First sip is a bit sour and very malty. It has a tiny bit of lemon to it, but it tastes like a lot of the other German lagers I've had before - I'm not tasting the sapphire hops at all. I'm not sure that there is a whole lot to this beer. Temperature might change the taste a bit for the better, but I'm not waiting - I'm going to give the old college try to the big swig.
Tip-in is watery, grainy malt with a hint of lemon and a very, very tiny bit of spice. As the middle approaches, it brings more grainy malt with it and more water. It starts to overwhelm the more subtle flavors with all the malt. The finish is a little more sweet, but it's just a lot more water with another tingle of spices at the end. The carbonation burn is pretty solid throughout the draught. No hops to be found anywhere here.
Bottom Line: An okay beer. The much-touted hops are not really a game changer for this beer.
2.5/5