Uniquely embossed Buddha-bellied green-bottled lager becomes tiresome as Asian-influenced glutinous wheat-rice pastiness and musty malt souring falter. Dry-hopped astringency brings about dank dishwater soaping upsetting residual lemony tartness.
All posts by John Fortunato
LOWENBRAU PREMIUM DARK
Wait a second, this one’s brewed in Canada but given German recognition. Anyhow, unlike offensively sour Miller version forced on Americans since ’77, this dry premium has soda-like fizz and lasting consistency brought on by bitterer chocolate malts plus cocoa-seeded black licorice overhaul.
LOWENBRAU PILSNER
Clear-toned pearl-headed German version suffers from dour malt souring, lacking body and resilience. Silky hop ease and subdued yeast pungency will thrill amateurs ready to try richer pils.
LOWENBRAU OKTOBERFEST
Soapy diacetyl indifference ruins early clove overlay, malted wheat-backed sweetness, mild leafy hop bittering, and yellow-fruited bubblegum ditz of pale medium body.
LOWENBRAU DARK LAGER
In the 1970s, Lowenbrau and Beck’s were thankfully imported into a dire U.S. macrobrew market, but when Miller took over the formula for American consumption, flavor and strength dissipated. It has now lost its edge to more authentic microbrews. The American version lacked complexity. As for the bubbly-headed Swiss variety, mildly bitter hop nose detected amongst dark malt pungency and clammy sour vegetal sag. Try instead the creamier, tangier imported version from Germany on tap for a four star adventure.
LOUNY DARK LAGER
Yummy caramelized malt sweetness of unheralded medium-bodied lager nearly as worthy as godsend San Miguel Dark. Soft chocolate creaminess, light maple sapping, and vanilla bean hints create subtle milk stout illusion by transient Kahlua-like finish.
LOTERBOL BLONDE ALE
Rangy 8% alcohol strength, acidic medicinal whir, and candied butterscotch twist aid initial citric-herbal pungency of glowingly turbid re-fermented summery blonde. Settling hop-spiced bitterness allows peach-grapefruit-lemon-apricot tang to inform white-peppered rosebud-coriander-allspice illusions.
(LOST COAST) WINTERBRAUN ALE
Durable sharp-hopped deep-fruited crimson-hued brown ale shuns expectant wintry seasonal (nutmeg-allspice) character for efficient chocolate-pale malt sweetness, expansive vanilla creaminess and toasted barley flaking. Mocha-malted hazelnut-chestnut wisp, acrid red grape tartness and yellow apple vagary dulled by carbolic excess, but thick charcoal-tar bottom boosts emergent raspberry puree lurk.
LOST COAST TANGERINE WHEAT
In bottle, juicy tangerine tang exposes sweet ‘n sour expanse over subtle white wheat base as minor hop astringency looms. On tap, slim orange wedge perks up frontal tangerine tang, ancillary candied orange tartness and ripe apricot undertones. Yummy Creamsickle splurge sweetens citric adjuncts to mild wheat spine.
LOST COAST RASPBERRY BROWN ALE
Rambunctious raspberry-pureed black cherry entry settles to smoked malt restraint with ashy mocha subsidy for robust dessert brew. Modestly tart juicy fruit concentration coats organic grain crispness and wispy almond-cola-macadamia nuttiness for rewarding barley-roasted berry-juiced finish as lacey crystals hug glass.
LOST COAST PALE ALE
Perfumed hops saturate sweet fruited nut insurgence and dry barley backdrop before blackened wood-charred bitterness invades lingered piney finish.
LOST COAST INDICA INDIA PALE ALE
Wonderfully weird Picasso-like label and sly marijuana-induced Indica moniker enhance beauty of bold, full-bodied Californian. Bitter hop-fueled tongue-coating gets toasted barley influence, casual grapefruit rind blot, and sappy molasses undercurrent not usually indica-tive of spicy IPA style.