A Refreshing Pint of American Lager Beer
American Lager is a broad category of beer that encompasses six different styles, each with unique characteristics.
American Pale Lager is a light-bodied, pale-colored beer with a mild flavor. It is often low in bitterness and has a clean, crisp finish. The malt character is typically subtle, with a slightly sweet taste, while the hop flavor ranges from minimal to moderate. American Pilsner is considered a sub-category of American Pale Lager, though in some classifications, it stands as its own category.
American Light Lager is even lighter in color and body than its pale counterpart. It is highly refreshing and easy to drink. This type of lager features very low bitterness, high carbonation, and often fewer calories and lower alcohol content.
American Adjunct Lager incorporates rice or corn with barley malt, creating a lighter body and flavor. This beer is usually very pale, has a light body, and offers mild flavors with minimal to no bitterness from hops.
American Premium Lager provides a body and flavor that are slightly richer than those of ordinary American Pale Lagers. These lagers feature a more noticeable malt flavor, a golden hue, and a clean, crisp end with moderate levels of carbonation.
American Malt Liquor features an alcohol by volume (ABV) content higher than other American lagers, generally from 6% to 9%. Characteristically, it is sweeter, more full-bodied, and displays a prominent malt flavor with increased gravity.
American Ice Lager is produced in a manner similar to other lagers but includes a step where part of the liquid is frozen, removing some water and thus elevating the alcohol level. Typically, it maintains a light body, has a crisp conclusion, and possesses a slightly greater alcohol content compared to traditional lagers.
These styles showcase the variety found in American Lagers, appealing to an assortment of palates, ranging from light to rich, each with different alcohol by volume (ABV) levels.
Here are summaries of ten leading American Lagers from craft breweries which have earned significant recognition, including gold or higher awards, or scoring over 90 points in no fewer than five prestigious beer contests. Each summary presents the contests in which these lagers excelled, their awards, some information about the brewery, and a concise tasting note.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager, from Boston Beer Company
Competitions & Awards: Great American Beer Festival (GABF): Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, RateBeer Best: 90 Points, BeerAdvocate: 90 Points
Samuel Adams Boston Lager is the signature brew of the Boston Beer Company, which Jim Koch initiated in 1984. This beverage has been critical in the American craft beer movement. It showcases a rich amber hue topped with a dense, creamy head, presenting scents of caramel malt, floral hops, and slight fruity hints. The taste offers a harmonious blend of malty sweetness complemented by a subtle bitter touch, culminating in a smooth, refreshing finish.
Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn Brewery
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, RateBeer Best: 92 Points.
Established in 1988 in New York, Brooklyn Brewery has solidified its place within the craft beer community. Brooklyn Lager is an amber lager that merges top European and American brewing practices. It exudes aromas of caramel and bready malt. The flavor is predominantly malty with a mild sweetness, balanced by a subtle hop bitterness.
Anchor Steam Beer, Anchor Brewing Company
Accolades: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, RateBeer Best: 90 Points, BeerAdvocate: 90 Points
Located in San Francisco, Anchor Brewing Company stands as one of the pioneering breweries in the American craft beer movement. Their renowned Steam Beer, crafted since 1896, represents the quintessence of the California Common beer style. It features a copper hue with aromas of toasted malt and caramel, complemented by a rich malt sweetness and a pronounced hop bitterness with herbal notes.
Sierra Nevada Summerfest, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, RateBeer Best: 91 Points, BeerAdvocate: 90 Points.
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, California is a trailblazer in the craft brewery scene. Summerfest, their seasonal lager, offers a refreshing and balanced flavor experience. It features a light, crisp, and golden appearance, complemented by floral and spicy hop aromas. The beer provides a balanced malt sweetness touched by a subtle hop bitterness.
Narragansett Lager, Narragansett Brewing Company
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, BeerAdvocate: 91 Points
Narragansett Brewery, established in 1890 in Rhode Island, saw its resurgence during the 2000s. Its renowned classic lager enjoys a broad fan base across the Northeast, characterized by a pale golden color and a rich, frothy top. Its aroma is a blend of grains, bread, and hints of corn, whereas its taste offers a crisp and smooth experience with slight sweetness, ending in a refreshing finish.
Devil’s Backbone Vienna Lager, Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, RateBeer Best: 91 Points
Originating from Virginia, the Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company is famously recognized for its Vienna Lager, a beer that has received numerous accolades and epitomizes their brewing excellence. It presents an amber hue alongside aromas of toasted malt, caramel, and subtle nuttiness. Its flavor profile is predominantly malty and smooth with a harmonious balance of hop bitterness, culminating in a clean and satisfying finish.
Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery
Accolades include GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, RateBeer Best: 91 Points.
Spoetzl Brewery, situated in Shiner, Texas, and operational since 1909. Despite being categorized as a bock, Shiner Bock boasts qualities similar to lagers, characterized by its light and palatable nature. It presents a dark amber hue with scents of caramel and toasted malt. The flavor profile is predominantly smooth, subtly sweet, and exhibited a well-rounded bitterness, contributing to its overall easy drinking experience.
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Oskar Blues Brewery
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, RateBeer Best: 92 Points, BeerAdvocate: 91 Points.
Oskar Blues Brewery, located in Colorado, initiated the innovation of canning craft beers. Their Mama’s Little Yella Pils delivers the classic taste of a Czech-style Pilsner, enhanced by a unique craft approach.
This beer showcases a golden hue paired with a crisp and clean palate. Its slight malt sweetness is perfectly countered by a dash of refreshing bitterness, ensuring it remains both quaffable and revitalizing.
Firestone Walker Pivo Pils, Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, RateBeer Best: 93 Points, BeerAdvocate: 92 Points
Firestone Walker Brewing Company, based in California, is recognized as one of the most celebrated breweries in the United States. Their Pivo Pils offers a hoppy twist on the classic German Pilsner style, characterized by its pale straw appearance and prominent white head. It exudes aromatic notes of floral hops, lemon, and a touch of spice while delivering a crisp and invigorating flavor with balanced bitterness and a clean, dry finish.
For further exploration, consider the Firestone Walker Lager, another prestigious lager beer.
Jack’s Abby House Lager, from Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, RateBeer Best: 91 Points
Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, Jack’s Abby is renowned for its expertly crafted lagers. Their standout, the House Lager, is brewed in the traditional Helles style, boasting a radiant golden hue, enriched with a malty scent complemented by a subtle floral hop backdrop. The taste profile is harmoniously balanced—featuring a gentle sweetness paired with a crisp and refreshing finish.
Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, Great Lakes Brewing Company
Competitions & Awards: GABF: Gold, World Beer Cup: Gold, European Beer Star: Gold, International Beer Challenge: Gold, RateBeer Best: 92 Points.
Great Lakes Brewing Company, established in 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio, prides itself on its dedication to quality and sustainable practices. Its Dortmunder Gold, a Dortmunder-style lager, has garnered multiple accolades.
Other notable craft lagers that didn’t make the top ten include Victory Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Company and Sixpoint The Crisp from Sixpoint Brewery.
Anchor Steam, from Anchor Brewing Company located in San Francisco, stands as one of the pioneering craft breweries in America. Brewing since 1896, their Steam Beer, a distinctive blend of ale and lager, is recognized as the original beer of the California Common style. Despite its historical significance, it was omitted from the Beer Hall of Fame list when its parent company, Sapporo USA, ceased its operations in August 2023. Nevertheless, in June 2024, Hamdi Ulukaya acquired the company and intends to resume production.
These ten American Lager beers have demonstrated their excellence through consistent recognition at key beer competitions, embodying a variety of lager styles. Each presents a unique and superior drinking experience, maintaining the tradition of American craft brewing craftsmanship.
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.
Leave a Reply