It always warms my heart to see
German-style lagers microbrewed in America. Though we see plenty of ales
produced here, it is a rarer occurrence indeed to see time-consuming lagers
brewed and bottled by a microbrewery or brewpub. One craft brewer who has
made it a point to produce fine lagers is Saxer from lake Oswego, Oregon.
Saxer has a legitimate claim to German style lagers. Henry Saxer, namesake
of the brewery, came to the Pacific Northwest and established his Liberty
Brewery in Portland, Oregon (not yet a state) in 1852. Saxer’s restoring
lagers quickly became popular among the settlers in the area, and resulted
in rapid expansion for this fledgling brewer.
Saxer eventually sold his brewery to another German brewmaster named Henry
Weinhard who went on to establish an even more famous brewery in the same
area. Still, the Saxer tradition lives on in the microbrewed lagers that
bear his name today. One of my favorites is the Dark Bock. Saxer describes
it thusly:
A classic Bavarian Dunkel Bock brewed with imported German malts and
hops. Dark Bock has deliciously rich, roasted malt flavors with a spicy hop
profile.
Saxer Dark Bock pours to a deep ruby color with very light carbonation and a
sweet. Sticky nose. The palate is rich and malty, slightly chocolatey but
doesn’t quite have the full nuttiness of a decocted double bock. There are
balancing hops in the finish and a touch of alcohol warmth too.
This is a nice American interpretation of a German bock beer. It’s a potent
one too at 7.2% alcohol by volume. Saxer lagers this seasonal beer for six
to eight weeks, an appropriate amount of time for a good lager. Saxer does
produce a doppelbock too that’s even bigger than this one, and though they
don’t call this beer a doppel it’s closer to that style than a traditional
bock.
This is a great after-dinner beer. It’s a sipping brew that I enjoyed after
a spicy meal of fajitas stuffed with sautéed onions and peppers, fresh salsa
and lettuce, and skirt steak marinated in habanera sauce.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft