Beer of the Week: Vienna Lager

From the Beer Writer: Some beer styles are so easy on the palate, that their compositions are taken for granted. Such is the case with Vienna lagers, malt-driven creations that are intended to be soft and a little sweet, with Noble hops evening things out and lending increased drinkability while coming across largely undetectable in the finished beer. For Americans, these amber lagers mostly conjure memories of South of the Border R&R sessions, adding to the assumption that they’re more about flavorful poolside hydration than craftsmanship, but a dive into the malt bill of Hodad’s Brewing‘s just-released, limited-edition Vienna Lager bucks that misconception. As expected, Vienna and Munich malts are the base of the bill. Caramunich is also used to add richness and contribute to the beer’s reddish-amber color, along with two pounds of Chocolate Malt and a touch of Perla Negra for increased depth sans roastiness. The result is a beer that teases taste buds with initial sweetness but is dry with a bit of toast and even a hint of spice in the finish. It’s a Vienna Lager that can be enjoyed even during this summer’s record-high temps. That would not be the case were it not for this masterful malt bill and all the thought that went into designing it.

From the Brewer: “Josh Ferracioli and I have been wanting to brew this one for a long time! Coming out of the pandemic shutdown, we had been focused on brewing our core beers and launching our line of cans. This is our first limited-release beer this year, and to say we are excited for this one would be an understatement. Our Vienna Lager was a blast to brew, and even better to drink. Coming in at 5% (alcohol-by-volume), it’s sessionable but still big on flavor. In the glass, it has a nice, bright amber color that we’re really happy with. We were very thoughtful in our selection of malts when we were designing this recipe, and the final product offers up an initial impression of that lightly-toasted-bread type of malt sweetness you are looking for when you think about a good Vienna lager, but it gives way to a dry and balanced finish that keeps you coming back for more!”—Marlow Myrmo, Director of Brewery Operations, Hodad’s Brewing