Bauhaus BrewLabs Wagon Party West Coast Style Lager

Bauhaus BrewLabs Wagon Party West Coast Style Lager. {Is that a thing?} Proudly brewed by Bauhaus BrewLabs in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 5.4% Alcohol by Volume. 55 IBU.

Another Minnesota-brewed can. All this canning is ruining my collection of bottle caps. You'd think, by the look of it, that  the only local beers I drink were Summit, Schell's, Brau Brothers, and a little bit of Fulton, and have no idea whether I ever had a Surly, Indeed, or Bent Paddle. But, since that's hardly anything worth worrying about, I will abruptly end this discussion..

Appearance: slightly hazy, bright orange coloring, long-lasting creamy head.

Aroma: Lively, floral hop presence. Slightly citric & piney. Nice.

Taste: Coming through a lot fruitier once it enters the mouth, plenty of citrus, tropical, stone fruits. Apricot and orange. Welcome bitterness blazes the palate. Body is on the lean side, and let's the hops show their stuff, without having any malt muck it up. I think that "West Coast Style Lager" is their way of saying "IPL" (or India Pale Lager), without having to say "IPL." And nobody really wants to do that.

A couple ounces in, and I know that I like it, but the rest of the drink will offer no further surprises. You got what you came for. Smooth and hoppy, best of both worlds. Me, I still like ales more, but there ain't nothing wrong with it. Good beer, you can drink it. Given my choice of Bauhaus beers, this would be number 2, after the IPA. Still have one more of their core four offerings to go until I've closed the circle on these guys. It's unlikely that a pilsner will take over an IPA in my favor, but one never knows.

Let's read the label and see if it's as goofy as all the others: "We bet the brave folks who made the wagon trip into the Wild West would have enjoyed a tasty beer at the end of the trail. Fermented with lager yeast at higher ale temperatures, this beer is an homage to an American style that emerged during the California gold Rush. It's firm, grainy maltiness and hoppy aromas of tangerine, apricot and citrus will make you party like it's 1849."

So, it's an "homage" to California Common, aka Steam Beer? Totally didn't get that. Oh, wait….hmmm, yeah, I get it now. Sure….