Victory Lager - Victory Brewing Company

futureman69

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +39.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Ok, ok....you guys (and gals) are looking at my ratings and thinking "how could this brew possibly be as good as he claims..?"...well, there are a few things you need to know first:
1) You need to be a Helles Lager fan
2) See item #1...
3) You get the picture. Helles lager is a VERY exclusive beer club; it's definitely NOT for the faint of heart or for the hop-enthuiast. Helles-style lager has its own beer-aesthetic - and not one that can be easily explained - but let's just say I live within 45 minutes of the Victory brewery in wonderful Amish-laden Pennsylvania and I can say with utmost confidence that - straight out of the tap or the bottle - this IS the most delicious example of this variety of beer I have ever had.
Do yourself a favor: try it. If you don't like, set it aside and don't think about it for several months...
Then pick it up again - give it another try. If it still doesn't appeal to you, set it aside. Talk with friends. Play pinball. Shoot skeet...take a walk.
THEN - come back and drink it again. Ok..."Wow!", you'll say...or "huh.." or something.
Ok. At this point, change your life. Go back to school and get that post-graduate degree. Or, maybe, propose to that high-school sweetheart and finally get married and settle down. Something. SOMETHING! Do something with your liffe, Goddam-itt! Then, after you've changed, come back and try Victory Lager again. Perhaps you will have found a place for it in your life - at last. Perhaps not.
Ok, several more decades have past; the family's good, the kids are grown, the wife's got some 'growing pains'...says she wants to try life on her own for a while - out in the Pacific Northwest - without you - so you let her go...you trade in your stocks, sell the homestead, flip over your long-held socio-political ideology and find life anew as an ascetic new-millenium warrior monk. God bless you! Now, go to your local beer retailer and purchase a fresh case of Victory Lager. Chill it. Open it. Sip it. Savor it. Delight in life, because (God knows) your days are numbered and good lager (like this) is a rara avis - a scent of life blown on an ocean breeze.
...try to grasp it for a moment and know life as few others live it...

Victory Lager. Indeed.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2006 03:12:19 | More by futureman69

shbobdb

Indiana

4.95/5  rDev +37.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer pours urine yellow with a limp head . . . but boy does it taste!
Ahhh . . . now this is what beer drinking is all about. Round and clean, yet there is a faint malty taste that lingers on the back of the tongue with a pinch of hops up front.
Nothing finer than a good lager and this is a good lager. One of the best American Lagers I've had. Certainly the best made outside of Wisconsin.
Yeah, this lager could easily compete in Wisconsin . . . heck, it could even find itself in Germany and have a fighting chance against some German varieties. I love it, I love it, I love it.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2006 04:37:38 | More by shbobdb

PhageLab

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a standard pint glass with a Victory logo.

A - Nice 2 finger head tops off this bright golden brew.

S - Mostly subtle aroma, bread-like with a hint of lemon.

T - Grassy flavor with the perfect hop bite. Balanced, slightly herbal in tone, and ultimately refreshing.

M - Clean and crisp with a mild carbonation level.

D - Fantastic representation of the style, especially for an American brewery. Plan on enjoying this again in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2011 23:43:03 | More by PhageLab

muskiecf

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Smooth! Refreshing and light. Grassy hoppiness. Has a strong yeast bite that is dry and very pilsner like. I am impressed with how complex it can be yet so simple. A great session lager in the old world style! Victory keeps making some of the best brews in the Eastern US. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2009 20:32:44 | More by muskiecf

Avagadro

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Straw-colored and crystal clear, This lager produces a frothy egg-white head capping off the lazy bubbles floating from the bottom of my pint. I would have liked to see some more vigorous lacing, but everything else is so spot-on that I can still justify the 4.

S: This is already seeming more like a German Pils than a Helles, not that there's a world of difference, and, as such, I'm not expecting too powerful of a bouquet. The nose is dominated by cereal grains and balanced out by a touch of spicy hops. The bouquet is a touch muted though, even for a pils.

T: The taste is easily the brew's best quality; sharp, crisp hops accentuate the delightfully dry body perfectly to create a remarkably refreshing brew with a certain subtlety that is seldom seen in the states.

M: V-Lager is very light and bubbly. Exactly to style.

D: This is one of the finest lagers available on US soil. I'm sure many of Victory's devout followers will be upset by the restrained hopping of this one, but I am very pleased that the brewers risked popularity in order to put out a more traditional product. Keep up the good work Victory!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 20:45:38 | More by Avagadro

CBFanWish

New York

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Victory Brewing Company has an excellent reputation of brewing some of the highest quality beer not only in the United States, but in the world. Beers like Storm King, and Prima Pils are often refered to as the best in their classes. Let it be known, they have yet another beer to join the ranks of these greats.
Victory Lager.
Victory Lageer isn't a new beer, in fact, it's been around for quite some time. It just so happens, I'm new to it.
Pouring a clear golden yellow with a light to moderate head, I am looking at what can almost be called the perfect example of a lager. Clean, clear and light in colour. Just what should be expected from one of the greatest breweries in the world.
The aroma was also clean. A malty sweetness mixed wonderfully with grassy overtones and floral undertones.
The taste perfectly mimiced the smell. Grassy hop taste and sweet malts.
I know what I like. This is a beer that should define the lager. Clean, crisp and clear.
Nice job, Victory.

Wish

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2005 19:23:04 | More by CBFanWish

MirkoCroCough

Croatia (Hrvatska)

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle into pint glass.

Crystal clear, bright shining light.

Very clean beery nose.

It's all in there and it is well balanced.

Good!

Clean and crisp.

This is a wonderful beer. Quality with no pretense. Impossible not to find enjoyable. Another homerun for Victory.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 09:37:56 | More by MirkoCroCough

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I purchased this beer at Market Cross Pub in Carlisle, PA.

The color of the beer was beautiful and inviting.

The smell was very aromatic

The taste was relentless in that it was full of flavor.

I could sit and drink a six pack of this in the evening and be quite content. A very good beer and i recommend for everyone!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2008 20:45:26 | More by Dodo2step

gory4d

New York

4.47/5  rDev +24.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear golden with a high white head. The smell robust yet crisp grain, with some herbal and floral notes. The taste is clean malt, crisp hops, sweet grainy notes, some mineral tang. It's sharply carbonated, slightly viscous. All in all an excellent Helles, easy to drink and very satisfying.

Serving type: growler

10-29-2011 04:28:40 | More by gory4d

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This was a big change from all my previous Victory experiences-Mild hopping! This is an excellent lager. It pours a nice deep golden color with a thin white head which dissipates fairly quickly and leaves no lace. The aroma is clean and fruity, with bread-like overtones. The taste is malty and smooth, with enough hops to clean the palate. The finish is very clean, with just a hint of a fruity aftertaste. I do believe I could drink these frequently (read "pound"). While different than many of the Victory beers I have tried, it is truly excellent. A great Dortmunder.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2002 18:54:24 | More by aaronh

CptAubrey

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a Pilsner glass.

A: Pale, pale yellow. No trace of chill haze. Fluffy white head billows above the rim of the glass and clings lace-like to the inside of the glass after receding. A beautiful, sparkling beer.

S: Spicy hops, hint of grain, and touch of sulfur. Smell is light and enticing.

T: So smooth and clean! Soft sweetness of malt and herbal, spicy hops predominate with low hop bitterness in finish. Very well balanced. Malt, hoppiness, and bitterness are all soft and clean. No harshness.

M: Fine carbonation and light body. Not watery, but I've had other helles lagers with a little more presence.

D: Supremely drinkable. Refreshing, balanced, and clean. Overall a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 21:21:47 | More by CptAubrey

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Finally got this down here in TX! 12 oz bottle with a best by date of Nov 28 2011. Pours a fairly clear, light gold color with a decent cap of white head. Retention and lacing are both average.

Nose is saltine crackers and a light, citric-flesh fruit. I thought I would find more graininess and grassy hops, but Victory has beat a different drum once again.

Taste is light and crisp with some biscuit grain and a fair amount of bright hops...both flavoring and bittering. I like this beer quite a bit, not necessarily a classic helles, but damn is it refreshing and tasty. I would have no problem finishing off a sixer of this in a day. Tasty, clean and interesting...just what I want in a nice lager. Excellent beer, I see a repeat purchase in my very near future.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 00:47:56 | More by twiggamortis420

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub. Pours a clear light gold with a white head. Nose is fairly mild ,with a pleasant fresh grain and a light hop note. Mouth is snappy, bright, super fresh grain and a kiss of sweet malt. A touch grassy in its hop element. This was one I overlooked for awhile but it's just fantastic. Understated, extraordinarily well balanced. Of course criminally underrated. One of the best lagers I've ever had, up there with Victory's best pilsners. They are masters with this style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2011 02:18:02 | More by JAXSON

mjurney

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle, enjoy by Jan 3 2012.

Slight hazy, gold-straw color. Lots of bubble rising up. Thin head.

Aroma is sweet grain, hay, touch of spicy hops.

The flavor starts off sweet grains, slight spicy hops towards the end. Some biscuity, honey, lemony. Body is light, very crisp. Medium carbonation. Dry finish and aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 23:20:34 | More by mjurney

saradad

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Going over some notes from the other night I got this:
A: Golden, visible carbonation, white head quick disappears.

S: Malty goodness with a citrusy hops balance

T: Sweet nutty with light citrus behind that, good balance.

M: Creamy, drying finish with a light hops aftertaste.

D: Oh yeah, this is a good one.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2008 19:53:12 | More by saradad

deadliest

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pale golden yellow. Lots of bubbles. 2 fingers of white head that sticks around for a short while and leaves dots of lacing behind.
S: Light malts and some citrus/grassy hops.
T: Light malt and citrus hops again. lemon zest, and biscuit.
F: Light mouthfeel. Crisp. Good carbonation.
O: Really good lager. Too bad craft breweries don't put out more examples of these beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 18:10:28 | More by deadliest

NODAK

Tennessee

4.3/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Smells pretty malty...biscuity....pretty tame.

The thing that defines this beer is how NOT in your face it is. The body is a somewhat sweet, grainy, but restrained malt. This holds for a decent while before the very tame hop bitterness makes itself known in the finish. There's also some biscuity notes on the finish as well. It's definitely a beer I'd recommend for people who are looking for a easy drinking beer year-round....while not incredibly complex, it's definitely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2009 03:31:33 | More by NODAK

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice golden color, with a white head that dies off and leaves a nice ring of lace around the glass. On the nose is light toasted bread, and touch of hops. On the palate there is a slight tart / sourness that tastes like green apples...whatever it was it tasted good, and I liked it. This is a super refreshing brew. I really enjoyed this brew...good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2002 18:01:39 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Part of the Poitras/VA 2004 vacation.

Enjoyed on tap at Capital Ale House - Innsbrook, Glen Allen, VA

14oz pils glass presentation. White 1/2" head over a plae straw brew, and no lacing present. Light pale malt aroma, and the flavor expanded on this with the crisp malt character leading up to a hoppy finish. Mouthfeel and drinkability excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

07-09-2004 12:21:46 | More by ppoitras

doppelmeup

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Had a bottle of this in a mug after working in the yard.

Poured a pretty, lemony-straw color. Not much head and very little lacing.

Not a lot of aromas, mild malt and hops but nothing to jump out, however for the style this is what I expected.

This beer had an excellent, subtle flavor that was not overly hoppy or malty, but did have a nice, mild taste. A good example of a helles lager, IMO.

Kind of a fizzy mouthfeel, but also light, smooth and crisp.

It really excels in the drinkability category, I wish I would have bought more than one to sample, as I could easily drink several of these in a row, especially out on a hot summer day grilling. This will be my beer of choice to bring to a summer party, especially if there are lots of non-BAers around who might squawk at something other than a typical lager.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 18:00:15 | More by doppelmeup

Schmidts

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours light yellow from the bottle with a small lasting head. Smells of sweet malt and grain with a light touch of hops. Taste is rather wonderful light refreshing reminds me of the old days and beer I drank when I was young. It feels great in your mouth smooth and light and a light sweetness! It is Very Refreshing. This is the kind of Beer you can sit down and just drink one after another and just plain enjoy! This is a beer I will drink as long as it is made and I do not mind paying more for as it is truely flavorfull!
Beer Its Not Just A Beverage It s Food!

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 00:18:15 | More by Schmidts

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: typically transparent, pale yellow color, short, off-white head.
Aroma: initially decent, dry, clean, with a late emerging caramel malt sweetness, mingled with notes of honey, amnd bourbon.
Nice, simple, easy-going taste, are my first impressions, and I was prepared to write this one of as ordinary, but it grew on me, and it got better as we became further acquainted.
Malt is predominant, providing excellent, lip smackin' texture, yummy.
Caramelly sweet, but not too so, it seems like sweet and dry just catch each and amke it a well-matched tango. Sweetness leads, though, and danced the tastebuds it a vigorous fandango.
Fills the mouth with friendliness on it's every entry.
All American lagers should be this good!
Thanks to PintofAle!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2003 15:51:17 | More by feloniousmonk

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoy by date of November 2004, Sampled December 2004
A spicy hop aroma emanates from my glass as I pour this beer. The beer is a brilliant straw gold color, and is topped by a frothy, just barely off-white head. The aroma is nicely full with continental spicy hop notes, I get notes of herbs, grass, and a hint of lemon. The beer is quite light on the palate, and has a pleasing malt sweetness. There is a nice bitterness in the finish, which is a nice balance. There is a decent amount of hop flavor here as well. This beer is actually defined by the hoppiness, though certainly not in the way that an IPA is defined by hoppiness.

This is just an incredibly tasty example of a Helles. Despite it being past its bottle date this beer tasted incredibly fresh and vibrant to me, I can't even imagine a fresh one being better.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2004 22:42:10 | More by Gueuzedude

Seanibus

California

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a radiant clear yellow, with a small head and streamers of carbonation. The aroma is powerful - you can smell this beer coming. It is bready and sweet with a nice sting of hop bitterness. The flavor is a little less powerful, but still delicious - bready, lemony with that distinctive Victory Brewing hop bitterness on the finish. The mouthfeel is thin and pleasant. This is an eminently drinkable beer

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2008 23:00:56 | More by Seanibus

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy gold with a foamy fading white head and some trickles of lace. Floral hop and sweet malt aroma. Medium malt with caramel notes. Fruity, and citrusy lime-like hop bitterness. A slight alcohol fuminess weaves in and out. Very fluid and drinkable. Nice summer treat!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2003 18:57:20 | More by BeerResearcher