rendition of a great German style. Soft and smooth with a well-balanced malt sweetness, the beer is easy drinking, delightfully simple, but filled with understated complexities.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 00:09:06 | More by BeerFMAndy

smakawhat

Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A real nice amber body, hinting at red and crystal clear but makes barely an off white head of about a finger, creamy looking but doesn't stick around at all. There's very little carbonation to see hardly.

Nose is interesting. Grainy, with a butter brown sugar sense, sort of baked and cookie like but it's a very small nose and quiet closed. Sense that this is quite light in body coming.

Taste comes in fits and bursts. Light toasty aroma with some good mouthfeel depth. Lingering malt lightness mixes with faint brown sugar ever so slightly, even a little char. The depth is here, but the taste seems hammered down. Some warmth later brings faint sticky caramel, and maybe even some chocolate sense.

Overall it's actually pretty decent but sort of tuned down I think a little too much. THe sweetness comes a little more noticeable as it warms up. It's alright.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 02:05:06 | More by smakawhat

merlin48

Kentucky

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle pours a clear amber body with a small offwhite head. Minimal lacing and retention.
Aroma is toasty caramel and biscuit with vague fruit esters and some earthy hops.
Mouthfeel is creamy and light medium bodied with appropriate moderate carbonation.
Taste is loaded with caramel maltiness, accented by a pleasant nuttiness and a strong biscuity presence. Earthy hops add an even, if subdued, balancing bitterness.
Very clean and goes down well, very well. One of the better American lagers I've sampled in recent months.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 15:48:08 | More by merlin48

argock

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. No obvious freshness date. 6-pack purchased at Kroger (Charlottesville, VA) for $7.99.

A: Amber-golden and crystal clear with short, 1/2-finger of big-bubbled, off-white head with average retention and not much lace left behind.

S: Whiff of sulfur and then cereal grain with light honey and malty breadiness with a light, crisp noble hops note.

T: The flavor really takes it up a notch for the style with solid bready maltiness with a light caramel-honey sweetness filled in with a little toasty note here and there. The finish is soft at first with more bready, caramel sweetness but finishes with a firm, crisp noble hops bite. Really a remarkable example of the Vienna lager style.

M: Very light feel but with the body does creep up to almost medium most of the way through. The carbonation is firm but not overdone.

O: I can see why this beer has done so well in numerous competitions -- it layers bready, light caramelly maltiness with a solid crisp hops bite and light-medium feel. While I like SA Boston Lager, this beer crushes it -- SABL is very heavy-handed without much subtlety unlike DB Vienna Lager which layers a complex number of clean, malt characteristics with a crisp hops finish. I feel lucky to have this type of high-quality beer available in my backyard.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:49:37 | More by argock

clayrock81

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured a golden body with a slight amber hue with good head and carbonation that die quick with little lace on top of a light aroma, not much there, but pick up some bitter hops and touches of caramel sweetness. Light bodied, easy to drink, and hitting the spot, there's not much at all going on with this beer but it is enjoyable. Not as bitter or dry as I am accustomed to, a good balance is in here from the dry, floral hop notes to some sticky sweet caramel. As said, not too much going on here but not a water light beer either and I can't complain.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 13:04:21 | More by clayrock81

CrellMoset

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub. 4.9% abv, 18 IBUs.

Appearance: A filtered caramel body, solidly copper, with pleasant lacing but a fast-fading white head. The carbonation here is plentiful, but slow, which is always a good sign.

Aroma: Very crisp, clean, bright - this one's largely dominated by a good balance of leafy, noble hops (Hallertau?) and slightly roasted caramel malts with a dollop of butteriness. It's on the whole also a little faint, which is unfortunate, 'cause what's here is good.

Taste: Similar to the nose, which is good. Buttery, caramelized malts, dry toast, a really solid amount of residual sugars (good balance between dry and sweet), and a slight balancing bitterness/hay-like, lightly floral hop presence.

Mouthfeel: Effervescence in this one is pretty big, leading to a big, crisp, light body. Very refreshing, stylistically solid.

Drinkability: Another solid beer. It's not over the top or mindblowing, but it's definitely sessionable, low in alcohol, crisp and refreshing, and a solid addition to DB's repertoire. Can't wait for the outside seating here to get finished - this seems like a summer/outside on the patio kinda beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2008 20:31:31 | More by CrellMoset

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the last survivor from some brews picked up on a college football road trip weekend in Virginia last week. This is a new brewery for me, although I have heard good things. Pours a handsome burnt copper color with a big beige head that billows and puffs and quickly recedes to a thin, spotty cap. The nose is heavy on the caramel and earth tones and the briefest twang of noble hops.

A long draught reveals some mild but stubborn hoppiness tight wiring up against the sweetness of the caramel malt. Plenty of carbonation but this is still an easy to drink, fairly refreshing beer. Simple in nature, it makes the most of this style and leaves you satisfied. I could drink these all day, particularly as the fall progresses.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 00:20:25 | More by daliandragon

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a deep amber color with a big billowy white head. The head has huge carbonation bubbles entrapped within which pop rather quickly to give a head that recedes fast to give only a very light level of lacing.

Smell – The smell is rather light with some notes of roasted malt and a very light caramel smell.

Taste – A dry roasted malt flavor meets the tongue. This flavor is then present throughout the whole of the taste. While overall dry up front, there is a very light sweetness. The sweetness fades over the taste experience while a light herbal hop taste enters the taste. In the end the roasted malt and light hop flavors give a nice dry and crisp flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – A rather thin body with a good level of carbonation. Very fitting for the style and it makes for one refreshing and easy drinking brew.

Overall – While rather simple in its flavors, it is quite delicious and refreshing. A fantastic session brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 00:38:52 | More by Darkmagus82

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear dark gold beer with a small, slowly settling head and some patchy lacing. Aroma is bready and slightly toasty malt; some sweetness detected as well as a faintly floral note underneath.

Sweet and somewhat bready malt flavor with assertive caramel sweetness. Light floral hop presence emerging mostly in the swallow and finish; overall low bitterness.

Clean and crisp with a semi-dry finish. Medium to slightly light bodied with medium carbonation. Decently refreshing. Not bad at all but also not particularly exceptional; might be just a touch too sweet for my liking. Easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 12:39:54 | More by tobelerone

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from tap into std pint glass at Fireworks Pizza, Leesburg, VA.
Pours a golden amber. No head or lacing.
Smell is of crisp malt. Taste is slightly fruity, maybe apple, malty but smooth. Slightly heavy and thick, but slightly above average accross the board. Ok brew, not worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2012 22:53:09 | More by DrinkSlurm

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

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

Had this on 2010-07-18 at the brewery.

A - Slightly hazy, red-amber with a short, white head.

S - Mild roasted grain and caramel with some mild leaf scents from the hops.

T - Very pleasant. Of course this isn't a style that knocks you off your feet but it has a nice blend of sweet toasted malt, caramel and just a hint of sourness and bitterness in the aftertaste.

M - Light body with light-medium carbonation.

D - Reminds me of an Octoberfest. Easy to quaf but not my favorite combination of flavors but I'm rating it good for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2010 12:55:00 | More by Tucquan

bum732

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

S: Toasty malt, a very deep toasted grain note, some maltiness, touch of sulfur lager notes.

L: Crystal clear amber, white head that dissipates.

T: Toasted malt up front with some sweetness. A prominent herbal/spicy medium low bitterness. Finishes semi-dry with a clean low spiciness.

M: Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

Really good. Has a very unique toasty flavor, quite intense. Maltiness is toned back, allowing the toastiness and hops to shine. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 03:23:08 | More by bum732

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz into tulip.

A: bright copper. brilliantly bright. head is composed of dense white bubbles. big and fluffy. good retention and thick foamy lacing.

S: candied caramel sweetness on the nose and lots of it. a real subtle earthy hop aroma.

T: definitely biting my teeth with a cold sweetness. minor breadiness. kind of missing the bitter pop of noble hops that i expect and love about this style. finish is mostly dry w/ a minor lingering bitterness.

M: a pretty zesty carbonation on a light bodied brew.

D: i actually found this to be a little bit of a miss for me. there is just something missing in both the malt and hop departments. ive had this on draft at the brewpub a few times and i remember it being much better than this. hmmm, not sure if there is substantial difference in the water between the brewpub and production brewery location but that is the only flavor affecting factor i can think of.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 00:44:07 | More by Jimmys

rangerred

Tennessee

2.78/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear lighter brown with a soapy half finger head that quickly disappears. No lacing or head retention whatsoever which is a little odd considering the abundant carbonation.

The aroma is on the weak side but has caramel and toasted malt coming through along with a little bit of hay and grass.

Caramel on the taste with a little bit of toast, prunes, and grass. It all just falls away so quick however leaving nothing but a light bitterness on the tongue. Extremely disappointing as I was hoping for much more flavor but Boston Lager has more taste than this. Mouthfeel is extremely watery with almost a seltzer water-like feel.

Overall, a real disappointment. I had never heard of this brewery but was hoping I might find a hidden gem. Alas it was not to be.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 23:27:07 | More by rangerred

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 4/1/12
*From notes

A: Clean jack o'lantern orange. A good pour yields a clean 1.5 finger ivory white head. A thick white collar and decent lacing rim the glass.

S: Sweet malt and grain. Not overly earthy, and not the old world type you may think. As it warms, a touch of hops become evident.

T: Initially a bit sweet. The toasted golden malts and a touch of buttered toast arrive on the mid and wash to the back. A kiss of hops linger on the finish. Not quite as robust as Sam Adams Boston Lager or Great Lakes Eliot Ness, yet just as tasty.

M: Plenty of body and complexity to go around. Thick and creamy with proper carbonation.

O: Devil's Backbone has crafted a really killer session lager with this one. A bit lighter on the toast then some of the better known in-style, yet just as quaffable and easy to drink. I could see this being a great gateway beer for the macro crowd, and something I'll purchase again when it finally comes to Northern Virginia.

Another winner from Virginia. Easily recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 19:45:48 | More by Rhettroactive

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice beer from a style that normally doesn't get attempted, I'm sure because most beer people like the more complex stuff, like myself. This one seemed especially nice though, I can see why it's won awards.

A: Dark crimson color with a dark black core to the hue. Nice pinky of fluffy white head, very nice. Semi clear body overall.

S: Toasty caramel and some nice grape sweet notes, maybe other medium skinned fruits also. Amber cereal malts shine through.

T: Nice lager clean malt character with lots of toasted cereal and fresh bread, again the grapey-sweet note is there with other caramel-toffee flavors as well. A little cocoa powder in there as well.

M: Nice clean feel with ample carbonation. Goes down fairly easy, though I wish it had a little more body.

Overall a nice beer thats easy to drink and tasty enough that a beer love would appreciate this.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2011 13:28:23 | More by Dreadnaught33

goindownsouth

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to BA "velkyal" for the growler from Devil's Backbone Brewing - my first foray into their offerings.

This lager poured into my handled 0.4L glass tuliped mug with an impressive copper color and a somewhat short-lived 1/4" head.

Aromas of bready, biscuity goodness that comes from all well-crafted lagers, along with hints of warm caramel and dark fruit sweetness.

Smooth on the palate without being heavy, this lager offered great balance in the malty body with just enough hops to keep it honest. Each sip left me wanting more. Well balanced, which can be hard to accomplish with a simple style such as this.

Outstanding drinkability, although not in the realm of session beer "by definition", this was a lager I had no trouble consuming in multiple. Good flavor, well balanced and still having something extra. A beer like this reminds me that there may be hope for craft lagers in this country after all.

Na'zdravi!

Serving type: growler

06-20-2011 12:52:23 | More by goindownsouth

tlazaroff

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Aroma comes across as very nutty and toasty with slight hints of caramel. Its subtle but very very good.

Beautiful looking beer! You honestly couldn't ask for more. Brilliantly clear pure amber color with a really nice white head and subtle but adequate lacing. The etched glass helps with the appearance by creating nucleation sites so I can see some carbonation.

Taste is very nutty as well. It has a nice strong nut and bread flavor (not so much toast, but maybe burnt toast). Not really getting any caramel in the flavor, but some nice floral notes too.

Finishes dry, moderate carbonation, and thin to medium body. And it's SUPER easy to drink! Defiantly would be a go-to session ale if I could buy it locally (ahem).

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 00:21:19 | More by tlazaroff