Judge’s Review: 85 Rating – “Steel Arm” Lager by Ebony Ivory Brewing Co.

American Light Lager | Year-Round | USA

By Dan Preston

Judges Rating: 85.00
Aroma: 20.00
Appearance: 5.00
Flavor: 34.00
Mouthfeel: 9.00
Overall Impression: 17.00

Steel Arm by Ebony Ivory is an American Light Lager that falls under style BJCP 2021 category 1A.

This beer pours light yellow in color, with such clarity that you could read the can’s fine print on the other side of the glass. The head is bright white, but despite the fizzy look, it fades quickly. This is common for the style as it is scant on some of the head building components like hops and dextrins, as well as using lower protein adjuncts like rice & corn.

The aroma is a step up from the typical fizzy yellow beer and carries some malt and hop notes. It’s not strong by any means, but there is at least light sweet, grainy malt notes and faint grassy, spicy hops. Its very neutral beyond that.

The flavor kicks it up another notch carrying a bit more character, and while still malt forward, does have a bit more hop balance. The hops are light still and the flavor is reminiscent of a US German variety, like Liberty, with a touch of orange zest, wildflowers, and fresh cut grass. They also bring a mod-low bitterness that keeps the malt in check and prevents it from being too sweet. That malt brings a bit fuller character than the aroma as well, with a grainy, cereal like sweetness. The ferment is very clean, with almost no yeast character, and a dry, crisp finish. Despite the fizzy look of the beer, the carbonation seems a bit low for style, though it doesn’t detract from the beer. It is highly drinkable, with a low body, but not quite as watery as some of its constituents. This is a great example of the style.

The name of this beer is done in honor of the pitcher Claude “Steel Arm” Dickey who led the Knoxville Giants to 25 straight wins in 1920. It’s a fitting tribute as cracking open a few of these would make a great way to celebrate those victories.