Zea Amber Lager

Brewed by Heiner Brau
Style: Vienna
Covington, Louisiana USA

12oz bottle-pours a dissipating off white head and amber color. Aroma is somewhat sweet medium malt-caramel, slight musty/yeast. Taste is somewhat sweet medium malt-caramel, slight musty/yeast, but also a serious detractor. Production issue!? [apparently not when on tap, from other reviews]

On tap at the Colombia Street Tap Room in Covington, LA. Pours a clear uncloudy brown color (more straight "brown" than amber) with a medium off white head that dissipated fairly rapidly. Nice lacing. Clean nose of toasted malts. Understated clean flavor with a nice balance of malt and hop with some wisps of caramel in there. Clean and subtle hop finish. This is a well balanced and quenching brew. There’s nothing "out front" or particularly potent in the taste, just nice and refreshing. NOTE: ALL "Zea" brews have been contract brewed by Heiner Brau since October 2005.

I warmed nicely to this one. Darker color, with a little red and brown to it, a little bit hazy. In some respects it has more hop experience than their American pale ale, with a grassy, sometimes metallic touch, but also a rather robust fruitiness that comes through the malts with an appealing roundness. Pretty good in the style, actually.

Fruity sweet aroma. Darkish for a pale lager, lightish for a Vienna. Biscuity. Not much head. Turns a bit tart, medium Saaz hopping. Finish is cold water with lingering hops. Full body. Some peppery punches here and there. Compares to Creemore Springs lager from up in Canada. A good lager accomplishment for something brewed in this heat. Very satisfying.