Drank: Couch Select Lager (Burnside Brewing)

By Martin Cizmar

They say if you drink enough craft beer, you'll come back to lager. After trying all those barrel-aged imperials and hop bombs, you find yourself just wanting something crisp and clean. I didn't believe it until this summer, when I found myself craving flavorful versions of the traditional cold-fermented German-style suds, especially Fort George 1811 and Breakside Pilsner. Burnside's Couch Select Lager, a 5 percent ABV, 18 IBU sipper that comes in simple green-and-white cans extolling its Bull Run water and selling for $9 per sixer, looked promising. Ah, but that's the thing with lager: It's the hardest brew to nail, because unlike a more complex ale, every flaw sticks out. I found Couch to be flower-petal sweet and a little soapy, cloying in a way that discouraged my next sip. Not recommended. 

WWeek 2015

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