It’s time for the CraftCans Team to wrap up our reviews of Joseph James Brewing Company’s three canned offerings, including Fox Tail - the first gluten-free beer in a can – and their super hoppy, high octane Hop Box Imperial IPA.   Let’s put their craft lager to the test.  

From the Joseph James Brewing site:

"Traditional Style American Lager brewed with the finest Pilsner malts and organic rice. This light bodied lager is crisp and refreshing at 5.2% ABV, 15 IBU's, and is best enjoyed at 45°F-55°F. Serve in a 16oz pint glass."

Here we go...

POUR: Clear, pale yellow and very clear.  Nice half-inch white head on top that held its own and left moderate but sturdy lacing.

AROMA: Standard aromas of biscuit dough and fruity lager yeast.  We find it challenging to find much variety in the aromas in our craft lagers, but the taste is where the rubber meets the road anyway, right?

TASTE: Malty sweetness and the addition of fermentable rice contributes to a nice, round mouthfeel during the start and middle before just a touch of hops emerge at the end and lead us to a semi-sweet finish.  This is such a smooth drinker that it disappeared from our glass in no time. 

OVERALL:  A very pleasant, easy drinking American Lager that leans a couple ticks towards the malty side of the scale with no hints of bitterness.  We found the medium body and strong malt flavors very satisfying, especially on this cold and snowy day.

NOTE: Those of us who have been of legal drinking age for a couple decades know today’s scene is miles ahead of where it was when we cracked our first can of fizzy, yellow beer.  We applaud Joseph James, Fort George, Ska, Brooklyn, and all the other craft brewers who are offering today’s beer drinkers a much better can of lager.