Bavarian Lager - Capital Brewery

jsh420

Illinois

2.38/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

pours semi hazy copper orange with a 1 finger head that faded to a film and left some spotted lacing

smells of light cereal grains and a little apple

taste is rather bland - light grains and apples that were a bit tart

mouthfeel - medium body with low carbonation very smooth and creamy

overall - very let down with this offering from capital since the make some of the best lagers i have had - maybe that is why this beer has been retired

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 01:37:14 | More by jsh420

bristol2120

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a moderately coppery hue, with a good, solid head. The coloring is pleasing, though possibly a bit darker than I am used to seeing in a Munich helles. Aroma is very good, with a nice malty, bready presence, and hops detectable in the background. Taste is very rich, with a sweet, maltiness dominating other notes. The taste is pleasant, but I would expect a greater hops presence for the style. Mouthfeel is very good with a smooth body, and a subdued carbonation. Overall, this is a nicely drinkable beer, but it also seems to trend a bit toward an Oktoberfest style than a true Munich helles.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2010 03:23:44 | More by bristol2120

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into my pint glass the beer is clear golden yellow. About one finger of white head recedes leaving a smattering of soapy lace.

The aroma is malt sweet grains. Earthy black dirt hints as well.

The flavor is mostly sweet grain. Moderate malt with a apple like swet finish. Not real strong in this area.

Medium to light crisp clean body.

Overall a nice representation of the style. Capital does lagers quite well.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2010 02:50:51 | More by beerwolf77

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.93/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Used to drink this a good amount in Milwaukee, picked up from Koppa's. Appearance, looks copperish. Aroma is kind of a turn off, smells like old beer from a basement party.

Taste, nothing stands out. Hop quality = minimal, malt bill, alright, yeast doesn't seem to bring anything to the table.

Mouthfeel lacks any development or diminishment. Very drinkable, because there's nothing there, its like water.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 01:07:22 | More by Beerandraiderfan

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Over the past few months I've gone through about three 6-packs of this, and only now do I realize that I haven't reviewed it yet. This has been a go-to lager for me since I "discovered" it for sale in IL, so now I'll rectify this oversight.

The beer is an orange-copper shade, clear, with a thick slab of solid-looking foam and typically some decent streaks of lace. The aroma is perfect Helles lager, just exactly what I'm looking for each time I pour one. Very malty with only enough noble hops to restrain the sweetness, giving the nose a rich bready quality. The taste is also all malt, toasty and bready with a very nice profile of pale malts, nothing notable from the hops (appropriately). Medium body with a slightly creamy texture, decent carbonation but not enough to make things spicy, just a smooth drinking lager.

If you like well-constructed Helles lagers, this is for you. Among my favorite American takes on the style, edging close to New Glarus Bohemian Lager.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2010 00:52:39 | More by TurdFurgison

dstc

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden, amber color with a light tan head. Head falls to nothing. Sort of looks like apple juice.

Clean grains and mild malt aroma.

Sweet, clean taste. Rather typical lager style.

Light to medium bodied in the mouth with moderate carbonation.

Easy drinking beer with a rather clean finish.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2009 14:05:10 | More by dstc

vishneda

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Liked: Easy drinking beer that goes down smooth, right on target for a bright lager. Has a nice floral aroma that was strong off of the initial pour.

Needs Improvement: Pale looking beer with light fizz on top. Had a pale taste as well, with some notes of corn and very macro-like flavor profile. It wasn't what I had hoped for and a far cry from some of the better ones I've had in this style.

(Tasting notes dated 24 Aug 2009)

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 14:53:22 | More by vishneda

Tone

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, golden color. 2/3 inch head of a white color. Good retention and good lacing. Smells of earthy malt, yeast, sweet malt, slight grain, and some nutty aroma. Fits the style of a Munich Helles Lager. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with a low carbonation level. Tastes of earthy malt, yeast, slight hop, some pale malt. Overall, not a bad munich, but slightly lacking in body.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 21:53:02 | More by Tone

campbellj21

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass.

A-Very clear golden/yellow color with a 1 1/2 inch white head that reduces to a ring around the top and stays with the beer, no lacing.

S-A little weak smell, hard to pick up, a little malt and some grassy notes.

T-Sweet maltiness at the beginning finishing with a nice herbal hop finishing, a very clean aftertaste with just a little bitterness.

M-Good carb, light in body and nice and crisp.

D-Very easy drinking and can be a nice session beer and could go well with a full dinner.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 03:37:28 | More by campbellj21

Strix

Wisconsin

3.3/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear golden, decent head

Smells of pilserny hops, with a hint of sauerkraut. Really.

Pilsnery hops the main flavor, with sweet malts, and bread. I get a hint of red delicious apple in there too.

Solid mouthfeel, finishes crisp.

Capital has more interesting brews than this. I guess I don't really get super excited about the style, so I may be biased low. I think this is a solid brew for the style, but it was only so-so for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 15:01:00 | More by Strix

roadhouse

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into pils glass

Pours a deep golden, slightly orange color with a one inch white head. Keeps a good cap the whole time and leaves some moderate lacing.

Aroma is malty with a bit of breadiness, and a slight toasty character to it. A moderate amount of spicy hops with a slight herbal presence. Slight DMS knocks it down a bit.

Taste has a good malt presence up front with some more bready notes. Hops come in and are again spicy with a slight herbal tinge. Slight DMS knocks it down a bit.

Mouthfeel is medium-light, clean, crisp, typical for the style.

This was a pretty good version of the style from an American brewer. It seems it's hard to find good lagers available here. This one isn't as good as many German ones but it gets the job done.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 06:29:33 | More by roadhouse

khiasmus

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A bright, sunny day, despite the predictions. Perfect clarity, you can see for miles. A large, thick, white, puffy cloud springs up for a minute over the glowing gold, then wisps away. Bubbles race their way to the top, to join the flat rocks floating along.
An aroma, so simple, but so lovely. Baking bread, coming from the house at the bottom of the hill. The wind blows, and the smell mingles with the grass and a light flowery note.
"Let me see, i know I have it here... Ah." I find it in my satchel, twist off the top, take a swig. "mmm." Clean, light, bready honey-malt on the tongue, the grassy hops taking over in the finish. The carbonation is so high that it's almost spicy, dancing across the mouth and leaving that tingly feeling that soda will if gulped too quickly. Balance is excellent. This is what a bavarian lager should be.
This is the perfect beer for a sunny, lightly breezy, warm spring day... and evening... One could lie on a hillside, watch the clouds go by, and enjoy how quaint the hillsides are, with this delicious, refreshing beer in hand. I recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2009 01:40:01 | More by khiasmus

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.4/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle a bright crystal clear yellow with a thin white cap of foam.

Aroma of sweet malts, grain, and light floral hops. Sadly, it reminds me of many macros.

Tastes of sweet malts, grain, sugar, and a light bitterness.

Lighter bodied, crisp, and moderately carbonated.

Nothing real memorable here, and overall, an average lager from Capital.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2009 00:44:47 | More by Monkeyknife

Greggy

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours 1 finger white head, semi soapy, that recedes pretty quickly. The body is clear yellow, with some slight yeast sediment and the slightest chill haze.

S- Very big on sweet caramel and honeyed biscuit notes. Fruitiness is also present.

T- Starts out with a bit of honey, biscuit, graininess, some pretty evident nuttiness and a bit of fruitiness from the hops. The finish has the nuttiness and some hopiness (honestly a goofy combo).

M- Low carbonation is good. Nice and smooth.

D- This is a pretty good MHL but the nuttiness just seems a bit off.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 20:47:36 | More by Greggy

Soneast

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a crystal clear, pale gold color with a 1/2 inch white head that dissipates quickly leaving very little lace on the glass.

Mostly malts and sweet grains on the nose. A hint of honey in the background, no notable hop presence.

Taste is like the aroma, predominated by grains and sweet malts, with a slightly sweet finish. Once again no hops detected.

Light to medium light in body with a great amount of carbonation to help back up the refreshing quality of the beer. A very good lager, refreshing, good flavor and incredibly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 22:01:09 | More by Soneast

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle.

Poured a medium and slightly hazy golden color with a smaller sized white head. Aromas of graininess, lighter honey, and some breadiness. Tastes of bread, grainy, some honey sweetness, and had a light grassy finish.

Notes from: 11/26/06

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 15:37:29 | More by hopdog

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a sixer at Byerly's and it's made for a nice session beer to have around the house. The flavors aren't quite (but close) as balanced as the helles straight out of Germany I've had, Hacker-Pschorr's. It does have similar nutty biscuit malts follow and balanced by spicy and grassy hops. Very drinkable and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 02:58:16 | More by tempest

wheatyweiss

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a pale straw with no cloud and an effervescent head.

Aroma is of crystal malt and DMS, slightly corny and very light.

Taste is of crystal malt and slightly corny. Not much for hops and quite macro-ish. Needs more hops and more malt, weak all around.

A good lawnmower beer, but not much else.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2008 23:26:08 | More by wheatyweiss

Rennpferd

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It poured golden yellow, clear with lite carbonation and a one finger head.

It had a faint scent of malt of hops.

There was a nice taste of sweet malt that was accompanied by a bit of floral hops. It was lite yet not watery and smooth. It had a slight hop finish but was fairly clean.

It was refreshing. I found it very drinkable. It is one of the better lagers that I have had lately.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2008 00:35:55 | More by Rennpferd

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Eggshell white foamy head standing at an inch and a half. The body is a strong golden brown.

S - Strong malt aroma. Quite inviting.

T - It starts out with a soft malt flavor and then the taste becomes more and more intense as the sip moves to an end. This is a nice tasting lager.

M - It starts out soft and finishes pretty much the same.

~ Not bad at all. I'm growing more fond of this Middleton, Wisconsin brewery with each beer I am lucky enough to sample.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2008 03:08:58 | More by cdkrenz

Vancer

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep golden yellow with a nice white head, lace tries to stick, but it lets go quickly.

Light malty aroma, but the quaff is solid - full grain with a nice European hop kick. Fully finishes with a crisp and clean hop bite. Drinks nicely in the mid-west summer heat.

Solid lager from our brewing friends up north.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 21:53:30 | More by Vancer

Pauly2X

Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Bright clear brillant gold with a half finger head.

S- Mellow sweet malts with a faint hop aroma in the background.

T- Smooth mildly sweet malts balanced ever so slightly throughout by noble hops.

M- Just light enough to be refreshing.

D- Very much so.

A very fine example of a refreshing yet flavorful beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2008 20:46:25 | More by Pauly2X

ibashmuck

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Purchased as part of "build-your-own-six-pack" at local grocer. Small head on basic lager beer yellow. Smell's very generic as well, nothing stands out. Early slurps were boring, but it get's better toward the end. Medium bitterness, fizzier than it appears, it's a fine lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2008 20:01:11 | More by ibashmuck

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a medium amber color with moderate white puffy head.

Smell has some light fruity notes that really seem to caress the nose.

Taste tickles the palate with a nice fruity maltiness and a sublime touch of hops at the finish.

Great taste retention with a long lasting refreshing malt character.

Perfect drinkabilty. This is a beer I could drink everyday.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 23:03:41 | More by tgbljb

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Golden-bronze, white head, no retention, slight lacing.

S: Floral hops, grassy spice & a little bread.

T: Spicy, floral hops and a very nice bready maltyness (Continental malts?), crisp bitterness.

M: Moderate body & carbonation, smooth with a dry finish.

D: Nice.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2008 02:08:56 | More by Derek