Victory Lager - Victory Brewing Company

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Clear straw with 1 finger white head with good retention and moderate lacing

S - pretty wimpy lager yeast, malt, citrus

T - Nothing standout, your standard lager, not very bitter with a nice touch of wheat.

M - Light body, high carbonation, effervescent, smooth.

O - Good summer beer, but Victory has so many other better brews I would never get this again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2012 14:53:20 | More by williamjbauer

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Victory, Downingtown, PA

First had this a while ago, but I just recently revisited it. It's not something I'd normally go for, and it's not my usual style, but if the owner is going to buy me one, who am I to decline?

Served in a 0.3L German-style tumbler, Victory lager pours a crystal clear golden brown color with a nice cap of foamy white head that retains well, and leaves just a bit of soapy lacing. Aroma of light German malts, light floral hops, basic, no nonsense. Taste follows the aroma, pale malts, crackery grains, floral hops, crisp, clean, nothing complex or amazing, but it's a standard lager, so what more can you ask for? Light body, and goes down as smooth as anything. For the style, this is a very good beer. If you want something simple and extremely easy to drink, yet miles ahead of the macro market, look no further.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2012 14:15:33 | More by Rifugium

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

At Downingtown location:

In a pilsener glass:

A: clear light golden color, small frothy head, fast fading head leaves rings and spotty lacing

S: malts, not much else

T: sweet through the malts

M: light to medium, sessionable, sweet aftertaste and sweet and watery finish

O: easy drinking Munich Helles, decent for the style, good for me

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 21:02:11 | More by kangarooAdam59

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap at good dog in philly

Pours a clear straw golden color with a lighter white head resting on top. Fades fairly quickly with a few spots of lacing.

Floral hops with a swift bitterness in the nose. Straw and toasted grain malt. Touches of grassiness and lemon peel add a nice crispness.

Light hoppiness up front, grassy with lemon peel. Soft malts with straw and toasted grains. Light steelyness and faint fruit tones. Finishes super crisp and clean.

Lighter body, higher carbonation, tingly and a little dry on the tongue. A solid, drinkable lager once again from Victory.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 14:30:06 | More by xnicknj

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

smakawhat

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Pizza Paradiso Dupont DC, into a mug.

A rising shiny fourteen carat gold, bright as all get out body, with a small collar of simple white. Classic singular straight rising carbonation that never stops. Looks like a solid lager.

Bouquet is small smelling, soft kind of malt but not much else with a little yeast.

Taste comes off with a heavily carbonated feel. Mild white bread and Wonder Bread light. Stupidly crisp with a mild herbal hop presence and even some butter. A bit gaseous but just tolerable enough.

Overall a good example of a lawn mower beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 18:32:01 | More by smakawhat

rtepiak

Poland

3.93/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

this is definitely better on tap. Had both on a trip out to allentown. An intense pride for victory out there. And they are the best brewery by volume in my opinion so i'm all for it. Few do it like then quality wise. Mass production worldlyness isn't easy. And with that said... This is a great brew with an american yeast augmentation... Or accent. Look is good. Some subdued head but i can't tell if it was due to the humidity. Gold clear pour. Nice hay and bubble gummy esters. Export sweet nose. Palate is dry... But not pilsner. Nice balance. apple rind, bubble gum and hay. Dry nice balence and some porter grape hopping but with a brisk finish that has hints of biscuit.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2011 05:20:26 | More by rtepiak

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

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer was a nice looking light copper color. The head was fizzy and white. Kind of faded off after a few minutes. The aromas here are oh hops and malt pretty much. There might be a little wooden aromas too but not much. The flavor is pretty hoppy, there is a little bit of a earthy tone in the aftertaste. The malts leave some dryness behind as well. The mouthfeel is quite drinkable. This beer is pretty good and deserves a try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2011 02:54:45 | More by Knapp85

glid02

Georgia

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

On-tap at Taco Mac Metropolis in Atlanta.

Pours a clear light straw color with a one-finger bright white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of absurdly crisp light malts with sharp light citrus aromas. Also present are hints of leafy and spicy hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells, though note quite as robust. Smooth light malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by bright citrus flavors - more lemon rind than anything else. Midway through the sip the citrus influence fades a bit and the flavor profile becomes more bitter with the addition of earthy hops. Very slight hints of breadiness come into play before fading out to allow the hops carry through to a solidly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this is another very good lager from Victory. Very smooth and I wish I had access to this more regularly. Very well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2010 02:41:08 | More by glid02

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the Fort Worth Flying Saucer Fall Beerfest.

Golden pour with a large white head. The aroma is grainy with a little bit of corn and some bready malt. The flavor is more grain with some fruity hop characteristics. I get a little bit of grape in the flavor as well as some grassy and spicy hops. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

A nice, easy drinking Helles Lager.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2010 18:12:41 | More by Mora2000

JunkYardJake

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beverly Hills Tavern in Wyomissing.
Served to me cold, with a full fluffy white head. Gold in color with sharp clarity. Smells pretty good. Bread, hay, and honey. Palate is quite sweet with a good honey and cracker malt flavor. Finishes with just a touch of grassy hop flavor. Overall, a strong option when in search of a refreshing mild flavored lager, without adjuncts.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 22:40:04 | More by JunkYardJake

MP72

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A- pale gold with a nice white head which sadly diminished quickly. Very clear on par with the best german helles.

S- not a lot going on a bit bready and grainy ,,slight lemon smell. Overall weak in the nose.

T- Very clean and with a bit of hop bite and some euro skunk just enough to give it some pilsner character. Not at all in a bad way.
Finishes nicely and leaves you wanting more.

D- Very good nice moderate ABV and easily quaffable since it is a bit on the thin side even for a helles.

Overall Victory wins again I love these guys from my home state and this is a nice summertime beer for the heat we're having and a fine Helles.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2010 22:37:35 | More by MP72

Halcyondays

California

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours slightly hazy yellow with a soft white head, great lace.

S: Bready malt, nice Helles nose, but nothing substantial.

T: Delicious sourdough bread malty German flavour. Distinct hop notes at the end add balance. Good flavour.

M: Smooth and creamy. A bit chalky. Medium-bodied.

D: A real nice lager, glad I got to try this legendary East Coast brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2010 22:18:36 | More by Halcyondays

morebeergood

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Second beer of the night at the Kinsale. Served on tap in an imperial pint glass. Bright yellow color, with ample carbonation. Nice sized white head. Pretty standard looking lager though. Smell was a bit malty, but not much else. Taste was pretty spot on for a lager. Nice balance of flavor profiles. Mouthfeel was pretty crisp and dry. While the flavor didn't blow me away, the smoothness of this beer impressed me. Extremely easy beer to drink, a very good choice for a session beer. Why anyone would bother to order a macro lager over a quality craft lager like this is beyond me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2009 18:08:45 | More by morebeergood

Soonami

Pennsylvania

2.42/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Had on-tap in a pint class at Standard Tap, Phila, last night.

I wanted a lighter beer to quench my thirst last night after a long day of traveling and this beer disappointed. I expected a beer similar to Prima Pils with less herby hoppiness and more body and malt. Instead, I got a piss-yellow, lager with little hop flavor, not much malt or body, and no head. The beer with thin and tasted like nothing I was expecting. Granted this is a step up from Yuengling Lager and the like, but it's not what I would expect from a Victory lager. Maybe this is what the style is supposed to be like, but I did not like it one bit. I was very disappointed and left wishing I had ordered the Stoudt's APA that my dinner companion had, in place of what I had gotten.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2009 22:07:49 | More by Soonami

krenshaw

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - very light in color, I'm typically more favorable to darker beers.. with our default kegorator setup it was a little foamier than usual, three fingers rather than two, though that was only the first beer of each day.. overall a visibly refreshing brew..

S - not a strong smell, but refreshing, smells kindof like a Miller Lite

T - very smooth, not too strong.. not a light beer but tastes like one.. great for summer time..

very drinkable brew, like i said above.. does not fill you up and not too strong of an alcohol feeling..

for a lighter looking beer, this was not all too bad.. very drinkable would indicate a great beer to share with friends.. overall i would probably get it again in a bar, but not to fill up my keg at home..

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2009 03:41:10 | More by krenshaw

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a darker yellowish-golden color with a foamy white head that settles into a nice lace. Aroma is nothing special with subtle hints of floral hops. Flavor is a nice balance of hops , maltiness and a crisp golden flavor. Very smooth drinking enjoyable session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2008 08:32:11 | More by corby112

fitzy84

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Moan and Dove. This golden-yellow lager is extremely clear to see through, however, there is practically no head. The aroma is barely a hint of hops. Surprisingly, the taste was very developed even with the lack of apparent smells. It turned out to be a really sweet lager. An average carbonation allows it to be somewhat refreshing but a bit too watery. Overall, this drink was a little too crisp, a little too watery and lacked any powerful aroma. But it was decently sweet.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2007 22:38:14 | More by fitzy84

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not my first Victory, but my first Victory purchased on tap in SC! Poured a clear light amber amber with a small white head and a very quick fade, almost no retention, and only a slight bit of a residual lace. Very light smell, somewhat grainy with bread tones and not alot of fullness to it. The taste was decent, with a crisp, clean, smooth feel, but just not alot of profile to it. Grainey bread like taste, small hop trying to break through but just doesnthave enough to get through all the way. Overall this is a decent session beer nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either. Could definatly see myself throwing this down on a 90+ day, but at night as a tv beer, nah.

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2007 23:33:00 | More by mikesgroove

orsulacp

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The beer pours a clear gold/yellow with a nice fluffy white head. I wrote down what I smelt and then had to look it up, DMS (a sweet corn smell), it was very pronounced and there was a slight metallic smell there too. It had a nice grainy malt taste, slightly sweet with hint of bitterness at the end of the sip. It had a light/medium body with a good level of carbonation making a very refreshing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2006 01:43:19 | More by orsulacp

rousee

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear straw color--good continual carbonation. It forms a small head and leaves a moderate amount of lace on the sides of my glass.

The smell is mud, skunk, earth essence--not real pleasant but somewhat appropriate for the style. After having a couple sips, the smell is actually more pleasant.

Very smooth bready taste with just a faint hop finish. This would be a good beer to introduce a macro drinker to craft beers with. There are some adjuct-ish characteristics present but I would bet they dont use any here. Smooth and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2006 19:29:18 | More by rousee

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

DarkerTheBetter

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer came a clear straw yellow with a hint of brown and a thick frothy head. Smelled of dry dirty corn and a musky citrus. Tasted very citrusy for a lager with a sweet corn and oats base. Very slight and simple. Mouth feel was light bodied with a medium to high carbonation. I’d have to say that this would be an ideal transition beer for some one addicted to macros who is curious about Victory.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2006 18:37:41 | More by DarkerTheBetter

HugoGrim

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on tap at the Victory brewery.

The look was pretty plain. Pale yellow body with a white head which disappeared quickly.

Scent is sweet grain with hints of spice and fruits. Hops hiding in the background.

The flavor starts with a graininess then moves to a fresh bread flavor mixed with fresh hops. Finishes with a yeastiness.

A decent beer overall, though it is paled in every category to the other beers available. It tasted like water after such monster brews as Storm King and Hop Devil, though I tried not to let that hinder the rating.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2005 14:37:58 | More by HugoGrim