Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: California Common
Frederick, Maryland USA

Smells of unfermented malt, sweeter than expected. "Brewed in the steam style tradition" is a odd comment because I upon opening I was reminded of my tour of Anchor brewing. Far better than expected, lager yeast still under-preforms as a yeast, but this is a great example of the style. This is what I want from Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager is copper-brown beer with thin blond head. Malts, toffee and hint of flowery hops are found from the aroma. Flavour is surprisingly quite dry with nice bitterness and there are found malts and some pine needles. Quite easy and slippery to drink with balanced carbonation. I was waiting quite much from this beer and it doesn’t fullfilled for my all expectations; balanced but still slightly boring and common beer.

Bottle at home. Amber colour, white head. Aroma of caramel, fruit, malt. Flavour is caramel, malts, hops and some fruit. Not too sweet, nice and dry mouthfeel. Clean dry finish.

Bottle. Pours a nice amber color with a decent white head. Aroma of carmale malt and a very light citrus scent. Taste is light with a good sweet malt flavor that ends with crips citrus.

I am very picky about my lagers, especially lagers of the paler, blonde variety. Amber lagers are almost always a pleasure of much less trepid enjoyment and anticipation.
On draft, I enjoyed a clean frothy head about one finger thick which fades into a thin layer of bubbles on top. Deep amber hues peek at me from the glass, shy yet alluring at the same time. Medium body, with quite a bit of initial fizziness. A lemon hop presence tickles the top of my tongue, with spices adding to the pleasant. Not to be all bark and bite though, Old Scratch also nuzzles up to me with calm malt smoothness and a hint of caramel and toffee. As Old Scratch warms, the hops become more apparent as the malts wander a bit more to the back of the overall palate, but never disappear. Very well balanced on draft, caramel malts soothe while lemony fresh, spicy hops run up behind for the sneak attack.
Definitely a good dog, in my book, Old Scratch Amber Lager can cozy on up to me in a glass any day of the week.

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Caramel color with a tan head. Not a lot of lacing. Aromas of caramel and a little bit of lemongrass. Flavor is faint and short. Notes of caramel and honey, a touch of tangy hops. Mouthfeel is high on carbonation, thin on the palate, and easy to drink. Unfortunately it just isn’t very flavorful.

12oz bottle. Pours a red copper color with nice beige lacing and ring. Good caramel malt aroma. Flavor is a tad thin, but decent, sweet and malty backbone with notes of caramel, some fruity hops notes as well with some nice hop bitterness in the finish.

Malty, a bit fruity, nutty and hoppyish aroma. Fruity maltiness, nuts and grass in flavor.