Judge’s Review: 90 Rating – Gear Me by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.

American Light Lager | Limited Release | United States

By Jim Koebel

Judges Rating: 90
Aroma: 21
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 37
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 18

Gear Me by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is being judged as a BJCP Category 1A American Light Lager. As I’ve probably written before, from a beer judge’s perspective, an American Light Lager is more about what isn’t there versus what is. In other words, these little ones are so delicate they can’t mask any flaws. A Belgian dubbel might be able to smother an errant yeast characteristic with its malt richness, but the same flaw would ruin a light lager. Another feature is their neutrality; light lagers let you taste your burger or chicken wings but do not become a feature of the meal. 
This beer has a bright, husky aroma that is mildly sweet. As is often the case with light lagers, the CO2 being expelled from the foam is also an aroma component. It pours with a full, tall, white head that dissipates quickly into just a trace. Otherwise, it’s harvest gold in color and crystal clear. Typical of style, the grainy flavors here are mild but clean. It is lightly bitter and well attenuated, with a crispness that suggests an adjunct addition (but I can’t be sure!). This beer has a medium-light body and moderately high carbonation. Overall, it’s a lot like all the other good light lagers out there, but at least it comes in a 16-ounce can.