Judge's Review: 91 Rating - East Brother Red Lager by East Brother Beer Co.

Red Lager by East Brother Beer Co. is a Red Lager and is being evaluated as a Vienna Lager (2015 BJCP Category 7A) offering according to BJCP guidelines. For this style expect smooth maltiness with moderate bitterness and a dry finish.

I am presented with a brilliantly clear dark amber beer which supports an inch-thick bubbly and frothy white head. The head slowly recedes over a couple of minutes leaving a thin film on top with the center and edges being thicker. Initial aroma is clean, rich moderate caramel malt with light spicy hops. My first quaff is medium hop bitterness with a medium-light caramel malt underneath. Clean fermentation allows the malt and hop characters to shine. This is a medium bodied beer with medium carbonation.

Secondary aromatics provide light toast and nutty malt character and soft, earthy hops while remaining clean without other aromatics. The flavor is well balanced between malt and hops; the hop character, combined with bright carbonation provides a pleasant spiciness that blends well with the lightly sweet malt. Light toast malt character provides malt depth and the beer finishes dry.

This beer would pair well with caramelized vegetables and grilled red meat.