Judge’s Review: 92 Rating – Urayasu Rice Lager by Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co.

International Pale Lager | Year-Round | United States

By Sal Mortillaro II

Judges Rating: 92
Aroma: 22
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 37
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 18

Urayasu Rice Lager by Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. is being judged as an International Pale Lager (Category 2A) per the 2021 BJCP Style guidelines.
This beer pours a straw gold color with very slight chill haze. A bone white head of fine, mousse-like bubbles is persistent and leaves a beautiful lacing on the glass as this beer is consumed. At first, there is an initial subtle and clean aroma. As the beer warms, a very low, slightly grainy and slightly crackery aroma is apparent along with a very low, typical, rice lager note. There was an initial very low DMS, though this dissipated fairly quickly. Initial flavor consists of low malt sweetness with a low doughy note. The malt flavor gives way to a very low hop bitterness with a low flavor of floral and spicy hops. This beer has a clean lager fermentation character and is extremely refreshing. The aftertaste consists of a very light lingering sweetness, grainy malt and spicy hops. This beer has a medium-high carbonation and is lightly prickly on the tongue and enhances the thin body. The combination of the carbonation and body gives a slight creaminess to this beer.
Overall, this is an exceptional beer. It is extremely well-executed and is brewed with the quality of a macro adjunct lager with more flavor and enjoyability. I found it refreshing and flavorful, and I highly recommend giving this beer a try.