Narragansett Lager - Narragansett Brewing Co.

kylehay2004

Florida

3.35/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: 1/2 finger head with little retention on clear straw colored body.

S: typical for the genre is the sweet corn, light malt aroma.

T: this one is one of the best in the genre. Its fuller bodied and it lacks any bitter or sourness that turns me off from these beers.

M: light body and high carbonation.

Overall: refreshing, easy to drink and certain one of the better bargain beers out there.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2012 01:54:41 | More by kylehay2004

afksports

New York

3.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I'm having a Narragansett Lager on tap at Amity Hall because they didn't have Hurricane Kitty and I figured what the hell. I just hope the zombie apocalypse holds off. I don't want this adjunct American brew to be the last beer I drink.

That said, I don't think this lager is a bad one. I reminds me of a well-done citrusy Coors Light with an added cashew type nuttiness in both the smell and the taste. The malts are actually complex, and for the style it's darker gold in appearance, better carbonated than its competition, and much easier to drink.

Honestly, this is a repeatable brew. Drinking it is similar to the experience of going to a movie that you expect to be bad, then having it turn out entertaining.

Now to figure out my hurricane plan. I don't know if staying at the bar late is a good one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 20:33:20 | More by afksports

Amalak

New York

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had at the burger shoppe in downtown Manhattan.
a. Gold and clear with streams of bubbles. Good bubbly white head and excellent lacing.
s. Slight malt scent.
t. Malty and carbonated, but quite plain. A hint of rye. A very slight sweetness. Basically decent even if pedantic.
m. Slight carbonation but light on the mouth.
d. Very light, but not like a light beer, just easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2011 21:09:59 | More by Amalak

CHickman

New York

2.9/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear yellow with a 1 finger white head that faded slowly and left decent lacing; OK looking from the tap.

Smells like malt, light caramel, light citrus hops, wheat, hay, grass and a mass produced slight sweet funk like it came from a macro-brewery; basically it smelled blah.

Tastes blah as well, with sweet malt, a tinny yeast flavor, light caranel, grass, light citrus hops, hay, wet bread or cardboard and corn or some other sugary filler; this is like a Yeungling or Stevens Point and your basic lager, but nothing special.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp, with a watery feel, high carbonation and a hight drinkability if you are looking to pound tasteless beer. Might be spot on for the style, but that didn't make it taste good.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2011 03:54:11 | More by CHickman

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal clear yellow straw color with cap of soapy white head, minimal retention and lacing. Scent is of light grass, hay and grain with a faint touch of sweetness. Taste follows scent, uber clean taste of fresh hay and grain with a minimal lightly sweet impact from the malt - must note there are no "vegetable" tastes associated with adjunct lagers. Extremely light body with moderately high carbonation. Extremely clean and clear scent and taste with no off notes makes for a surprisingly drinkable adjunct lager.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 16:14:09 | More by rfgetz

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clean yellow color with a white head. In the aroma, sweet malt and a good clean lager smell. In the taste, clean saaz hops, and a sweet to dry malt. A small bite and a light bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry, hop in the aftertaste. Nice clean lager, nothing uber fantastic, but nice nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2010 17:32:44 | More by OWSLEY069

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A-Amber with small fizzy head. Actually looks like a beer.

S-Sweet malts. Grainy.

T-Not bad at all. Just like the nose. Quite malty, some grain and a tiny hop presence. A bit of grass.

M-A bit watery but better than most of the style.

D-Easy to drink. Quite cheap at my local bars.

A great step up from BMC. Good taste at a good price. Flavor doesn't blow your mind because it isn't supposed to. Its just supposed to be drinkable without absolutely negating the flavor aspect.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 18:02:35 | More by VelvetExtract

gameface23

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Very clean American Adjunct yellow with a small, spritzy head.

S: Clean malt/cereal aroma. Hops are sadly lacking

T: Sugar corn sweetness and plenty of it.

M: Light bodied, but it has more depth than most adjunct lagers.

D: It's an ok beer. I would probably choose this over most BMC.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2010 14:04:46 | More by gameface23

Jfraser

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

So 'Gansett is trying to make a comeback and raise funds to build a brewery, saw it making the rounds at a tasting and grabbed a pint.
First impressions: Very light head, almost absent. Crisp citrus and grain smell. Taste is pretty clean and not complex at all, definitely a decent summer beer with very little aftertaste, though the amount of carbonation in the glass I sampled was probably the most I've ever seen in a beer of this style. Not sure why that was, but it was a little too much for me.

Overall, if you are looking for an easy drinking crisp lager you could do worse than a Narragansett.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2010 15:05:02 | More by Jfraser

BavariaYeti

Rhode Island

3.73/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Deliciously horrible, or horribly delicious. From my hometown/state, so I love this shit! Drink it up boys!
In all honesty, it's not my favorite brew, but when I can get kingers at 5 bucks for a 6, it a deal because it tastes better than most of the cheaper macros. Yea, so I indulge quite a bit, especially at the local pubs. ~ PROST!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 05:05:07 | More by BavariaYeti

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A local beer that got brought back on line a few years ago. The local liquor store I used to frequent had a giant 'Narragansett' sign from the 60s. This beer is seen in RI as a local answer to MGD, Bud, and Coors taps found in the local bars. It's priced really well, too.

A- Amber/golden beer. Pours with little head. Looks like a good pint, and looks better than most macro lagers.

S- nothing amazing, pale malt, faintest hops.

T- Crisp, light, and well-ballanced. Goes down smooth, leaving you wanting for more. Oodles more flavor when compared to the other lagers at the tap.

M- see above, very crisp and good going down.

D- moderately high. This beer is flavorful without being overbearing. Easy to kill a 6 or 12 pack with some buddies. Also comes in tallboy 16 oz cans.

A very good pale lager, it's 'beer-y', but in a good way.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2009 23:16:49 | More by ShogoKawada

pinotboy007

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes - enjoyed overlooking Narragansett Beach from the Coast Guard House's outdoor upper deck in perfect weather.

A - In a plastic cup but it appears golden colored with a decent cap and even a bit of lacing.

S - Grain, hops and not much else. (Plastic cup probably contributes something.)

T/M - For a beer with a mediocre rep, it's actually pretty decent. The fact it has a nice hoppy/grainy taste is surprising and most welcome. The carbonation pulls together a distinct refreshing creaminess.

D - Perfect BBQ beer and hands down better than Bud, Miller, and the other titans of beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2008 20:44:09 | More by pinotboy007

BDIMike

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a golden fizzy color with an inch of thick white head.
Smell is of straight lager beer, smells of cereal grains.
Good taste to this macro lager. It has a great balance of malts and hops, a good taste for a lager. A small hop bite at the end.
Mouthfeel is above average, a little to thin.
Drinkability is very nice. Could drink these all day long, even though it has good taste to it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2008 22:14:00 | More by BDIMike

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

2.5/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Narragansett

On tap at the Clarke Cook House.

Appearance- Light golden brown with a small soapy white head.
Smell- Corn husk, rice, straw/hay, and malt.
Taste- Light malt backbone with hints of corn, hay, and slight metallic hops.
Mouthfeel- Light and watery, flavor kicks in around the tail end.

Overall- A typical macro full of adjunct but much better then the big boys. I would choose this over all other macros with the exception of PBR.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2007 19:16:28 | More by NJpadreFan

BTVflatlander

Vermont

3.31/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Let's be realistic here, this beer is brewed by Genesee and it's an AAL, it's not going to knock your socks off. However, within this realm, Narragansett at its best elicits memories (or conceptualizations) of a time long past when our grandfathers sat on the beaches of Rhode Island and the nosebleed seats of Fenway Park drinking 'Gansett on a hot summer day that probably wasn't quite as toasty as they are now. At its worst it reminds you that you are just a hipster in college drinking PBRs cooler, mustachioed cousin with nicer hair.

As far as the traditional review categories, I'd just say that 'Gansett is really just on par with the course. It's tough for me to differentiate it from other AALs. And yet, I still opt for it from time to time because I'm a sucker for good marketing and, if they've got one thing going for them down in Providence, it's marketing.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 18:24:31 | More by BTVflatlander

KingdomBobcat

Vermont

3.45/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

A-Pint can, but it says "Hi Neighbor" so it's definitely better than any other American Lager I've had
S-Like a hipster PBR
T-Like a hipster PBR
M-Like a lager
O-Great for hot sunny days, beaches, boat rides, or games of Mario Kart in a college dorm.

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 18:15:59 | More by KingdomBobcat

magictacosinus

California

3.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to angrybabboon for providing this local brew to me. Poured out of a 16oz can into a tulip pint glass.

Pours a golden, pale yellow color with an initial large burst of carbonation, as well as a frothy, lightly thickened 2 finger of head into the glass. The head eventually dies down next to nothing, with some lightly tinged foam on top, as well as some surprisingly small pockets of lacing with every sip I take. Bubbles continue to glide upwards no matter how much I let this sit around, which adds some charm. Looks refreshing and nice - and keep in mind this is a style I NEVER review, so it's definitely good for AAL to look this presentable.

There's a lightly tinged sweetness in the aroma caused by the golden barley and corn, combined with modestly cracked graininess, and a little bit of grassy zest. There's a little bit of booze underneath, and maybe a bit of skunkiness, but nothing too metallic or faded from the can. Slightly fruity as well... Almost holds a cider-like aroma when investigated a little closer. Not too pervasive, but not bad at all!

The taste is pretty much on the similar spectrum, except that's there's a little bit more of a hop presence as well as more juicy, grainy, corn-focused sweetness. The corn is actually really subtle, and never gets in the way of what the flavor is attempting to achieve. There's a sweetened, fruit-filled flavor as well, and coated with a little bit of off yeasty flavors. This is much better colder and filled with livelier carbonation, however. The more it sits around, the more it becomes thinned and not as refreshing or flavorful, in my view. It doesn't lose its charm on what it wants to be, nevertheless.

Now THIS is an AAL that I can back my support for! Totally refreshing and flavorful, and a really nice thing to have after a long day, or, er... A long week of drinking huge beers. I would recommend pairing this with food (think BBQ, steak, tomato soup) rather than on its own, but it works well with the warming weather over here. Glad I could try it, and wish we got it out here in the West.

Serving type: can

04-24-2013 01:39:40 | More by magictacosinus

alexgash

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

16 oz. can.

Clear and clean golden straw body. Small, wispy, eggshell white head. A bit of lacing. Sweetish bread and cereal malts. A little corn. Spicy, peppery, noble-ish hops.

Bready malts up front with honey sweetness. Hints of corn cereal and toasted grains. Light cidery-fruitiness mixes with spicy, peppery hop bitterness in the finish. Lingering honey cereal sweetness. Moderate body with a lively, refreshing feel. A pretty decent AAL that leans on the sweet side.

Serving type: can

04-21-2013 00:53:32 | More by alexgash

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.36/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

One of my favorites for the summer months. Can poured into a glass.

A crystal clear gold on the pour with a large two-finger white head. Scents of sweet lemon bars, dry grains, slight hints of fresh hops. Not bad. Crisp refreshing mouth. Perfect for the style. Mild light citrus notes, mild hops, dry husk, sweet kiss on the finish. This is always an easy-drinking ale for the warm months. It's got a bit more girth and flavor than most other adjuncts, so I'll reach for this again. Nice beer.

Serving type: can

04-14-2013 18:38:49 | More by Onenote81

chinchill

South Carolina

2.8/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Undated 16oz can served in a lager glass.

Appearance: Sparkling clear, golden, and plenty both fine and coarse bubbles. Formed a nice foamy white head which had decent retention and provided surprisingly attractive lacing.

Smell: typical American Adjunct lager, if a bit more corn.

Taste: too lightly flavored, yet the corn is more obvious upon tasting; lightly hopped, leaving it mildly sweet until the finish; fairly clean tasting.

Mouthfeel: thin and crisp, with aggressive carbonation.

O: not actually bad, but trivially different from other macro-brewery American Adjunct Lagers.

Serving type: can

04-08-2013 23:58:48 | More by chinchill

fx20736

New York

3.74/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

bought on 3/29/13 as part of a 6 pack of 16 oz cans from Beers of the World for $ 5.39.

poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass at fridge temp.

polished brass shade of gold with some lazy bubbles. mile high linen white head leaves nice lacing.

aroma: pale malts are overpowered by a musty hoppiness

mouthfeel: average.

taste: thick white bread with just a touch of corn syrup sweetness finished with just enough hops to balance.

notes: I like everything about this beer. Brewed in my hometown of Rochester, a retro brand that was a long term advertising sponsor of my Boston Red Sox, the attractive old school can and is easy to drink and, good looking. All this for ninety cents a pint. Drinking this evokes memories of what I think retro lagers of old tasted like while listening to a baseball game on the radio. I think I just found a new lawnmower beer.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 08:32:21 | More by fx20736

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Perfectly clear light gold/straw. Head is bright-white and bubbly. Quickly drops to a small cap and collar. Lively carbonation pulls throughout. Little to no lacing.

Smell: Pale, slightly bready malts. Solid punch of lager yeast. Straw and freshly mowed grass. Some corn and a vague spiciness. Mild and inoffensive. Some raw pale grain.

Taste: Sweet grain. Pale bready malts offer a corn-like sweetness. Husky grain. Some solid hits of grass and straw. Underlying vague spiciness from the hops. Slight caramel malt sweetness, almost cooked. Clean and succinct.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with a medium to high carbonation. All on point for the style. Slightly dry, but clean overall.

Overall: You can be my creepy neighbor if you're offering these up.

One of the better American adjunct lagers on the market. Nice and clean and even when warm it doesn't bottom out and suck. Drinkable at all temperatures and that's worth a little something, especially for the style.

Serving type: can

03-30-2013 00:26:59 | More by Goblinmunkey7

suspect

New York

3.59/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 16oz tallboy into a Samuel Adams perfect pint glass.

A: Perfect golden color...crystal clear. Normal pour leads to a big 3 finger fizzy head that fades and leaves a nice fluff of fuzz on the top. Tornado of fizzy bubbles rise up from bottom.

S: Pretty decent lager smell. Grains, faint hops.

T: Full flavored lager. Lots of crisp malts with some hop balance. Not anything special but for a lager, this one is nice.

M: Medium bodied (big for a lager) and a nice crisp finish.

O: A decent, easy drinking lager.

Serving type: can

03-17-2013 00:40:50 | More by suspect

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.63/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've heard about this since I started reading about beer. Especially since trying to find which economy beer is most worth buying. This beer was decent and worth the low price tag, but it didn't live up to the hype at all. I've had cheaper beer that was better. This one tastes A LOT like the cheapest beer in America, Big Flats. It bears some similarities to Asian adjunct lagers I've had as well. I would have to say this is not as good as Old Milwaukee, which is cheaper and a tiny bit less bland.

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 01:44:04 | More by ElCommodoro

CloudStrife

New York

3.6/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16oz tulip poured into a tulip. Canned on Oct 12 2012.

A: Pours a very clear light golden yellow with a 1 finger white head. Dissipates in under 2 minutes leaving a ring around the edge.

S: Similar to the smell you would expect from most macro brews. Has that corn like quality of malts to it.

T: Good balanced taste here. Has the a light sweetness from the malts, hints of hopping toward the back end. Pleasant malt lingering in the finish.

M: Light body with good carbonation. Very smooth and drinkable. Fairly crisp finish.

Overall this is the best American Adjust Lager I have had. Isn't offensive and actually quite easy drinking.

Serving type: can

01-03-2013 21:21:46 | More by CloudStrife