Vienna Lager from Devil's Backbone

Photo: Devil's Backbone Brewing Company

Once again, I was in my favorite local beer store to choose a couple of new beers I hadn't tried. Fortunately, it's not difficult to find a beer I haven't tried. Also fortunately, there are so many to choose from.

I had finally made my choice of one beer, and decided I was going to pick up a six-pack of one of my favorites - Tailgate's Blacktop Blonde. I was searching the shelves when one of the employees could tell I needed help finding something. I asked him where the Blacktop Blonde was and he took me to an aisle I thought I had already searched thoroughly. Sure enough, there was a hole where the Blacktop Blonde was supposed to be. I guess I'm not the only one that likes it. 

Sitting next to the hole was Vienna Lager from Devil's Backbone Brewing Company in Virginia. The beer store guy said they had just gotten it in and it was a "solid" lager. I wasn't sure how much of a compliment that was, but it was time to go, so Vienna Lager it was. 

When I poured it, I wasn't expecting such a beautiful amber/chestnut color. It had a nice head and looked delicious. Anticipation built as I raised to to my lips. I took a rather large sip. I took another rather large sip. I guess I was expecting a little more richness form such a "pretty" beer. I don't want to use the word "light" but I don't know what other word to use. When I say it was light, I don't mean that as a criticism, it was just that I wasn't expecting it. Just like the guy at the beer store said. It was a "solid" lager. Very little bitterness, goes down easy, good color, nice head, and tastes good. The very definition of "solid". If you associate lager with those mainstream beers, you should give Vienna Lager a try. See what a good (solid) lager should taste like.

Would I buy this beer again? Mmm... probably

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.25 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Blue Paddle

Photo: New Belgium Brewery

Yet another beer from New Belgium. A pilsener. Yes. A pilsener. 

OK, I'll admit I bought this beer by accident. I was in my favorite beer store, overwhelmed with all the choices as usual. It was the Friday before a holiday weekend and the place was very busy. Normally when I go, there's hardly anyone there (an advantage of being self-employed and able to run errands in the daytime during the week). But for some reason (OK, the lovely wife was out of wine and couldn't face the holiday weekend without the grapes) I found myself dodging and weaving around folks in the rather narrow aisles. I saw the Blue Paddle and it had a nice, friendly look about the package. It sparked memories of playing ping-pong when I was a young lad... even though I always seemed to lose. I found out later that it got its name from the instrument that was used to lovingly remind a New Belgium employee to behave when he was a child. 

I kept looking, dodging, weaving. 

The lovely comes up behind me, wine in hand, ready to go. I happened to be standing by the Blue Paddle again, so I grabbed it and we headed to check out.

By dinner time I was anxious to try the new beer I had gotten. It was sufficiently chilled and dinner was almost ready. I got one out, got out my favorite glass and was looking at the label. What? It was a pilsener! New Belgium makes a pilsener? Why, yes. Yes they do.

I thought about it and came to the conclusion that if New Belgium made a pilsener, surely it wouldn't taste like "those" pilseners... would it?

I poured it into my glass. Yes, it was that light yellow color that we're all familiar with. I didn't get much of a head. Kinda wimpy and almost disappeared before I could get a photo of it. I sort of blamed myself for that. I could have poured it better. So I let that go.

I took a robust sip, fearing the worst. 

Hey! Not bad! Not bad at all! It's much richer than what I'd braced myself for. It has a slight, very slight bitterness but a twinge of sweetness to take the edge off of the bitterness. I don't mean to sound like it's bitter, because it's not. No more bitter than you'd expect from a good pilsener, I suppose. Alcohol content is below 5%, so you're good for more than one if you so desire. Which, by the way, I do. 

I must say that if you associate pilsner with "those" beers, you should be pleasantly surprised by Blue Paddle. This one is a great choice if you're considering trying something other than "those" beers but have been hesitant to take the leap. It could be a good "gateway beer" to all the wonderful choices that are out there... Blue Paddle among them.

Would I buy this beer again? Signs Point to Yes

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.5 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5