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I have visited the Common John brewery, and I was quite surprised to see that they had cans that were available in my local beer store. The brewing facilities at Common John in Manchester, Tennessee, are seemingly low scale, but maybe they have scaled up, or it's possible I didn't see their entire operation. Either way, I remember enjoying the beer while I was there, and I'm hoping to enjoy it here.
That looks particularly dark for a lager, and the copper colored beer is quite clear through the center with white bubbles that will be leaving a little bit of lacing as they go down to an island covering almost the entirety of the top of the beer. The aroma is sweet biscuit malt that reminds me of sitting in this particular brewery with the aroma of malt hanging in the air like an early morning mist on a crisp autumnal Sunday. I might be getting a little flowery with my words, but it smells good.
The first sip is quite good. I just got done doing some yard work, and the relatively solid malt is joined by enough herbs and flowers to complement it. As a result, the relative thirst quenching nature of the beverage makes itself known. That said, the Vienna stiles tend to be quite bitter at the end, and this one is no exception. As a result, I think I'm going to enjoy a swig much more than I will enjoy the sip.
Tip-in is sweet caramel from the malt that threatens to overwhelm the rest of the beer, and carbonation does a little more than tingle. The middle is solid and quenching with the flavors getting a bit thin, but the malt is carrying the day. The finish is flowers and herbs joining the malt before bitterness heads into the trail off.
Bottom Line: Pretty good, and I have more from this brewery to taste.
3.0/5
