Thomas Hooker Munich-Style Lager - Thomas Hooker Brewing Company

yankeeheel

Maine

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pretty copper-amber with a small and active off white head. Little ring of lace is all that's left. Smells mildly citrusy and honey sweet. Tastes a lot more malty than I would've thought. Solid bit of caramel with a distinguished backbone of lemon and grass. Moderately thin like a lager should be. Easily drinkable and downright tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2004 22:55:35 | More by yankeeheel

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

clear, bright golden hue, massive slab of snow-white foam, swiftly dwindling down...aroma is slightly sweet, but balanced and dry, ultimately, lightly hoppy, floral, herbal, nice.
Taste: smooth, effortless, slick and wet, small texture, but altogether satisfactory. Small hoppy edge, adequate malt, ample taste, but perfectly drinkable. Light bodied, but not skinny in the flavor department, nor is it in any way outward or lush, no, it's just right...and I'm liking it more, as I finish it off!...slightly buttery-sweet, though, but I'm not knocking that...
I can easily see this as the good beer you can serve to your friends who normally choose a macro lager or some such, they'll either be impressed by the total package and wowed by the taste, or won't know the difference.
Haven't had a bad Hooker yet, and this continues that trend!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2004 09:27:06 | More by feloniousmonk

ABV

New York

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Crisp, lively and superbly balanced. An unexpectedly delicious session brew, since this isn't one of my favorite styles. I'm a huge hophead and tend to prefer bigger beers like barleywines, so why am I drooling over a light summer lager? I guess the moral here is that even an unexciting style, if brewed properly, can be outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2004 01:04:46 | More by ABV

Wolfsdenbrew

New Mexico

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nice thick head, light straw colored. Head lasted for quite awhile. Fairly thin lacing, bb sized bubbles cling to side. The color was a golden amber with just a touch of haziness.

Aroma was a caramel malty sweetness, with a little hay grain in the background. Didn't notice much if any floral hop aroma.

Full bodied flavor with very little hop character, just a slight lingering of dry, hop bitterness in the finish. Yeasty, like homemade sourdough bread.

Mouthfeel was full bodied, good carbonation. Just a faint metallic, penny taste in the finish.

Overall, this was a good representation of the style, very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2004 03:39:41 | More by Wolfsdenbrew

watermelonman

California

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This poured to a bright gold with a nice medium head that lasted very well. There's not much lace.

The smell was mediocre, consisting mostly of grains and light hops. It seems a little off. The taste is a bit better, being crisp and bright with a touch of honey. The mouthfeel is good and clean while the drinkability is very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2004 22:40:45 | More by watermelonman

Kookiekwan

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours golden/amber with a 2 finger head and some moderate lacing. The aroma is of roasted malts with hints of some floral grassy hops. The initial taste is sightly hoppy but soon the sweet malty character takes over and it finishes off with a spicy hop bitterness that I didn't expect. The beer is medium bodied, clean, crisp and very drinkable.

Reflection: This is my first beer from the Troutbrook brewing company and I thought it was excellent! I will be this one onto my friends and family.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2004 15:27:35 | More by Kookiekwan

Brent

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very nice, crisp beer, perhaps a little more in line with a North American blonde ale than others in the style. Nice interplay of malt - barely to the sweet side with a touch of clover honey. Just the slightest hint of some orchard fruit - somewhat tart up front.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2004 02:47:46 | More by Brent

counselor

Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a very good helles lager. Pours golden honey color with 4 finger head in my Lowenbrau 0.5L stange. The aromas are like crisp dry fall day in the woods. The taste is clean, bright malt with a slight nutty grain undertoe. Dry finishing beer that strikes a super balance between the sweet malt flavors and the noble hops. This is a beer that goes down well one after the other.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2004 00:02:56 | More by counselor

UnionMade

Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Well, I'm down to my last bottle out of a case, so it's time to write a review.
The beer pours into a 23oz hefe-style glass a rich, burnished gold. An energized plume of ivory froth billows up on a gentle pour, creating a gorgeous crown reaching about an inch above the glass. Great clarity, a reverse rainstorm of carbonation rising to feed the head. Head retention is fantastic, with a solid sheet of lace clinging in it's wake. If this isn't the most perfect presentation on a beer, I don't know what is.
The aroma is pretty spot on for the style. Toasty, cake dough sweetness flecked with a soft, floral noble hopping. Perhaps a pinch of saaz spiciness. Very, very clean, with the distinct signature of munich malt. A slight grainy touch abrades the malt like a 220 grit sandpaper.
The flavor starts out squeaky clean, the malt allowed an open road to travel. Cake or sugar cookie sweetness, toasted at one on the dial....maybe two. A ghost of peach esters, perhaps some grassy notes mingling with the incoming hops, moving directly into a mildly hopped finish. Just a slight bitterness, enough to balance, contributing to the flavor with a bright floral tone. The aftertaste snaps off pretty clean, just a slight residual munich malt graininess. Medium to light bodied with that signature Paul Davis microscopically fine-yet-spritzy carbonation. An excellent mouthfeel with a snappy crispness in the finish. My only complaint is that it gets so dry in the finish after about half the beer that my tongue starts to feel rough.
This is really a soft, subtle session bier masterpiece. It's certainly no monster, and won't flood your palate with flavor, but for a normal strength beer, I'm having a hard time thinking of stuff I'd rather drink. It blows my mind that this is brewed in my home state. This is the kind of stuff better suited for sale in the tapered 500ml bottle with lots of german text. Very, very authentic, probably what it's like to go to Munich and drink helles bier from the source. I count myself lucky to have Paul Davis and the folks at Thomas Hooker making beer only 20 minutes away. One hell of a summer beer, and a different style for a change. If you're in Connecticut for the summer, do yourself a favor and buy a few bottles for you and your friends. Very Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2004 22:49:02 | More by UnionMade

oxmasterscream

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22 oz. bottle courtesy of UnionMade, big up.

Appearance: Big pillowy off-white head sat atop a beautifully clear, tiny bubble laden, golden lager splashed with just a touch of amber.

Smell: Sour apples, pale malts and a faint bits of floral hops and lime. Very German, authentic aromas. Maybe the best smelling lager ever. I wanted to dive right into the glass.

Taste/Mouthfeel/Drinkability: All at once, crisp sour apples and a touch of spice wrapped in sweet malt, followed by a very mild bitterness and then a sweet malty finish. Very carbonated, light to medium bodied but amazingly smooth and creamy. Taste was extremely fresh, clean and invigorating. Easily the best lager I've had to date. This is easily something worth stocking up on for frequent enjoyment. Must be nice to live in CT. Great, great stuff. Thanks again to UnionMade for the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2004 03:27:07 | More by oxmasterscream

connecticutpoet

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a deep yellow lager, with not much head.

The aroma was of aromatic hops, almost a hint toward skunky, with a slight sweetness and touch of vanilla.

The taste was crisp, lightly hoppy, with hints of citrus... definitely a European lager taste.

Overall, the beer was pretty good... not as good as the beers of theirs I tried at the Connecticut River Brewfest, but good in its own right.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2004 02:42:34 | More by connecticutpoet

kfoss99

Maine

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

One pint six ounce brown bottle, poured into an imperial pint glass.

Appearance – The truth in advertising award goes to…Thomas Hooker Munich Style Golden Lager. This beer is as gold as an Oscar, with a fluffy and creamy white head, and as bubbly as victory champagne.

Smell – mild yeast notes are present and light hops play hide-and-seek in the background.

Taste – Apples and honey are balanced by a late arriving hops presence.

Mouthfeel – Very smooth. A spark to the tip of the tongue accompanies the medium-body of the lager.

Drinkability – This beer would be a great beer to drink with friends, or anywhere in which you don’t want to think about the beer your drinking. It’s an unassuming beer, one that would win best supporting actor, not best lead actor.

Thanks to ErikTheRed for this lager.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2004 23:28:00 | More by kfoss99

rajendra82

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This bomber came to me courtesy of BeerAdvocate spritdeus via a trade. After poring, the beer revealed a clear golden colored body, and a two inch tall foamy off white head. The aroma was clean with honey like pilsner malt, and faint florally grassy hops. The taste was malt driven, with a sweet honeysuckle flavor and very mild hop bitterness. The mouthfeel was creamy and soothing with a medium thick body. This style is supposed to be difficult to pull off as there is no way to hide any off flavors. And Troutbook is clearly at the top of their game, as they have brewed a beer that does not possess any off flavors that would need hiding.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2004 02:21:58 | More by rajendra82

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle obtained via trade with Wyllder. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a big ol' 2" slightly off-white head above the amber brew. Laces excellently, and aroma is mainly of pale malts, with an effervescent undertone. Taste is maltier than any other golden lager I've had, which is nice, and well-balanced. Mouthfeel and drinkability are excellent as well. Still wishing they could get these over the northern border, would make my daily brew choices that much harder.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2004 21:39:24 | More by ppoitras

sulldaddy

Connecticut

3.58/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am splitting this bottle with fellow BA Stopper. The beer pours a clear bronze color with a soft bleached white head. Looks nice.
Aroma is some lager malts with caramel and toffee representing. I also get some light floral hops. The aroma is not overpowering but is very pleasant.
First sip, beer is average bodied and has average carbonation levels. The bubbles are very fine and prickly on my tongue. Flavor is toffee sweet up front with a bit of grainy corn presence in themiddle and actually has a bit of a soapy astringent finish. The glass was thoroughly rinsed so I dont think it was residue in the glass. The beer is very smooth and easy to drink. QUite refreshing on a warm Sept evening. Another great beer from Thomas Hooker!

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2004 15:02:28 | More by sulldaddy

wyllder

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, orange-amber with a good 1/2 inch off-white head. Head recedes and leaves very little lacing as you go.

Smell is a light mix of roasted malts and lemongrass.

Taste is sweet, almost lemony. Carbonation adds a crisp edge to it. Lemongrass tones are evident and the finish is both slightly tart and bitter.

Quite drinkable and pleasant on a hot afternoon.

Wyll-

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2004 02:06:27 | More by wyllder

edchicma

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to wyllder for the bomber. First, lager is not my first choice in brews, but with som elike this, I could move it up the scale. This offering poured avery light golden amber with a nice head that laced nicely down the glass. Smell was malt and grassy hops...a very nice blend. Taste was equally balanced between a lighytly sweet malt aroma and grassy hops flavors. Mouthfeel is medium, and not overly crisp, but that's fine with me. Easy on the drinkability scale...actually a sipper due to the heavier body...very nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2004 00:39:30 | More by edchicma

necoadam

Connecticut

4.78/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

They did it again! Damn this is so good and tasty.

Appearance: Pours out a golden/brass color with a nice big head that develops and takes a little bit to settle down.

Smell: Quite malty with a touch of hops in there for a nice balancing effect. It was also more on the sweet side, but it wasn't too overwhelming.

Taste: Nice malt backbone to this beer starts off. Hops blend in with some bready notes which mixes in with some ctirus and caramel flavors. Nicely balanced.

Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth and creamy and goes down quite fast. Carbonation was fairly good. Nothing out of control here.

Drinkability: Damn, feels like this 22oz bomber went like a 12oz bottle. Picked up three bottles Saturday and killed them all. This is just so damn tasty. If you see this Hooker, do pick it up!

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2004 00:32:26 | More by necoadam

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to fellow BA Venom, David and I were able to try this very tasty American version of a favorite style. I wanted to make it special, so out comes my Kloster Andechs pils glass. This beer opened gently, and poured into my glass and David's (Raderberger pils glass, if you gotta know) with no big fuss or overun. The color is clear copper, very nice hue. If you take a nice glance at your glass, you have tiny streams of carbonation rising through-out the glass. Head topped both glasses at first, but has since died down. While I was impressed with the color, I have to say that what impressed me most with this beer was it's spot on aroma...mostly malt, exactly what it should smell like. I was a bit surprised that it was so authentic. After imbibing this for a while, I have to admit, my initial taste impression was of bready doughiness. Good tasting, but pronounced. Now that the beer has been warming for a while, I have to say that the mouthfeel is very good, medium. I think it could be a touch more crisp for the style, but on the otherhand, it makes it slightly more of a session beer. I am still getting nice breadiness, with a bit of hop bite and some sweet corn in the end, but I have to hand it to the brewer, no metallic notes at all. Very nice, easy to drink...if I had this on tap, I don't think I would switch to anything else at the session. Thanks again Venom!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2004 23:05:48 | More by PatandDavid

mikeys01

Colorado

4.6/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served from a 22oz bottle, fresh from the brewery. Pours into my glass a scintillating burnished gold color, crystal clear with nice effervescence and a perfectly foamy white head. Aroma is very sweet and malty, with some light german hop notes and just a hint of green apple. Sipping yields a refreshing floral hop character up front that is delicately balanced to complement the massive chewy malt center. I don't know if it's partly the freshness of the beer, but what's stuck with me since my first samples of this beer is that it's a bit like chewing on a handful of fresh cracked malt. A bit sweet, very slightly caramelized, with a nice glimmer of spicy hop bitterness in the finish. A bit of apple noticeable in the initial flavor after a bit as well. Body is not quite medium, which combined with the taste make it immensely drinkable. Excellent beer, cheers to Paul and Troutrook for continuing to crank out some top quality beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2004 02:19:40 | More by mikeys01