In the words of a late, great hip-hop artist, “Lager Lager Lager can’t you see, sometimes your crisp just hypnotizes me.” He didn’t exactly say those words, but we like to think he would. As it turns out, it’s just us. We are the ones hypnotized by a wonderfully crafted Lager.

Vienna

One Lager, in particular, is Vienna Lager from Goldfinger Brewing Company. The Downers Grove, IL-based brewery prides itself on brewing Lager beers with the utmost attention to technique and detail.

Vienna Lager is brewed with a double decoction method. This means that a portion of the primary mash is separated into a different vessel to allow it to be boiled. “Double simply means we do this process twice throughout the mash,” said Tom Beckmann, owner & brewer. The results are complex malt flavor and a positive contribution to the body and fermentability of the wort.

Authentic Taste

For the full flavor of the beer, Beckmann explains that most of the credit goes to the maltsters. “I simply employ a mashing regimen that extracts as much flavor as possible,” he notes. It helps that Goldfinger uses world-class hops to help provide another dimension to the flavor profile.

For instance, the Czech Saaz hops used in the beer take it to another level! The Saaz hops provide nice herbal, spice and floral characteristics to balance out some of the sweetness. Goldfinger’s hops are from Czechia, but they are brokered through a trusted source. That same broker is the one who provides Goldfinger with all their German hops as well. So, you are getting the real deal when you drink not only this beer, but any of the core beers from Goldfinger.

Pairing Is Caring

Vienna Lager is so rich and complex. It’s the kind of beer you want to sit down and enjoy a meal with. When asked about food pairing with Vienna Lager, Beckmann gave his personal opinion on what food to try with it.

“This beer holds up to some pretty bold meat flavors. Any grilled meat or meats that have a lot of Maillard reaction will enhance this beer,” he explained. Thanks to its substantial hoppiness and relatively dry finish, it also helps to cut through the fat content in the meat, making Vienna Lager a perfect complement! While you can certainly enjoy it by itself, we concur with Beckmann that the flavors are heightened by a nice grilled meat.

Don’t Rush Perfection

None of the Lagers from Goldfinger are rushed. “We believe that giving our yeast and the beer enough time to sort itself out yields the best results, no matter how pressing the deadline,” said Beckmann. Goldfinger stands on the saying of good things come to those who wait. Having patience and doing everything at very cold temperatures results in a beer you won’t want to put down.

Vienna Lager is a testament to this process. The quality from first sip to last drop is nothing short of perfection. We like to call the experience a sensory symphony for your taste buds! The bouquet of flavors from Vienna accentuates one another. Spice and herbal notes shake hands with subtle bready flavors throughout the drinking experience. The contrasting flavors create a well-balanced classic Vienna Lager to indulge in.

We’ve had many different Vienna Style Lagers, but this is one of the most remarkable ones we’ve had the pleasure to taste.

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