From America's oldest brewery comes a very traditional lager. I've had it many times over the years, and this particular bottle was a gift from my brother, so I decided to add it to the blog. I remember this beer being a good one, and I would alternate between it and Rolling Rock while I was in PA most of the time.
The beer is a clear copper color. The head mellows out to a very thin whiff of bubbles and a thin line around the rim. The aroma is strong - stronger than I remember. I mean, I can smell it from three feet away, and it was self-evident from the moment I opened the bottle. At first, I though it might have skunked, but the aroma isn't bad. It's kind of a spiky malt with the hops poking it in the side and an underlying bready, earthy smell.
First sip, and it has a distinct taste I remember all the sudden. It's a good enough taste, but it puts me in mind of what would happen if Bud successfully made a great beer - it means that it's just pretty good to the rest of the world. The malt is almost like raw dough with a bit of the hop bitterness, but a strange sweetness to it.
A bigger drought reveals a tip-in of carbonation and that doughy taste from the sip. The middle gets a bit watery, but the finish hits with more dough - baked this time - and a little hops. I think I can taste some grains and a little grass coming out at the same time. The end feels earthy.
Bottom Line: It's a good beer. It's not a great beer, but it is a very good beer.
3.5/5