H.C. Berger Snowman Ale

Formerly brewed at H.C. Berger Brewing Co.
Style: Golden Ale/Blond Ale
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

I rated this beer before checking out the average on the site, and I am shocked by the low score. I found this beer to be quite a surprise. Although the appearance left much to be desired (clear orange in color, no head), I found everything else to be quite excellent. It has a strong malt and floral aroma. Flavor is semi-sweet on the front, hoppy on the back end, with medium carbonation. Quite a surprise. I call em as I see em, and I liked this one.

Very light, somewhat sour and musty aroma, with hints of lemon. Light sour taste. Gold and fizzy, no head. This was supposed to be a winter seasonal? Ack!

Pours from the bottle a sparkling light golden. The average white head is frothy (on the edge of being creamy), mostly diminishing, and has almost no lacing. The nose is very fruity with traces of apples, pears, and cherry. The very sweet flavor has a moderate acidity with an average finish. The light body is creamy and fizzy. The finish is alcohol laden. Not that exciting, especially for the price.

another unnamed beer type in the berger sampler: labeled simply ’an ale’ lest anyone mistake it for ’an aardvark’ or more likely ’an accident’. it poured a pastel wesson oil yellow, nearly clear. the head was around about as long as the bottle cap. a couple sniffs and i’d pegged it as a weizen tho i see no confirmation of that here. dryish, moderate nose, grainy, citrus, and yeasty, just a touch of honey perhaps and some damp newspaper. flavor along the same lines; smooth carbonation, tinny, water shows through in a few places. quite lemony, in fact the bitterness seems to emanate from the citrus rather than from hops. pretty lame beer, now i’m wishing it WAS an aardvark, at least they’re kinda funny.

Slightly cloudy yellow orange color, the head white and dissipates quickly, the lace is adequate. Nose is malt and clean, light citrus tones, front is malt, the top is thin, the finish is quite acidic, dry, and has hop presence, all in all, not what I like.

What’s the point? It’s neither a good bad beer nor a bad good beer. It’s caught unhappily somewhere in between.

I was actually slightly surprised after sampling the other Berger’s brews. This is not bad at all. In fact I would probably buy it again if it was more reasonably priced. This is what all light beers should be at the least.

Straw color. Pale in flavor. Vapid & Insipid. Like a snowman, good balance in the same sense as water has balance. Would be good if there were some malt and hops flavors.