When I mentioned to my father-in-law a while back that I’d be receiving a sample from freshly revived Narragansett Brewing, he gave a quick chuckle and mentioned that he enjoyed a few of them while living in Rhode Island back in the day. “Have a ‘Gansett,” he would say. He didn’t really expound on the quality of the American adjunct lager, but his chuckle was more than enough to let me know what I was in store for.
I don’t recall any specifics to the round-about way these cans made it to my door step, but I do know it involves a friend of my wife who knows someone at the brewery. Apparently, she mentioned to her friend that she had another friend who had a beer blog… and, well… At any rate, the samples showed up, were put in the fridge and a few days ago I finally gave in and tried one out.
Appearance
The lager pours a pale amber with a large head that faded to nothing.
Aroma
It sure smells like a macro lager. It’s got a bit more hop presence with a decent grain/grassy character.
Taste
Ok. This is weird. While, Narragansett aren’t even nudging the boundaries of the style, this lager was actually not too bad. It’s light with a hint of hops and resulting bitterness. For a macro lager, it actually has something to it more than just water.
Overall
Like I said, for a macro lager, this wasn’t half bad. Kept cold, the brew actually went down smoothly and quickly. It’s got a more quality taste than the big boys. After sharing a couple of cans with a coworker, we both agreed that the lager is pretty standard, yet surprisingly better than expected.
Rating: 2.5/5
December 1st, 2009
John Cressy said:
I noticed you said the Gansett didn’t hold a head. I usually pour my beer in a wet glass. I use the same glass for beer and beer only. I never eat greasy food that would get grease on the glass. I usually rinse the glass in hot,salty water and let it air dry. If I wash it with soap I make sure no residue is left in the glass. Soap and grease will cut the head immediately. Don’t dry with a laundered towel. It still has soap residue on it. A clean glass will leave the head residue all the way down the glass.