Coney Island Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: European Strong Lager
San Francisco, California USA

pours light golden color, nice pine hops balanced by a malt sweetness, good beer

Pours golden/amber with nary a head and just a faint suggestion of carbonation. Sweetbread aroma with honey. The ’8 hops’ which are mentioned must have been added early in the boil since there are few which reach the nose. A steady bitterness awaits in the flavor, however, and interacts pleasantly with lightly sweetened grains. Mostly pine and pepper over a lingering grapefruit and honeyed toast. And the bitterness lingers long with mild astringence. I would not have guessed the style as an European Strong excepting that there are few other lager categories which could corral this brew.

Rating #1800. No reason. Just another beer to enjoy while I’m waiting for a MMORPG to populate on the other computer.

<font size=-4>22 oz. bomber purchased at <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/indiana/south-b Beverage, South Bend, IN 46637</font>

tasting at GDBTF on 10/18/08. golden color. bitter for a lager... but a bit flat for me overall. some citrus in the nose. for a lager, it drinks like an ale... which is nice.

Bottle from a NYC deli. This one is my favourite among their lagers. The foru hops have taken the edge of the malt, making an imperial pilsener with fruit and pineyness combining to make a depply refreshing beer. There is a mellow Bohemian malt and yeast side to the finish.

Bomber courtesy of SoLan. Pours a clear gold with 2 finger off-white head and spotty delicate lacing. Nose is sweet malt and floral hops. Taste is caramel malt with a blast of floral hops and ripe citrus. It finished out with a nice resin bite that lingers. Medium mouth feel. By far the best lager I’ve had – comes off more like an IPA. Great beer - Thanks Alan!

Clear and golden with a white head. Sticky-sweet malts were filled with caramel, honey and graham cracker. Happily, the carbonation was strong enough to cleave off some of that sweetness. Unfortunately, hop bitterness wasn’t bold enough to finish the job. Still, flowery hops were noticeable and pleasant. And a faint rock candy-like sweetness added depth to the overall profile. Aftertaste was a bit stark and plant-like, but otherwise, it’s a pretty decent beer.

22oz bottle-Pours a slightly hazy golden amber with a nice small tight white head. Aroma of hops, malt, and some grains. Taste of hops, malt, and a hint of citrus. This light to medium bodied brew is well balanced and finishes with a bitterness on the back end. Another tasty Coney Island beer.

22oz bottle from Casa de Oro Liquor in Spring Valley. Pours a clear medium golden color with a good sized off white head. Nose held faint hops, resin and wheat. Flavor was much of the same with a nice hop bitterness on the finish.