Look Ma, I finally brewed a lager!! Seriously, I did. It was about two months ago, and my creation is ready to drink. Let's see how it turned out.Appearance: Deep brown. Transparent and very clear when held up to the light. Creamy and persistent off white head.
Aroma: Sweet, bready smell, with notes of dark fruit and slight roastiness. Molasses maybe. Hop aroma is low to none, which I find somewhat surprising given the volume of hops late in the boil. Fortunately I don't get diacetyl, sulfur, or weird esters.
Taste: Like the nose. Malty, bready, noticeably sweeter that many American beers which lean more toward the bitter side. Roasted taste is there but subtle. Dark fruit, caramel, molasses. I do get some floral hop bitterness at the end though.
Mouthfeel: Kind of creamy. Moderate carbonation.
Overall: I think its not bad for my first attempt at a lager. I'd like to get some expert opinion on it however, and directly compare it to a commercial example of the style such as Kostrizer. But it does seem to taste similar to the dark lagers I tasted while in Germany.
