91 Tatra Malt, Grupa Zywiec S.A. (Poland). 7% ABV (11/09)
Deep old gold color. Aromas of honeycomb and cornbread pancake follow through on a round, chewy entry to a frothy, fruity-yet-dry medium-full body with tangy dried peach, root vegetable and praline notes. Finishes with a long honeyed orange and lemon peel, pepper and grassy hop fade. Very nice.
Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers
Lagers
Lagers Get Some Love
Malt Liquor
This category is legally mandated in states where any lager stronger than 5 percent alcohol by volume cannot call itself a lager beer. There are a number of commercial brands that have been created to fill this category, many of which do not have great merit from the connoisseur’s perspective. Many malt liquors achieve their greater alcoholic strength through the use of adjunct grains—corn or rice—that add little flavor. Some strong European lagers are forced to adopt this labeling moniker for the U.S. market.
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
