Hop Syndrome Lager - Epic Brewing Co.

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A hazy pale lemon shows a rapid, bubbly rise of effervesce within. The head is a finger high, with a spongy and pitted surface that was eggshell white in color. Spongy coating with a very good coverage rate is left on the glass.

S: The nose had light pine, pale citrus, and grassy notes. Dry grains with earthy dry twigs were also present. Lightly hopped overall but still noticeable.

T: The flavor was crisp, of dry pilsner grains trying to sneak out from under the strong American pine hop influence. Pale citrus, nicely hopped per style with a lingering flowery hop, almost pollen like coating, on the tongue.

M: sharp, semi-crisp and bubbly from the strong carbonation. Light bodied with a dry hoppy pine bite upon the swallow.

O: Overall a crisp offering with its fair share of hops makes for a great summer time drink. The hops overshadow the fine german pilsner malt, but this is an American pale lager not a pilsner so much can be forgiven. Would like to see this in six packs. Very good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 23:09:29 | More by beerthulhu

kagent777

Utah

3.98/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Release #4 brewed on July 15, according to the Epic website. Poured into my goblet.

Appearance: A slightly hazy light yellow. A white head sits on top for a little while and then settles to leave a small ring and islands of foam. This beer even leaves a little lacing.

Smell: Clean pilsner malts with some fruitiness and spiciness from the malts.

Taste: Really clean crisp malts with mild but noticeable hops character. These one seems to be an extension of the Pfiefferhorn Lager, also brewed by Epic. The hops notes are subtle, but very pleasant. If I wanted to be hit over the head I would choose an IPA, on the other hand, if I want a nice drinkable beer with plenty of character, I will choose this one or the Pfiefferhorn. The slight bitterness from the hops does have a noticeably long finish

Mouthfeel: The body is light like a summer beer should be. The carbonation does not come on too strong.

Overall: I think this is a solid beer. The American Pale Lager is a tough category because it is dominated by the big boy on the macro market. Many craft drinkers will hold their noses up as they walk past this one to get something a little stronger. This is a shining example of a beer that can be used to win over craft converts. It tastes familiar enough to them, and yet is still well made with a solid taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 02:53:05 | More by kagent777

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

$7.99 bomber from Bourbon Street, Greenwich.

Good clarity. Yellow body. Three fingers of rocky white foam.

Pleasant grassy aroma.

Soft sweet malt beginning. Good bitter bite at the swallow. Clean finish.

Good fri light/medium mouthfeel.

Overall, a nice lager, though not as big and hoppy as I expected from the name and packaging. I was thinking something along the lines of an imperial pilsner. Not bad, but somewhat overpriced.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 04:43:35 | More by RonfromJersey

Gavage

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours a pale yellow color with a short 1" head that breaks apart to a thick surface foam. Nice lacing develops.

Smell: loads of lemons, grass, and a hop bitterness is easily detectable.

Taste: grass, lemon zest, tart green grapes, and a bit of spiciness. Bitterness is nicely balancing.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Crisp from start to finish with a bit of dryness late.

Overall: easy to quaff lager that is mildly refreshing too. Pretty good beer after doing some yard work and you need to quench the thirst.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 22:34:43 | More by Gavage

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a very light golden yellow with just a ring of bubbles around the glass
S - light grain aroma, very earthy grassy smell with some hints of lemon as well
T - grassy earthy taste, some grain and lemon as well. not alot there but a slightly bitter finish
M - crisp light-medium bodied, good carbonation
D - not the best flavor but fairly easy to drink, I probably wouldn't pick up another, but then again, i'm not the biggest lager fan.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 03:27:35 | More by mikereaser

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids, Longmont, CO

Poured straw-yellow, slightly hazed, with a thin white head that receded to a thin ringlet. Noticeable carbonation. Clean, light aroma, decent balance of sweet malts and citrusy hops. Basic taste of grains and sweet malts, lightly hopped for a good balance and a mostly dry finish. A little bitter. Light body, crisp, and pretty drinkable. Not bad for a lager.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 15:15:57 | More by Rifugium

Beaver13

Colorado

2/5  rDev -43%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

22oz bottle, release #1 bottled on 5/4/11 and 4.5% ABV. Pours a slightly hazy straw yellow with a smallish white head that quickly goes down to a thin collar that leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is sweet corny malts with some slightly metallic noble hops.

The flavor is sweet vegetal malts with a decent noble hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with sharp carbonation.

Overall, very similar to an above average euro lager with a little more hops.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 04:41:11 | More by Beaver13

jsprain1

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- SLightly hazy pale yellow. Head is thin, but leaves quite a bit of lacing on the glass.
S- Smell is relatively clean but there is just a bit of citrus aromas in there. Some spicyness too. But a clean aroma is the predominant charactersitic here.
T- Taste is initially pretty clean as well, sweet grains. In the finish the flavors really show, with a spicy and citric aftertaste, spice moreso than citrus. This is how a lager can be clean and still have flavor.
M-Pretty light and clean on the tongue. Could have used a boost in carbonation I think. Dry finish, however.
O- By American Pale Lager standards this is near the top. I would gladly pick this up for tailgating, or as my beer for over the course of a night. It doesn't push the boundaries quite so much as it advertises, but it still tastes good and that's what counts.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2011 21:33:45 | More by jsprain1

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Yep, looks like a lager...straw yellow in color, a thick, white creamy head, sticky lacing, mild carbonation.

S - Pungent earthy, grassy, grainy, with a little bit of dankness and light lemons dominate the nose.

T - Earthy, grassy, and mild lemons with a mild to moderate citrus bitterness are the main attraction on the palette, not much more. Leaves a slight citrus aftertaste.

M - Light side of medium body, crisp, and leaves a coating of citric grassy aftertaste in the mouth. The grassy citrus bitterness lingers for several minutes after the sip.

O - This particular beer in the Exponential series doesn't do it for me. It's hoppier than the average lager but compared to the other beers I've tried in the Exponential Series from Epic, it seems out of place. Yeah, it's hoppier, but it's only 5.1%, I don't see how this would be classified in the same category as some of their bigger beers...maybe I'm missing something?

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 02:45:40 | More by jzeilinger

stimulus

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Release #2.
Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours straw yellow with a one finger white head. (as expected for the style)
S: Pilsner malt with a lightly hoppy background.
T: Reminds me of your run of the mill light lager while cold, but after warming up a bit, the hops start to show through with a fruity presence.
M: Crisp, clean, light bodied, and well carbonated.
O: Once I let this warm up to about 45-50 degrees rather than the colder temperatures lagers are traditionally enjoyed at, the beer became more than just your average pale lager, yet not as hoppy as advertised. So good for the style, but falls short of expectations of a hoppy lager, and probably my least favorite Epic offering as of yet.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 19:46:26 | More by stimulus

EStreet20

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle, 16 oz shaker.

A - A nice straw color, fairly clear. Head forms nicely, thins out but stays arund with a capper.

S - Clean aroma. The earthy American hops are there, barely detectable, but there.

T - A nice tasting lager. Good amount of pils malt. The hops provide a touch of spice, small earthy note.

M - Very nice, easy to drink lighter body. Nice carbonation for a thirst quenching lager.

O - A very nice, quenching, easy to drink lager.

Notes: Excellent for the style. Torn here, as it is a high dollar for an American lager but it is a truly excellent, well made beer and definitely satisfies more than most pale US lagers. A worthwhile buy, even for a style that people generally don't associate with high quality, non-adjunct laden ingredient bills.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 03:02:59 | More by EStreet20

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a pale pale straw yellow with a great clairity.

S- lots of german pilsner malt aromas with a cracker like characteristic. Earthy tones mingle in with a leafy grassy hop profile. Finishes with a clean dry aroma.

T- dry cracker biscuity malt up front. Bright leafy hop flavors in the middle. Finishes with an earthy note that transitions into a dry clean crispness that lasts into the aftertaste.

MF- slick mouthfeel with a medium body and average soft carbonation.

D- very very drinkable and bright. Perfect summer quencher.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 21:04:30 | More by Viciousknishs