8.1% alcohol burn may put wide-mouth bottled billowy-headed pale lager in oblivious malt liquor category for U.S. consumption. Watery, soft, and soapy with zesty hop flow and sweet malt backdrop obstructed by cloy yeast stickiness. This is some ugly stuff. Swish around cheeks for bland mouthwash appeal.
(STEEL) HOWLING MONKEY BLACK & TAN
In wide-mouth bottle, relaxing Black & Tan leans towards a dirty brown ale due to soft fizzy hopped nose, pleasantly bland chocolate sweetness, and lingered nuttiness. Easy to get bored with before fully consumed, as lager lightness obstructs mocha stout tendencies.
STEAMWORKS LIZARD HEAD RED
Pleasing moderate-bodied ale perfect lawnmower fodder. Toasted caramel-chocolate malts rise above soft hop spicing and subtle marzipan-chestnut trail. Phenol undercurrent afflicts iced tea illusion, cherry skin esters, and nectarine tinge.
STEAMWORKS CONDUCTOR IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Durable copper-hazed medium-bodied IPA counters resinous Simcoe hop oils with sweet cereal-grained malting. Orange compote souring recedes as spruce-induced peach-pineapple-mango tropicalia increases, picking up almond-marzipan illusions to amiable lemongrass finish.
STARY MELNIK LAGER
Musty dough aroma, persistent phenol hop coarsening, and garbled malted grains up-front. Insufficient clove, citrus, and mint hints get drowned out. Weak toasted barley finish as drab as aluminum hue. Plain, ordinary, but not common.
(STAROPRAMEN) VELVET
Swanky East European-styled malt nose shouldn’t prohibit brewhounds of any stripe from consuming awesome lager-ale hybrid. Cascading eggshell head consumes velvety amber full body, maintaining silk-textured whipped cream froth from eclair entry to nutty bottom. Reminiscent of lighter, sweeter Guinness or premier black and tan, its deep-grained hop roast succinctly counters sugared vanilla malts and dark floral notion, picking up back-throated liquor sharpness. Canned version captures frothy mocha character well.
STAROPRAMEN PREMIUM LAGER
Musty wet-grained malting and pungent sourdough yeast inform dry-hopped citric dash and dirty earthiness. Setback straw, hay, and leather astringency back ends heartily assertive golden lager.
STAROPRAMEN PILSENER
Fizzy pop-like pilsner with pungent yeast, floral hops, and staid barley scouring crisp water flow. Not as fine as Czech staples Pilsner Urquel or Czechvar, but full-bodied nature beats Bud by a grain.
STAROPRAMEN GRANAT
Respectable moderate-bodied amber-yellowed Vienna lager hides dainty mocha malt whir beneath hop-embittered barley-cracked wheat husk. Watery flow softens richer-than-expected grain finish that gently lingers.
STAR LAGER
9.1-ounce bottle of light, simple African beer. Pronounced malted grain sweetness enhanced by brusque hop sharpness. Lean barley roast and shades of fruit found at watery finish.
STAR BREWING STARBRIGHT PINEAPPLE ALE
Buoyant pineapple ale with surprisingly turbid red hue retains spicy citric tartness embellished by sinewy yeast. Tertiary berry, melon and quince illusions immerse fruit cocktail essence. Neither overbearing in its peculiarity nor too drab, but in need of fully-formed original identity. Serve with lemon wedge prior to summer. Brewery defunct: 2003.
STAR BREWING RASPBERRY WHEAT ALE
Full-bodied fruit ale retains rich wheat base relegating explosive champagne-like fizz and faded bittersweet raspberry tartness. Not as distinct as better Star Brews. Brewery defunct: 2003.