RATING

92

This chestnut-hued beer’s toasted bread and light caramel scents blossom in the nose, while faint peppery hops add a slight sharpness. On the tongue, Vienna Lager’s smooth and malt-forward: A rich wave of toasted, toffee-sweet and caramel malts flows back, relinquishing to dried, husky grains that surface mid-sip. Hops lace earthiness through the malts and add just enough bitterness to punch up the mouthfeel. Caramel sweetness rides through the finish; a more robust hop presence would give this beer a snappier ending.