David Brockington's Tasting
Notebook

Blue Ridge Amber Lager

Product Reviewed: Blue Ridge Amber Lager
Brewed By: Frederick Brewing Co.; Frederick, MD
Style: Vienna Lager
Form Reviewed: Bottle shipped from brewery
Originally Reviewed: February 1995
Added to Tasting Notebook: January 4, 1998

In 1995, I reviewed both the Porter and the Amber Lager; neither performed well. The Amber Lager in particular was just plain bizarre, and quite possibly indicative of poor quality control at the plant. About two months ago I received word through Mark Silva that the folks at Frederick Brewing Company would like me to have a second pass at their product. I agreed under the stipulation that the old review for both the Porter and Amber Lager will remain available, which has been my practice in the past when amending reviews. These new Blue Ridge reviews mark a break from the past in two respects, however. First, and importantly, this is the first time that I have reviewed a beer that was shipped to me gratis from the brewery. While my preference is to review beers that I obtain as an ordinary consumer, I have decided that there is little morally wrong with receiving free beer! The second departure is that the new review for the Blue Ridge beers will be stand-alone rather than amendments to existing reviews. Enough time has passed since the original reviews (three years) to justify this departue. Nevertheless, my honest and critical approach to reviewing these beers is no different from those reviewed in the past.

Initial Impressions:

Poured from the bottle, the beer is a crystal clear medium-amber, well conditioned, with a nice tan head that exhibited excellent retention properties. A nice overall presentation.

Nose:

The bouquet features a deep maltiness but with a hint of cloying sweetness. While I doubt the presence of either a decoction mash or imported malts, the nose is better than most U.S.-brewed Viennas.

Flavor:

Clean and crisp. This beer, unlike the example reviewed in 1995, is clearly a lager. The flavor progression begins with a bit of maltiness at the opening, which grows on the palate. A hint of the requisite nuttiness is present, but perhaps not enough. The finish is a bit on the bitter side for the style, but it is a subdued bitterness. Clearly, noble-style hops were utilized, which is another plus for this beer.

Final Analysis:

While perhaps a bit too bitter in the finish for a Vienna, this beer marks a significant improvement over the sample I reviewed in 1995. While not quite at the level obtained by Victory's Festbier, the Blue Ridge Amber Lager is a credible achievement as a Vienna. This is a beer that I would be pleased to order several during a session with friends.

Rating: ***

(5-star scale)

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