5. Great Divide Hoss
Who makes it: Great Divide Brewing from Denver, Colorado.
What kind of beer is it: Rye märzen lager. Great Divide’s first crack at a commercially-released lager. Weighs in at 6.2% ABV.
What I thought of the beer: Tried a taste of this at the end of a long night of sampling and the five of us universally panned it. Figured it deserved another shot (mostly because it’s called Hoss and has a lumberjack on the label). For a märzen, this doesn’t have enough malt complexity to be in the ballpark of solid German examples of the style. The rye–which is supposed to give the beer a spicy, crisp balance to its “rich, layered malt notes”–registers in the smell but not much in the taste. Hoss has a thin, watery quality that I’m guessing would not please your average beer fan, let alone a lumberjack.
Rating: *
I finished the whole bottle, but didn’t have a good time doing it. Great Divide needs to give this beer more flavor if they’re gonna continue it as a seasonal. Not recommended for beer douches, lumberjacks or drinkers who are tempted by a beer named Hoss (like me).
September 8, 2009 at 8:03 pm
all things named Hoss tempt you, eh. awkwaaarrdd
September 8, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Easy there pal…I said I’m tempted by a beer named Hoss, not all things. For instance, I’m probably not gonna be hitting the gay disco when DJ Hoss is spinning. But who wouldn’t wanna try a beer named Hoss with a lumberjack on the bottle? Good or bad, you’ll still have something to say about it…
September 8, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Lagwagon’s HOSS album was purty good. Too bad the beer sucked. Wonder if there is a Double Plaidnum Beer?
September 21, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Can’t tell you the number of times a crappy beer has sucked me in with a catchy name and a slick label…then again, at least half the time the beer turns out to be okay! Luck of the draw I suppose.