Beer of the Weekend #917: Mission Creek Lager
The Mission Creek Festival is this weekend ... I think. I don’t have a finger on the pulse of the city anymore because I have no life, but I think the festival is this weekend. Iowa City’s Big Grove Brewery is the festival’s “official beer sponsor” and has brewed Mission Creek Lager to commemorate the weekend of art, music, and writing.
The color is clear, gorgeous amber. An aggressive pour produced two fingers of beige, bubbly, billowy head that dissipates evenly, leaving a web of lacing stuck to the glass.
The aroma is malty and is a mix of adjunct-like grain and caramel. It reminds me a lot of Tejas Negra, also a Vienna-style lager. It smells true to style, à la the Mexican interpretation. It has a touch of fruit, mostly cherry, which is reminiscent of licorice.
The flavor evolved over the course of two pints for me. The initial pint was my first beer in six days and was very earthy and metallic; it was a shock to my taste buds. The bitterness lingered as an aftertaste with a touch of spice. Other flavors were present—adjunct grain, caramel, and cherry licorice, but the earthy, metallic bitterness dominated. My notes say, “It’s like cheap Mexican lager with the bitterness turned up to 11.” It was way too bitter for a Vienna-style lager ... but then I drank a second pint, which was much more balanced. The bitterness is tamer, the malty flavors are more prominent, and there are hints of chocolate. Even the toasted malt mentioned on the can makes an appearance. The cherry licorice element is even more prominent. It’s smooth and drinkable—unlike the first pint. The third pint was the same way, so the bad experience I had initially was most likely due to the fact it was my first beer all week.
Fun facts about Mission Creek Lager:
• Style: Vienna-style lager.
• Price: $8.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City. The cans were displayed on an endcap at the registers, not in the beer fridge.
• Alcohol content: 4.7 percent ABV.
• Calories: 141 per 12 ounces (estimate).
• Here’s the beer’s description on the can:
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The color is clear, gorgeous amber. An aggressive pour produced two fingers of beige, bubbly, billowy head that dissipates evenly, leaving a web of lacing stuck to the glass.
The aroma is malty and is a mix of adjunct-like grain and caramel. It reminds me a lot of Tejas Negra, also a Vienna-style lager. It smells true to style, à la the Mexican interpretation. It has a touch of fruit, mostly cherry, which is reminiscent of licorice.
The flavor evolved over the course of two pints for me. The initial pint was my first beer in six days and was very earthy and metallic; it was a shock to my taste buds. The bitterness lingered as an aftertaste with a touch of spice. Other flavors were present—adjunct grain, caramel, and cherry licorice, but the earthy, metallic bitterness dominated. My notes say, “It’s like cheap Mexican lager with the bitterness turned up to 11.” It was way too bitter for a Vienna-style lager ... but then I drank a second pint, which was much more balanced. The bitterness is tamer, the malty flavors are more prominent, and there are hints of chocolate. Even the toasted malt mentioned on the can makes an appearance. The cherry licorice element is even more prominent. It’s smooth and drinkable—unlike the first pint. The third pint was the same way, so the bad experience I had initially was most likely due to the fact it was my first beer all week.
Fun facts about Mission Creek Lager:
• Style: Vienna-style lager.
• Price: $8.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City. The cans were displayed on an endcap at the registers, not in the beer fridge.
• Alcohol content: 4.7 percent ABV.
• Calories: 141 per 12 ounces (estimate).
• Here’s the beer’s description on the can:
A celebration of music, literature, and community, this Vienna style lager is a nod to Iowa City’s storied German brewing history. Mission Creek Lager has an amber hue, a toasted malt mid palate, and a melody of hops in the finish.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
