Trapp Winter Lager - Seasonal Trosten Bier

I'm not even going to try and give an overall description of this beer so this is what the Brewery says: "'Trosten Bier' translates to 'comfort beer', a black lager with notes of roast and smoke. Rich flavors up front that finishes smooth and clean."

Alcohol Content: 5.4%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: $7/ Flight of four

Medium: 4oz samplers/ small juice glass

Aroma: Heavily influenced by a smokey malt character with hints of sulfur in the background. Maltiness is also quite roasted but not like a stout. Smoked malts help in covering up some of the roasted grain. I detected no hop aroma.

Appearance: When held up in good lighting, the beer shows off a clear, dark brown color with ruby tints. The bartender decanted the head, leaving no room to see any signs of retention for an otherwise brown head. Carbonation appears to be high, like the rest of the beers on flight.

Flavor: Smooth malty sweetness and smokey character most profound. The smoke flavors becomes stronger into the finish and aftertaste. No apparent or strong alcohol flavors. Smooth, well rounded, and overall clean. Its rich creamy texture is not too sweet/ cloying. Although huge flavors develop, it is still well attenuated and lager-like in nature. No fruity esters. No Diacetyl. Hop flavors remain in the background with a light bitterness. Rich, deep melanoidin sweetness lingers in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated to help balance or round off the malts. Moderately full-bodied and characterful. No astringency or other profound off flavors. Not too fulfilling - overall pleasant and drinkable.

Overall Impression: I tend to stay away from smoked beers because I simply don't like them. That's not to say I didn't appreciate it for what it is. You have to view it in the eyes of someone else who may find this to be comforting to them. Rich roasted foods and smoked meats or smoked almonds are all great ideas for food pairings. You can start with just about and food that is prepared by smoking and it will hold up against a beer of this nature. 

Trapp Dunkel Lager

The third sample of four on a flight purchased from the Brewery in Stowe. The Dunkel lager is the darkest beer offered by the Brewery, featuring its dark malts and full, rounded flavors. Although its the darkest beer, there was one more left to sample that contained a rich roasted and smoked character and had to be saved for last (see Winter Lager - a seasonal Trosten Bier).

Alcohol Content: 5.4%
IBU: ?
Malts: Munich, ?
Hops: ?

Price: $7/ Flight of four

Medium: 4oz samplers/ small juice glass

Aroma: The nose immediately suggests complexity for such a simple base style typically dominated by Munich malt. I get light chocolate notes, nuts, and even surfacing toffee notes in both the aroma and flavor. Rich munich malt sweetness and restrained fruity esters. Some deeper melanoidin-rich malty undertones. No perceived hop aroma.
Appearance: All of the beers served at the Trapp Lodge have been highly carbonated with presentable, effervescent bubbling. Altitude can play a role in carbonation but brewers will account for this in their serving lines, etc. Deep copper to amber brown - appropriate for the style. The off-white head was decanted, making it difficult to evaluate possible retention. Fairly clear but the darker color makes it more difficult to distinguish.
Flavor: Deep melanoidin-rich malt character of bread crust, almost like a heavy/ dense breadiness. Somewhat sweet in the beginning and mid-taste. A supporting bitterness aids in rounding off the fullness in the malts. Mildly bitter chocolate and nutty flavors follow the malt sweetness. Finish is medium-dry. Balance favors the malts. Clean lager character with no distinct fruitiness or diacetyl. Perceived bitterness is higher in the aftertaste as a result of a drying effect from grains.
Mouthfeel: A full-bodied lager served with moderately high carbonation. Sweetness from the malts approaches a heavy/ cloying mouthfeel - in other words my perception of it was too sweet. No apparent alcohol flavors or warming sensations.
Overall Impression: Other versions I have sampled offered a little less sweetness. Food pairings include hearty or spicy foods to match the fullness and flavors of this dark lager. Barbecue, sausages, munster cheese, or anything rich of German cuisine. Mixed nuts may increase the nuttiness in the beer and dried fruit will add to complexity in the Munich malts. 

Trapp Golden Helles

After attending the Hill Farmstead's brewery anniversary, I decided to stop by the Trapp on the way home. While sampling a flight of all of their beers on tap (4) for just $7, I was visited by a few other friendly faces from the Hill Farmstead. The first one I sampled was of course the lightest, a Golden (Munich) Helles. This one lends an easy drinking, crisp character suitable for any occasion.

Alcohol Content: 4.8%
IBU:
Malts: Pilsner, ?
Hops: ?

Price: $7/ Flight of four
Medium: 4oz samplers/ small juice glass

Aroma: Dominated by its grainy pilsner malt presence that comes across as a pleasant malt sweetness. My first whiff encountered DMS notes but I quickly lost this scent with subsequent whiffs. Very clean fermentation character as shown by its lack of esters or diacetyl. The grains are favored over the faint noble hop character. Its like holding your head in a bin full of pilsner malt.
Appearance: A light haze is present - perhaps not as clear as a Helles should be but I didn't have another one to compare it to right then. Color is pale gold, changing to a straw yellow towards the bottom (appeared less dense). It was poured in a way that created a thin film of white foam only around the edges - probably to maximize the sample but I prefer a little more head formation to show off the beer's character. It therefore lacked an otherwise typical creamy head.
Flavor: On the sweeter, more grainy pils malt side for a Helles. Its bitterness creeps up slowly and plays more of a minor/ supporting role. Hop flavor is light and spicy/ noble. Grains come back around in the finish and easily overtake the hop flavors/ bitterness. Finish is only moderately crisp with the aftertaste remaining malty and sweet. Some DMS flavors reminiscent of creamed corn. No Diacetyl.
Mouthfeel: A moderately light body pairs with a moderately high carbonation to lend its drinkability. No astringency. Everything feels very clean with no trace of alcohol presence. Malty but feels well attenuated, adding to its lighter mouthfeel.
Overall Impression: As expected of the style, the Golden Helles emphasizes its malt character with a light hop addition to balance the pilsner malt sweetness. Its malty sweet finish is stylistically accurate but I would have liked to see this toned down a little. It comes across as a bit too grainy. Pair with soft or mild cheese or lighter foods like salads, seafood, and pork. Its lighter than the Vienna Lager (next on the flight), but also not as light as an American lager. I overheard a man with a thick Austrian accent try to order it with sprite. Although the brewery didn't have sprite at the bar, I was informed this is a great mixed drink.

Trapp Lodge Vienna Lager

The Trapp Family Lodge Brewery currently has three beers in production: Golden Helles, Vienna Amber, and Dunkel lager, as well as a rotating seasonal lager. The Vienna style of lager is typically no longer found in the Austrian homeland where it was developed. However, American craft brewers have taken more interest to it in recent. Trapp Vienna lager is the only local example I have seen thus far. I sampled it at The Farmstead in downtown Burlington.

Alcohol Content: 5.0%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: $3.50/ half (8oz); $6.50/ pint
Medium: 8oz water or juice glass

Aroma: Restrained fruity esters with a touch of sweetness from the moderate malt aroma. Malt is consistent with a toasty character, while the hops play a minor role. I also get some hints of bread, caramel, toffee, and honey from the sweetness (within the toasted maltiness).
Appearance: Clear, but not completely brilliant as the style suggests. This is perhaps due my perception of the beer's light amber to copper color as being a factor in clarity. Poured for almost no head, which retained to only a white-ish thin foam lingering around the rim of the glass. Tiny bubbles persist up the sides of the glass in a slow, uniform line.
Flavor: Sweet bready and toasty malt flavors with hints of honey upfront. This turns into a supporting bitterness, just enough to give a perception of balance. Both malts and hops manage to support each other through to a very crisp, clean finish. If I had to say, the bitterness was slightly earthy. Balance is still favored toward the soft, toasted malts. Even more of a sweet finish than the Helles.
Mouthfeel: Pleasant, smooth, easy-drinking (in other words desirable). Moderate carbonation. Somewhat chewy character to the malts. Everything feels very clean and refreshing. Aftertaste is comprised of a lightly toasted character with a lingering sweetness. Typical styles may be a bit dry on the palate, but this was not the case.
Overall Impression: Not too strong or overwhelming. The presence of sweet malts matches up to the toasted profile, giving it that lighter character than Marzen or Oktoberfest. I asked a couple of the servers for suggested food pairings, and they certainly had a lot of great information to offer. We discussed a firm cheese plate or a turkey burger as being great options - thanks to The Farmstead staff for actually knowing about beer styles, unlike most establishments I have found in the area.