So, recently my wonderful fiance had to take a work trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was nice enough, with a little guidance from me, to nab a few goodies that Wisconsin is best known for: cheese and beer. A match made in heaven.
In Colorado, not too many beers work their way here from out East, at least it seems that way. We always have a good selection of West Coast brews and of course there are plenty of locals to choose from, so I was thrilled to try a little something from the Mid-West. I gave her a list of breweries and beers to be on the look out for and she came back with a bag full of deliciousness.
First up, LakeFront Brewery and their Eastside Dark Lager. Far from the new kids on the block, they’ve been hanging tough since 1987. (Yup just went there with a New Kids reference. Dig it!) Although, to my knowledge you can’t find it in Colorado, here’s my 2 cents.
Appearance - Pours a deep mahogany with some ruby highlights towards the glass. A fingers worth of head dissipates quickly, little to no lacing on the glass. A rich looking lager.
Aroma – Caramel sweetness and roasted malts come through first, slight hints of chocolate. Roasted malts take over as the beer warms slightly.
Taste – Slight sweetness and roast come through up-front. Very little hops presence allows dark malts to come through, lower carbonation aids this as well.
Mouth Feel – Very smooth beer, what little carbonation this beer has quickly drives off any sweetness left on the tongue, clearing the way for another gulp and allowing some very roasty-n-toasty flavors to shine through.
Deep Thoughts – Having never had any Lakefront brews, I think this was a nice introduction to the Mid-West and a far cry from the Colorado style hop-bombs I usually find myself drinking. Not a filling beer, I could easily see myself drinking several of these but unfortunately for me, one’s all I got.
Be on the look out for follow-up reviews, I’ve got a suitcase full of beer to look forward to!
P.S. (from Meghan) - A somewhat reluctant trip to Wisconsin turned into a surprisingly delightful experience. My inner beer-geek revealed itself when I found myself visiting Wisconsin Cheese Mart munching on excellent cheese (shocker) and sipping on a Wisconsin beer tasting tray. Nice beers, great cheese and great conversation, overall a trip worth taking.
