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Gopher Lager
Big Rock Brewery
- From:
- Big Rock Brewery
- Alberta, Canada
- Style:
- American Lager
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 76
- Avg:
- 3.11 | pDev: 10.61%
- Reviews:
- 19
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 06, 2012
- Added:
- Jun 17, 2010
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
Clean and crisp with a nice hop flavour and aroma.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by spinrsx from Canada (ON)
2.55/5 rDev -18%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.55/5 rDev -18%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
12oz Bottle
Appearance – Clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is a fair amount of lacing. The head lasted for around 4 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Grains, bread, malts, corn
Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation. I can taste breads/grains mixed with light hops and some corn. There is also a touch of an apple or pear juice sweetness.. The beer finishes with a slightly spicy corn syrup aftertaste.
Overall – I wasn't expecting much with this beer.. and it met my expectations. It really is unremarkable and I have no reason to ever drink it again.
Aug 17, 2011Appearance – Clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is a fair amount of lacing. The head lasted for around 4 minutes before it was gone.
Smell - Grains, bread, malts, corn
Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation. I can taste breads/grains mixed with light hops and some corn. There is also a touch of an apple or pear juice sweetness.. The beer finishes with a slightly spicy corn syrup aftertaste.
Overall – I wasn't expecting much with this beer.. and it met my expectations. It really is unremarkable and I have no reason to ever drink it again.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.19/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.19/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I've been leery of trying this because I was under the impression it was a typical adjunct lager, and probably never would have tried it if it hadn't come in a variety pack. I'm relieved that the style implies it's at least a step above the average macro, but we'll see.
Pours a deep yellow colour that reminds me of apple juice or urine. An aggressive pour produced a half-inch of head that vanished within a minute. No lacing to speak of; even the surface is mostly translucent except for a ring of foam around the edge. Not a lot of bubbles from the bottom either; this is the only thing that would allow me to distinguish it from most Canadian macro lagers. Smell is the dictionary definition of nondescript, maybe a little bit of malt. Not a great start.
Fortunately this beer is actually reasonably tasty. A little bit of sweet malt on the tongue, with a twinge of bitterness at the end. The description on the side of the can, which I didn't notice until I had already tasted the beer, describes it as an "all-malt lager" that is "easy on the hops". If nothing else, their assessment is fairly accurate. A clean-tasting lager, without any off-putting adjunctiness. Very straightforward, but refreshing. Mouthfeel seems watery at first but is actually a bit creamy. Carbonation level is surprisingly low and allows you to actually enjoy the flavour.
Gopher gets a thumbs-up, and at only a dollar a 6-pack more vs. your average domestic macro lager, it's at least worth a try. It's certainly a step above Bud and Canadian. The problem is that Gopher is still likely to get lost in the shuffle between craft beer enthusiasts, who are likely to go for more exotic offerings, and macro drinkers who are content to stick with something slightly worse for slightly less money.
May 13, 2011Pours a deep yellow colour that reminds me of apple juice or urine. An aggressive pour produced a half-inch of head that vanished within a minute. No lacing to speak of; even the surface is mostly translucent except for a ring of foam around the edge. Not a lot of bubbles from the bottom either; this is the only thing that would allow me to distinguish it from most Canadian macro lagers. Smell is the dictionary definition of nondescript, maybe a little bit of malt. Not a great start.
Fortunately this beer is actually reasonably tasty. A little bit of sweet malt on the tongue, with a twinge of bitterness at the end. The description on the side of the can, which I didn't notice until I had already tasted the beer, describes it as an "all-malt lager" that is "easy on the hops". If nothing else, their assessment is fairly accurate. A clean-tasting lager, without any off-putting adjunctiness. Very straightforward, but refreshing. Mouthfeel seems watery at first but is actually a bit creamy. Carbonation level is surprisingly low and allows you to actually enjoy the flavour.
Gopher gets a thumbs-up, and at only a dollar a 6-pack more vs. your average domestic macro lager, it's at least worth a try. It's certainly a step above Bud and Canadian. The problem is that Gopher is still likely to get lost in the shuffle between craft beer enthusiasts, who are likely to go for more exotic offerings, and macro drinkers who are content to stick with something slightly worse for slightly less money.
Reviewed by Converge from Canada (AB)
2.68/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
2.68/5 rDev -13.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
341ml bottle poured into a 16oz pint glass.
A - One finger of bone-white head that quickly dissipates into nothing. Very bright yellow hue.
S - Smell is made up of simple grains with a touch of citrus. Barely anything here.
T - Taste follows suit with the smell. A little stronger on the grain, with notes of citrus and light sweetness still there. Very simple, but I don't really mind it.
M - Medium to light carbonation and vey thin body; drinks like water.
D - Very drinkable without feeling to much like a mass-produced lager, but doesn't really do anything for. It's smooth and doesn't taste bad, but that's it.
May 10, 2011A - One finger of bone-white head that quickly dissipates into nothing. Very bright yellow hue.
S - Smell is made up of simple grains with a touch of citrus. Barely anything here.
T - Taste follows suit with the smell. A little stronger on the grain, with notes of citrus and light sweetness still there. Very simple, but I don't really mind it.
M - Medium to light carbonation and vey thin body; drinks like water.
D - Very drinkable without feeling to much like a mass-produced lager, but doesn't really do anything for. It's smooth and doesn't taste bad, but that's it.
Reviewed by evlu1441 from Canada (AB)
2.77/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
2.77/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
A - Nothing special. Pale straw colour. Looks like a typical pale lager: Canadian, Budweiser, etc. There is a thin head that quickly disappears.
S - Sweet. Kind of like roasted corn or something.
T - Starts out tart, and then turns sweet. Finishes on some light maltyness. The sweetness stays. Nothing special.
M - Really thin. The bubbles are fairly fine, lending to a sort of smoothness.
D - Pretty good. I could see myself slamming a few of these on a camping trip during the summer.
Overall, I'm not too impressed. I think I'll stick to Canadian or something if I want a decent bland lager.
Mar 15, 2011S - Sweet. Kind of like roasted corn or something.
T - Starts out tart, and then turns sweet. Finishes on some light maltyness. The sweetness stays. Nothing special.
M - Really thin. The bubbles are fairly fine, lending to a sort of smoothness.
D - Pretty good. I could see myself slamming a few of these on a camping trip during the summer.
Overall, I'm not too impressed. I think I'll stick to Canadian or something if I want a decent bland lager.
Reviewed by marty21 from Canada (MB)
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A: Pours a clear yellow with about one finger worth of foamy head. Settles to a ring around the glass and doesn't leave any lace.
S: It has a grainy aroma. Maybe some hops but I'm second guessing myself.
T: It has almost a sweet grainy taste not very complex.
M: Medium carbonation with a light to medium body.
D: It would make for a good session beer. I would prefer this to any BMC product but compared to any craft beer this would take a back seat.
Feb 17, 2011S: It has a grainy aroma. Maybe some hops but I'm second guessing myself.
T: It has almost a sweet grainy taste not very complex.
M: Medium carbonation with a light to medium body.
D: It would make for a good session beer. I would prefer this to any BMC product but compared to any craft beer this would take a back seat.
Reviewed by scott451 from Canada (ON)
3.3/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.3/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A aggressive pour produced a bubbly one finger white head on a clear lemon yellow. The head soon diminished to a thin cap. Some patchy lacing stuck around for a while.
Grassy malt smells. Some metallic notes. The taste was surprisingly smooth and fruity with a very subdued hop finish. Some grassy metallic notes.
Light body. Moderate carbonation. A good refreshing summer beer. Better than I expected. A very drinkable version of a drinkable style.
Feb 06, 2011Grassy malt smells. Some metallic notes. The taste was surprisingly smooth and fruity with a very subdued hop finish. Some grassy metallic notes.
Light body. Moderate carbonation. A good refreshing summer beer. Better than I expected. A very drinkable version of a drinkable style.
Reviewed by CrazyMike from Canada (AB)
3.53/5 rDev +13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.53/5 rDev +13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Golden yellow appearance with decent head. Smell is hard to detect. It does have a grassy, citrus hint to it though.
Taste is also very light, picked up a grassy, grain taste though. There is a hint of corn. Body is a bit watery but clean with decent carbonation. Aftertaste is surprisingly very malty.
Overall this seems like a good summer beer. Nothing extraordinary, but refreshing. Would recommend a try.
Dec 28, 2010Taste is also very light, picked up a grassy, grain taste though. There is a hint of corn. Body is a bit watery but clean with decent carbonation. Aftertaste is surprisingly very malty.
Overall this seems like a good summer beer. Nothing extraordinary, but refreshing. Would recommend a try.
Reviewed by microwavabledish from Canada (AB)
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
new on tap at RATT on the U of A campus.
The beer arrives quickly with 1 finger of dense white head which fades quickly and leaves no lacing at all. The rest of it is just kind of... lifeless. pale yellow, although not quite the fizz bomb I was expecting. actually there isnt much carbonation at all. It just kind of sits there.
The beer smells very clean, as in very little going on. There is some sweet grassy notes and no hops to speak of.
The taste is very much the same as the smell. a little grass, a little hay, a little grain. no bitterness really. The nice thing is that its not ridiculously sweet or corny or...gross really. Big rock says that Gopher is an "all malt" lager, and this seems to be the case. nothing off-putting, nothing to knock your socks off either though.
The mouth feels a watery, but far less fizzy than expected. Finishes slightly dry.
Drinkability is high. It is pretty neutral in that it isn't life changing and it isnt bad. It would be really easy to put away a few of these without a second thought, cause really, there isnt much to think about. Its a summer bbq lawnmower beer and it suits its purpose.
Dec 20, 2010The beer arrives quickly with 1 finger of dense white head which fades quickly and leaves no lacing at all. The rest of it is just kind of... lifeless. pale yellow, although not quite the fizz bomb I was expecting. actually there isnt much carbonation at all. It just kind of sits there.
The beer smells very clean, as in very little going on. There is some sweet grassy notes and no hops to speak of.
The taste is very much the same as the smell. a little grass, a little hay, a little grain. no bitterness really. The nice thing is that its not ridiculously sweet or corny or...gross really. Big rock says that Gopher is an "all malt" lager, and this seems to be the case. nothing off-putting, nothing to knock your socks off either though.
The mouth feels a watery, but far less fizzy than expected. Finishes slightly dry.
Drinkability is high. It is pretty neutral in that it isn't life changing and it isnt bad. It would be really easy to put away a few of these without a second thought, cause really, there isnt much to think about. Its a summer bbq lawnmower beer and it suits its purpose.
Reviewed by GodOfBeer from Canada (ON)
3.47/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
3.47/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
Pours a very pale yellow, lots of carbonation and a thin white head. I haven't seen a beer this pale in a long time. Almost looks like yellow coloured water.
Smells sort of metallic at first. Some sharp zesty citrus notes, sweet grains, not much here.
Tastes like it smells. Somewhat sweet, finishes slightly hoppy. Pretty good for a lager.
This is an extremely drinkable beer, one of the best thirst quenching lagers I've had, but nothing special.
Nov 27, 2010Smells sort of metallic at first. Some sharp zesty citrus notes, sweet grains, not much here.
Tastes like it smells. Somewhat sweet, finishes slightly hoppy. Pretty good for a lager.
This is an extremely drinkable beer, one of the best thirst quenching lagers I've had, but nothing special.
Reviewed by DoctorStrangiato from Canada (AB)
3.25/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.25/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a 341-ml bottle into a long tulip glass.
Appearance - pale yellow colour with moderate carbonation. Little to no head with only a thin ring of lace around the edge.
Smell - a steady, sweet malt aroma with some light cream.
Taste - thin and watery followed by a small breakthrough to some decent mild malt overtones. Low bitters on the end with a wet finish.
Mouthfeel - very inoffensive and well balanced.
Drinkability - this goes down easy with no effort. It is overpriced for what it is but can be consumed in quantity at a good pace.
Nov 20, 2010Appearance - pale yellow colour with moderate carbonation. Little to no head with only a thin ring of lace around the edge.
Smell - a steady, sweet malt aroma with some light cream.
Taste - thin and watery followed by a small breakthrough to some decent mild malt overtones. Low bitters on the end with a wet finish.
Mouthfeel - very inoffensive and well balanced.
Drinkability - this goes down easy with no effort. It is overpriced for what it is but can be consumed in quantity at a good pace.
Reviewed by andrenaline from Canada (ON)
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
3.1/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Scored a bottle of this off my neighbour. I've had it once before in the summer, but it from what I recall it was pretty average.
A - Pours a crystal clear golden colour, with a thin film of head after an aggressive pour, no retention, no lacing with moderate body carbonation.
S - Grassy hops, sweet corn and sour lemon. Reminiscent of a pale Euro lager.
T - Much like the scent with the grassy hops coming off the top, followed by a grainy bready malt that lingers on the finish.
M - Medium body, not overly carbonated, but not too thin. No real complaints here.
D - Nothing memorable here. It's by no means terrible, it's just not all that memorable. I would never turn one down, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to get one.
Nov 06, 2010A - Pours a crystal clear golden colour, with a thin film of head after an aggressive pour, no retention, no lacing with moderate body carbonation.
S - Grassy hops, sweet corn and sour lemon. Reminiscent of a pale Euro lager.
T - Much like the scent with the grassy hops coming off the top, followed by a grainy bready malt that lingers on the finish.
M - Medium body, not overly carbonated, but not too thin. No real complaints here.
D - Nothing memorable here. It's by no means terrible, it's just not all that memorable. I would never turn one down, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to get one.
Gopher Lager from Big Rock Brewery
Beer rating:
76 out of
100 with
28 ratings
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