I'm genuinely startled that I haven't already done a review of this beer. Honky Tonk has been one of my preferred local breweries for some time, and it seems only natural that their lager would have crossed my path considerably sooner. Nevertheless, I find myself with a beer in front of me that I've never tried before. I don't really go out much, so I wouldn't see this on tap - and that's if anyone even bothered to have it on tap. A lager is a really traditional American beer, and I'm looking forward to seeing how these guys managed to improve on the tradition.
That is a pale yellow lager. It is particularly clear through the center, and the white head makes a very nice-looking cap. I have commented before that there are several beers that look like they belong in a beer commercial, and this is definitely one of them. This would probably look better than a Coors Light would in its own ad. The color is just yellow enough, it's just dark enough, and the head being so white conveys a sense of crispness before I even taste the beer. The aroma is sweet malt and floral hops. The yeast is tame enough that I can't really smell it, but the aroma is nevertheless inviting.
The first sip is crisp, just as the look of the beer led me to anticipate. The sweet malt removes almost every trace of bitterness from the beer. The result is a beer that seems to have enough flavor to stand up to the sip, but not enough to detract from whatever you may be eating at the time. American palates have really leaned toward the light and sweet style of lagers for some time, and this leans directly into that.
Tip-in offers very mild carbonation over sweet, biscuity malt, highlighted with just a little bit of floral character. Astonishingly, the flavor profile does not change, and the beer resists getting watery in the center, as many a refreshing beverage might. The finish is a crisp snap before very light bitterness, a little bit of yeast, and floral notes manage to hang on through the trail-off.
Bottom Line: A perfectly serviceable lager; good for almost any occasion.
4.0/5
