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Lift

Ohio
United States
Lift by MadTree Brewing Co.
Judges Ratings 
1 Review
78
Aroma:
19 / 24
Flavor:
30 / 40
Appearance:
6 / 6
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20
Description 

Whether taking a break from a hard day of work or just a huge day of hops, this crisp refreshing beer with a hint of orange will lift your spirits without lowering your expectations for what a craft beer should be.

Beverage Profile
ABV: 
4.7%
IBUs: 
11
Served at: 
40º
Hops: 
Cascade, Hallertau Mittelfruh, Pacifica
Malts: 
2-Row, Red Wheat, Vienna, Flaked Barley
Judges Review 
Josh Weikert's picture
Judges Rating:
78
Aroma:
19 / 24
Appearance:
6 / 6
Flavor:
30 / 40
Mouthfeel:
8 / 10
Overall Impression:
15 / 20

LIFT (judged under BJCP category 5B, Kolsch) is an inoffensive and unremarkable beer, which may be exactly what the brewers intended.

It pours medium gold and hazy, with a fluffy white, persistent head. The aroma is mostly Pilsner malt, with its characteristic biscuit and honey notes predominating. As it warms an apple/pear ester comes out, along with a touch of DMS (cooked corn) and slight oxidative aromas.  

The initial flavor impression is sweetness, along with a general grainy background note. The pear ester is more pronounced in the flavor, as is a low level of bittering which seemed higher due to a dry, papery oxidation flavor. The finish is balanced, with a lingering grainy aftertaste. Medium body in the mouthfeel and a moderate level of carbonation round out the experience.

This is a modest beer. It's perfectly fine as a generic pale hybrid beer, and in fairness there aren't a lot of resoundingly characterful and noteworthy Kolsches on the market, but all the same this comes across as a beer that is wanting in the personality department. The minor flaws don't help, nor do they especially hurt. It's OK, for better or worse.