Price: $8.99/6-pk at Total Wine

Region: Oregon

Style: American All-Malt Lager

ABV: 7%

Sight: clear amber

Smell: sweet malt, citrus, melon 

Taste: buttery, sweet malt, melon, spicy hop finish

Overall: “What do you get when you brew an elegant Limited Edition Lager with one select barley?  The single malt of suds.”  This is recipe #4 of Full Sail’s Limited Edition series, finely balanced by the simplicity of pale malt and Willamette hops working in tandem.  This feels like one of the most full-bodied lagers I’ve had so far.  A decadent, buttery malt swells on the palate, over some hushed melon tones and a tiny undercurrent of yeast.  For the majority of the experience the malt is shamelessly on display, and as the beer warms, it only gets more indulgent.  Then, out of the tingle of the carbonation, unexpected tangy hops emerge seamlessly on the finish to crisp it all away.  The hops on the finish are passive aggressive—not necessarily powerful, but surprisingly persistent.  I can still feel a spicy tingle almost in my nose long after the sip is gone.  Some buttery sweetness still clings to the palate.  Every flavor and sensation works together so cohesively that it’s a bit of a challenge to separate them for analysis.  Suffice to say this saturated lager is no joke.  I could see this appealing greatly to people who are into pale Belgian styles.  And hey, Stella Artois people… Step it up.  It’s time for dessert.