Tag Archives: pale lager

HEINEKEN LAGER

Thankfully, one of the first quality European beers imported to America in the ’70s. Its iconoclastic ‘skunk-y’ whiff (usually a distinct drawback due to light-stricken beer bottles) re-enforces the bitter hop prominence and prickly yeast pungency, easing down the throat with an ultra smooth water texture. Still beats all mainstream American lagers for quality. Note: In the faddish bomber can, skunked yeast funk pushed back for sickly cloy nature ruining original essence.

KRONENBOURG 1664 PALE LAGER

Mildly creamed straw-hued French/German border brew much closer to German Bavarian lager than wine-y French ale. Salty sharp-hopped maize-dried smoothing, baguette-like sourdough yeast breading, and residual citric sugaring subside too quickly, leaving insufficient character to distinguish Kronenbourg from better competition. Serve with a lemon twist to add luster. Amazingly, this is supposedly the leading brand in France with a ridiculously absurd 40% market share.