Flying Dog Old Scratch Lager: Steam Beer without the name
Written: May 17 '01 (Updated Jun 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Well pronounced malt and hop, while neither dominates. Ale like character.
Cons: None if you don't mind a few fleas.
The Bottom Line: Combines very well defined malt and hops, with neither being too dominant. Very flavorful for a lager, almost ale-like. A must for any beer drinker.
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| andaryl's Full Review: Old Scratch Lager |
Flying Dog started out as a brewpub in Aspen, Colorado, one of the first in the Rocky Mountain region. They have since outgrown this facility, and relocated in Denver, with a 35,000 barrel brewhouse.
Doing it Doggie-Style
The first thing you’d notice about Flying Dog, in their own words, is how they like to do things “Doggie-style”. Their beers strike references to dogs, as does their promotional material. So while most of us would talk about a range of products, or a portfolio, Flying Dog refer to their “litter of ales”. Their independent attitude to brewing is reflected in the humorous labels and beer names such as “Road Dog”, “Snake Dog”, “Tire Biter”, and “K-9 Cruiser”. The “Old Scratch Lager” label is a very well drawn with an amusing picture of two evil and mischievous looking fleas that make you feel a little itchy. Check out their website if you have the time, the other labels are all well worth a look, as is the merchandise.
Old Scratch
The company is somewhat cautious in defining the style as: “brewed in the tradition of the first indigenous US breed of beer (we'd call it by style-name, but a particular California brewery would be steamed at us).” If you didn’t realize already that’s Anchor Steam, which I have yet to try but is widely acclaimed as a great beer.
When I popped the cap to Scratch, as always I stuck my nose immediately over the bottle. I was greeted with a nice rich malty aroma, which soon mellowed to something a little clean and lighter. I never do this but I was tempted to take a quick taste from the bottle, which revealed a very pleasant flavor.
This pour is relatively dark for a lager, a deep amber but light and clear in body. The head is impressive, light white and foamy while there’s a good sign of carbonation. The aroma is very malt accentuated, you could say a little bubble-gum like but there are also good notes of fruitiness, something a little lemony. There’s a nice medium body to this with a good fizz on the tongue. It starts out with a distinct malt, turns light lemony and cleaner in the middle and finishes dry and bitter, with a slight spicy-pepper hoppiness.
This beer offers an excellent blend of flavors, more than you’d expect from a lager. While neither dominates the other, both the malt and hops are very evident. In much the same way as a Bock (a German lager style) manages to do, Old Scratch combines the refreshing qualities of a lager with the character of an ale.
This beer is a must for anyone to try; light beer drinkers will be impressed by the fuller flavor, while micro drinkers will find something pleasantly different. Since I started reviewing I very rarely pick up the same beer twice, but since I only had one of these I’ll definitely be buying it again.
Recommended:
Yes
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andaryl
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