Bear Republic El Oso Lager

Brewed by Bear Republic Brewing Company
Style: Premium Lager
Healdsburg, California USA

Draft at brewpub. Light copper, little aroma. A nice, hoppy lager, very good for the style, almost ale-like quality thanks to an earthy flavor that emerges.

On tap @ Mulholland. Was not marked as a Bear Republic beer, just "El Oso Mexican Lager". This beer was surprisingly tasty. Very fresh aroma of blueberry (imitation blueberry, but blueberry nonetheless) and malt. Crisp, refreshing, and noticeable dry hop character. Reminded me of a Dortmunder with a fruity finish. Would not guess this was a Mexican beer at all.

I’ve had this on tap. It’s a nice, clean, light and crisp, but still flavourful and aromatic lager. it is dark gold with a fairly big white head that leaves a little leace. The aroma is grain, citrus (mostly lemon), crackers, and fruit. The taste is clean and crisp, light, but aromatic. It has a lot of grain and crackers, with light, persistent citrus and pine and a hint of caramel.

~Pours a light golden caramel color. Diminishing head. ~Light malt honey sweet scent. ~Sweet wheaty taste folowed with slight bitter. Nice flavor that I wasn’t expecting. ~Light feel. Crisp clean finish. ~ A great summer brew. I found this to be delicious!

Sampled during RBSG 7/11/2009 on tap at the brewery. This lager poured a medium gold color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and sweet with a touch of caramel and cereal. A medium bodied lager. The malts are fruity and sweet. The hops are earthy. Nice balance. Good flavor especially for a lighter alcohol beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Draft @ the brewery. Copper colored, thick and a little fizzy. some cream flavor, and a nutty or woody bite mid-drink. A decent lager. Served with a lime so who knows what impact that had.

On tap @ Bodega: Pours a clear copper with a white head. Aroma, grassy, fruits, yeasty notes, grains. Flavor, caramel, earthy notes, some toffee, toasted notes. Some grassy hops, sweet finish. Better than I thought it would be.

Multiple draught pints at Sunset Grill, on 11/17/07 and subsequently.
A deeper bronze than Modelo or any other tropical lager, but the thin white head is not long retained, leaving little/no lacing. Clear.
Definite modelo yeast notes in the aroma (acetyldehyde, paper pulp, various minerals) with some backing bready/doughy malt notes that are lightly sweet. A trace of toffee enters on the finish, after warming, with slightly more fruitiness (apples mainly) than I’d expect from a tropical lager. Not much hoppiness in the nose, though some lighth grassiness is apparent. No alcohol. Acetyldehyde is the only flaw.
Toffee-tinged doughy malts are sweet and rather supple for a lager, with a strong mineral accent that balances. Crisp and papery (acetyldehyde) on the finish, but it works in so far as using this yeast goes. Some stronger noble hop presence, while departing from a tropical pale lager, would still be appreciated. As is, it’s faintly grassy, with a pinch of bitterness throughout. Medium carbonation does not get out of control, nor is the beer watery/thin. The malting is definitely the strong point here. No alcohol in flavor, only acetyldehyde is perceived slightly.