Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

All The World's a Stage for Lagers

All the World's a Stage for Lagers

Pale Lagers

Pale lagers are the standard international beer style, as personified by products from Miller to Heineken. This style is the generic spin-off of the pilsner style. Pale lagers are generally light- to medium-bodied with a light-to-medium hop impression and a clean, crisp malt character. Quality, from a flavor point of view, is very variable within this style and many examples use a proportion of non-malt additives such as rice or corn. Alcohol content is typically between 3.5-5 percent ABV, with the upper end of the range being preferable if one is to get a true lager mouthfeel.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

85 Eco Beer, Bio Grande (Holland). 5% ABV (11/07)
Rich golden color. Bamboo sprout, water chestnut, whole wheat flour and clay aromas are interesting and follow through to a dry, light-to-medium body with citrus rind and nut accents and a crisp, zesty toasty fade. Curious and fun.

85 Big Head Pale Lager, Burleigh Brewing Co. (Australia). 4.2% ABV (11/09)
Vibrant golden color. Lightly toasty, creamy aromas follow through on a soft entry to a dry, light body with hints of roasted grains and root vegetables. Finishes with a crisp, toasty fade. A nice quaffer.

84 Tiger Crystal Beer, Asia Pacific Breweries (Singapore). 4.3% ABV (11/09)
Pale golden color. Aromas of honeyed golden raisin toast follow through on a round, frothy entry to a dry, light-to-medium body with hints of dusty pear skin and lemon and a brisk hay and tilled earth-accented finish. A decent quaffer.

84 Premium Lager, Alberta’s Best (Canada). 4.9% ABV (11/07)
Pale golden amber color. Honeyed cornbread and golden raisin aromas follow through to a smooth, soft and dryish light-to-medium body with a gentle apple mineral water-like fade.

84 Original Lager, Bowes (Canada). 4.9% ABV (11/07)
Bright golden. Nice aromas of crusty bread and light dried citrus and apple skins. A soft, silky entry leads to a dryish light-to-medium body of apple bread, tangy citrus and pewter flavors. Finishes with a quick canned apple sauce fade.

84 Northern Light Lager, Granite City Food & Brewery (IL). 4.2% ABV (10/08)
Golden yellow color. Muted aromas of peach jam, grainy dough and roasted chestnuts follow through on a crisp, prickly entry to a dry, light body with mineral and bread crust notes and a light breezy butter roasted nut and earth fade. A nice quaffer; serve very cold.

84 Lewis & Clark Light Gold Lager, High Noon Saloon & Brewery (KS). 5% ABV (10/08)
Golden amber color. Honey roasted nuts, toasted bread and lemon custard aromas follow through on a creamy entry to a dryish medium body with melon rind and nutshell accents. Finishes with brisk, astringent muddy hay and lemon yogurt-like fade.

84 Beerlao Lager, Lao Brewery (Laos). 5% ABV (10/07)
Pale golden yellow color. Dried fruit, salted nuts and candy corn aromas. Brisk entry leads to an off-dry, light body of creamed and candied corn and sugared lemon flavors with a quick custardy finish.

84 Alpine Summit Lager, Moosehead Breweries (Canada). 5% ABV (10/07)
Golden yellow color. Golden raisin and date bread aromas. A crisp, frothy entry leads to a dryish light-to-medium body of lemon custard on raisin toast and flavors with a lightly toffeed fade.

84 Alpine Lager, Moosehead Breweries Ltd. (Canada). 5% ABV (11/08)
Bright golden color. pepper and egg bread aromas follow through to dryish light-to-medium body with corn flake notes and mild citrus, apple and earth on the piquant finish. Pleasantly zesty.

84 541 Lager, Hop Valley Brewing Co. (OR). 4.9% ABV (11/09)
Deep golden color. Tilled earth aromas have hints of peach marmalade, banana bread and buttered nuts. Frothy and medium-bodied with chewy pastry dough-like malt and a note of canned vegetables. Finishes with a zippy citrus and grassy hop finish.

83 Premium Lager, San Miguel Brewery (Philippines). 5% ABV (11/07)
Pale golden color. Toasted cornbread, citrus powder drink and honeyed nut aromas. A soft, lightly frothy entry leads to a dryish light-to-medium body of toasted grain, roasted corn and lemon spritz flavors. Finishes with a quick, sweet corn meal fade.

83 Premium Lager, Cusqueña (Peru). 5% ABV (11/07)
Golden color. Sour cream frosting, dried oregano and toast aromas. A frothy entry leads to a dry, light-to-medium body of nut toast, pumpkin seeds and lemon curd. Finishes with a quick diet lemon-lime water fade.

83 Point Special Lager, Stevens Point Brewery (WI). 4.6% ABV (10/08)
Bright golden yellow color with a lacy head. Mild toasted cornbread aromas have a creamy lemon pudding edge and follow through on a crisp entry to a dry, light-to-medium body with effervescent lemon spritz and talc notes. Finishes with a lemon sorbet and metal ore fade.

83 Pacifico Clara, Cerveceria Modelo (Mexico). 4.4% ABV (11/08)
Egg bread aromas and flavors with a dry, light body with hints of apple skin and nuts. Finishes with a quick, metal ore and buttered cornbread fade.

83 Moosehead Lager, Moosehead Breweries Ltd. (Canada). 5% ABV (11/08)
Bright golden color. Pepper muffin and buttery corn niblet aromas follow through on a crisp entry to a dry, light-to-medium body with a mild apple skin and buttered toast fade. A decent quaffer.

83 Hollandia Premium Lager, H-West B.V. (Holland). 4.8% ABV (11/08)
Gold color. French toast aromas have a faint, savory vegetal edge and follow through on a round entry to a dryish light-to-medium body with a touch of creamed corn. Finishes with a dash of pepper, dried citrus and foil.

82 Premium Lager, J. Boag & Son (Australia). 5% ABV (11/07)
Pale golden color. Sour cream, buttered rye toast and herb aromas. A sharp, spiky entry leads to a dry, medium body of candied lemon zest, wet mineral and toast flavors with a quick pastry dough fade.

82 Lager, Wing Walker (USA). 4.5% ABV (11/09)
Deep golden color. Aromas of honeyed raisin bread toast have hints of waxy chocolate and nuts and follow through on a very soft, supple entry to a dryish, light-to-medium body with notes of toasted grain. Finishes with gentle, lightly earthy hops and herbed bread notes. Different.

81 Órale Mexican Style Lager, Del Norte Brewing Co. (CO). 4.6% ABV (11/09)
Curious aromas of dusty grain dough and peach vinaigrette on mesclun greens and kale follow through on a round, soft entry to a dryish medium body with canned creamed corn and white peppercorn notes. Finishes with an earthy, clay-like hop accent. A house of cards of flawed characteristics that strangely almost balance; try with food.

81 Lager Beer, Tsingtao Brewing Co. (China). 4.8% ABV (11/08)
Sourdough, old tinny creamed corn and muddy reed aromas follow through on a brisk entry to a sour and dry, light body with unformed bread dough, dead yeast and riverbed notes. Finishes with a thin, acrid buttered nutshell, old butter and canned corn fade.

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