1A. American Light Lager

Question 1

Overall Impression

Answer 1

Highly carbonated, very light-bodied, nearly flavorless larger designed to be consumed very cold. Very refreshing and thirst quenching.

Question 2

Aroma

Answer 2

Low to no malt aroma. If present grainy, sweet or corn-like. Low to no hop aroma, spicy or floral if present. Clean fermentation desirable, light amount of yeast character not a fault. Light DMS is not a fault.

Question 3

Appearance

Answer 3

Very pale straw to pale yellow color. White, frothy head seldom persists. Very clear.

Question 4

Flavor

Answer 4

Relatively neutral palate with a crisp and dry finish
and a low to very low grainy or corn-like flavor that might be perceived as sweetness due to the low bitterness. Hop flavor ranges from none to low levels, and can have a floral, spicy, or herbal quality (although rarely strong enough to detect). Low to very low hop bitterness. Balance may vary from slightly malty to slightly bitter, but is relatively close to even. High
levels of carbonation may accentuate the crispness of the dry finish. Clean lager fermentation character.

Question 5

Mouthfeel

Answer 5

Very light (sometimes watery) body. Very highly
carbonated with slight carbonic bite on the tongue.

Question 6

Comments

Answer 6

Designed to appeal to as broad a range of the

general public as possible. Strong flavors are a fault

Question 7

History

Answer 7

Coors briefly made a light lager in the early 1940s.
Modern versions were first produced by Rheingold in 1967 to appeal to diet-conscious drinkers, but only became popular starting in 1973 after Miller Brewing acquired the recipe and marketed the beer heavily to sports fans with the “tastes great, less filling” campaign. Beers of this genre became the largest sellers in the United States in the 1990s.

Question 8

Characteristic Ingredients

Answer 8

Two- or six-row barley with high percentage (up to 40%) of rice or corn as adjuncts. Additional enzymes can further lighten the body and lower carbohydrates.

Question 9

Style Comparison

Answer 9

A lighter-bodied, lower-alcohol, lower calorie version of an American Lager. Less hop character and bitterness than a Leichtbier.

Question 10

Gravity

Answer 10

OG: 1028-1040 FG: 0.998-1008

Question 11

ABV

Answer 11

2.8-4.2

Question 12

SRM

Answer 12

2-3