Strawberry Harvest Lager
The beer is topped by a two-finger thick, pale off-white colored head that sits on top of a clear, gold colored brew. The aroma smells distinctly of strawberry syrup, with even a touch of vanilla. Nothing else is really noticeable in the aroma, though there is a touch of butterscotch, which might just be a product of the strawberries. The flavor is fairly dry and non-descript until the strawberry flavor kicks in. This tastes of strawberries quit strongly, but it is more an oral-nasal component than an actual flavor. The strawberries contribute a mix of vanilla, light butterscotch and of course that strawberry signature. There is a soft sweetness to the finish that is quite light, the sweetness itself seems to be accented by the fruity, strawberry character. Perhaps a touch of thin malt character is noticeable underneath the strawberry, but, other than the spritzy carbonation, this is purely strawberry driven. There is no real beer character here at all. This is very light and quaffable. Almost not beer because it is so one-dimensionally strawberry driven. Having said that, the strawberries have been used quite well here. The beer base is quite clean allowing the fresh, clean strawberry character to come out shining. I didn't dislike this nearly as much as I was expecting & I really like that this has hardly any sweetness to it at all (it really could have been a cloying mess otherwise). If I was a big strawberry fan, I would have enjoyed this a bit more, it seems to be one of the better, bland fruit dominated beers out there. Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ