74 of the Best Flavored Lagers, Blind-Tasted and Ranked

Learn about how we rate & review beers with our BJCP blind panel here


Boulevard Brewing Company Dark Truth Stout (79)

Layers of complex flavors slowly emerge from the glass: espresso, roasted fig, crème brulée. Belgian yeast provides a plum-like fruitiness; noble German hops reveal spicy, herbal notes, while the rich, velvety mouthfeel mellows to a dry, smoky finish.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Baby Daddy Session IPA (83)

“Sunny straw in color and loaded with hops. The aroma and flavor yield citrus and tropical notes: grapefruit, melon, lime, passion fruit, and a touch of spice. It has a full balanced body, with a crisp nish and low bitterness.”

Wiley Roots Brewing Co Beer Flavored Beer (84)

“German-style helles lager”

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Nooner Pilsner (85)

“Nooner is our take on the classic German Pilsner, filled with bright and zesty whole-cone hops flavor with a crisp, dry finish—the perfect pick for wherever the day may take you.”

Prost Brewing Company Pils (85)

“Prost Pils is pale gold in color and capped with a thick, brilliantly white, dense collar of foam. With the first sip, spicy hops flavors come to the forefront. As the hop begins to fade, the wonderfully soft imported Pilsner malt is revealed.”

Uinta Brewing Baba Black Lager (86)

“This black lager has flavors of dark coffee, chocolate, and subtle wood smoke. Our black sheep’s color stands out and leads the herd in drinkability.”

Saint Arnold Brewing Company 5 O’Clock Pils (86)

“The Pils malt is light yet with a pleasant bready character. Saaz hops gives a pleasant earthy spiciness. The final, unfiltered beer has a light maltiness, a big refreshing bitter and wonderful, delicate hops flavor and aroma.”

KC Bier Co. Schwarzbier (86)

“Rich malt flavors of roasted coffee and chocolate, moderate bitterness, crisp, clean finish.”

KC Bier Co. Maibock (86)

“Medium-bodied with rich malt flavors of caramel and honey, moderate bitterness.”

Two Roads Brewing Co Rocket 2 Ruin Imperial Cold IPA (86)

“Fermented with a lager yeast in a process that results in a rounded hop flavor and clean mouthfeel.”

Larrabee Lager Company Bakerview Gold (87)

“Rich flavor of European pale malts. Floral hop notes.”

COVA Brewing Company Blackbeard (87)

“Light-bodied like a pilsner, easy to drink and full of flavor, with a hint of chocolate.”

Uinta Brewing Baba (87)

“Flavors of dark coffee, chocolate, and subtle wood smoke.”

Lawson's Finest Liquids Little Sip IPA (87)

“A juicy, fruit-forward character layered with tropical hop flavors and bright floral aromas. Notes of grapefruit, pineapple.”

Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon Oktoberfest Lager (88)

“German malts and Noble hops lend this Bavarian-style festbier sweet, crisp, and crackery malt flavors and a smooth, highly drinkable finish.”

Ecliptic Brewing Ecliptic + Ravenna Juicy Lager (88)

“A multiverse of flavor with a juicy mix of modern hops. Notes of white grape, red currant, lime-orange citrus.”

Russian River Brewing Velvet Glow (88)

“Bright straw color, aromas and flavors of bread crust and biscuit.”

Dust Bowl Brewing Hobo Pilsner (2019) (89)

"This German-style Pilsner uses Pilsner malt along with Magnum and Hallertau hops to create a light-flavored, crisp, hoppy lager."

pFriem Family Brewers Cold Brew Coffee Barrel Aged Stout (89)

"It’s officially cold brew season, and our Bourbon Stout is ready for its afternoon pick-me-up. The stout base, boasting bakers chocolate and dark raisin notes, is bursting into Summer when layered with Coava Coffee’s Sulawesi Gowa Topidi, swirling qualities of mango, juniper, and brown sugar into this lively brew."

Casa Agria Specialty Ales Traut Lager Bier (89)

“Vienna-style amber lager with a complex malt flavor, light body, and refreshing finish.”

Wild Provisions Beer Project 14°P Czech-Style Dark Lager (89)

Dark malt breadiness balanced with subtle dark-fruit flavors and a slight spiciness from the Saaz hop.

Moniker Brewery Kühlschrank (89)

“Malty complex sweetness. Classic toasty flavor. German Noble hops.”

Anchor San Pancho (89)

“Zesty citrus and sweet-corn flavors. Golden maltiness and Saaz hops.”

Allagash Brewing Company Seconds to Summer (89)

“Brewed with hops from the Czech Republic and fermented with Belgian yeast for a crisp, refreshingly hoppy flavor.”

Chuckanut Brewery Chuckanut Grodziskie (90)

A low-alcohol, highly carbonated, refreshingly light-bodied wheat lager, with an oak-smoke flavor melded with a clean hop bitterness.

Moksa Brewing Rocklin Lager (90)

"Rocklin Lager is a Czech-style Pilsner layered with European malts and hops. We also added a small dry hop of Czech Saaz hops for a little extra flavor."

Pinthouse Brewing Layers of Flavor (90)

“Brewed to showcase modern hop varieties.”

Commonhouse Aleworks White Point Lager (91)

“Crisp and refreshing American-style craft lager. Flavors: smooth sweetness, light grain, hints of cut wood.”

KC Bier Co. Winterbock (91)

“Winterbock is a full-bodied, dark doppelbock-style lager with rich malt flavors of chocolate and caramel with hints of coffee, low bitterness, and a satisfying smooth finish. The flavor contributions of time-honored methods were recognized with a silver medal in the German-Style Doppelbock category at the 2018 World Beer Cup.”

Hound Song Brewing Burnin' Daylight (91)

“American craft lager featuring a light malt flavor with a well-​integrated hop flavor.”

Great Lakes Brewing Company Dortmunder Gold Lager (91)

A classic balance of sweet malt and dry hop flavors.

Jack's Abbey Craft Lagers Vanilla Barrel Aged Framminghammer (91)

“Aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla beans. The lengthy conditioning period in the barrels creates a silky smooth chocolaty mouth feel enhanced by the use of oats and brown sugar. Noticeable sweetness gets balanced by roasted malt and hops bitterness. Additional flavors include bourbon, vanilla, and oak.”

Rosenstadt Brewery LLC Festbier (91)

“Layered malt flavors of bread, almonds, and dried fruit are accented by spicy, floral hopping.”

Terrapin Beer Company Tiramisu-Hoo (92)

“Tiramisu-Hoo has all the attributes of a finely executed dessert; we have managed to create a beer that is layered with all the goodness you would expect from a succulent slice of Italian history.”

Jack's Abby Red Tape (92)

“Red Tape Lager has a full malty flavor typical of Bavarian dark lagers. Cold fermented in the 40s and lagered at freezing. A traditional spunding process allowed for 100 percent natural carbonation.”

Sun King Brewery Pachanga (92)

“Mexican- style lager with a crisp malt flavor and thirst-quenching character.”

Roadmap Brewing Co Penguin Suit (92)

“Light in body with notes of graham cracker and a wonderful roasted flavor.”

KC Bier Co. Dunkel (92)

['“The German word for ‘dark', '’ dunkel is a traditional brown lager that was the most widely drunk beer in Bavaria at the turn of the twentieth century. Dunkel is a full-bodied Munich-style brown lager with low bitterness and rich malt flavors of caramel and toasted bread crust.”']

Underground Beer Lab Variable (92)

“Cryo Pop, Strata CGX, Strata, Mosaic for layered tropical-fruit flavors.”

Boulder Beer Shake Dark Chocolate Porter (92)

"Using a blend of five different grains, this indulgent porter creates layers of velvety flavors blending notes of cream, cacao nibs, coffee and caramel."

Deschutes/Bell's Schwarzbier (93)

“This full-flavored dark lager has some incredible roasty, toasty, nutty, and chocolate notes. Perfect for the time of year when the weather is starting to cool a bit. Enjoy!”

Temescal Brewing Oktoberfest (93)

“A full-flavored and well-balanced lager.”

Surly Brewing Co Hell (93)

"A pale-gold lager with bready malt and floral hops aromas and flavors."

Uhl’s Brewing Co Deep Dark Depths (93)

['"Unencumbered by spice or flavor additives, this unique barrel aged imperial stout explodes with bourbon character, enveloping an incredibly complex base Imperial Stout with divine layers of chocolate malt flavor. It’s been slumbering for 10', '176 hours, soaking up all that goodness - now it’s time to share."\n']

Creature Comforts The Silent World (94)

“The Silent World is a highly drinkable black lager with malt-forward flavors, which include caramel and toasted bread, as well as a classic noble-hops flavor from the German hops.”

Noble Beast Brewing Co. Murder Ballads (94)

“Horizontally lagered for clarity of flavor.”

Fiction Beer Alternate Present (94)

“Flavors of chocolate with a bit of roasted marshmallows up front, a slight fruity ester note in the middle, then fading to a clean malty finish. Despite the color, it’s a sessionable beer. Chalk additions add a lingering mineral flavor that enhances the perception of malt flavor and aroma.”

Creature Comforts Brewing Bibo (94)

"Bibo is a crisp, dry, and classic Pilsner. A distinct Continental hops flavor and aroma create a well-balanced and tastefully crafted brew."

Squatters Pub Brewery Brilliant Bier (94)

“Classic light-bodied German-style pilsner with sweet malt, Noble German hops that offer a spicy and floral aroma, and a bright flavor.”

Perrin Brewing Black Goat (94)

“Kicking its way out of fresh bourbon barrels, this high-gravity double black lager was laid down and aged for several months before coming to life. A bold sweet vanilla-bean aroma rises from the nose, followed by flavors of complex dark chocolate and ripened stone fruit. This lively lager finishes with a charred oak character and a smooth, warm caramel bourbon flavor.”

pFriem Family Brewers Lager (95)

“Clean flavors of fresh-kilned malt, honeydew melon, a touch of wildflower honey, and a whisp of sulfur, while being silky smooth.”

Full Sail Brewing Co. Session Premium Lager (95)

“A classic all-malt lager that’s crisp, smooth, and refreshing. Plenty of flavor that goes down clean and smooth.”

Alma Mader Brewing Contextual (95)

Layers of malt flavor: toasted granola, dried dates, caraway, iced coffee. Fermented clean and cool. 

Chapman Crafted Pils (95)

"The appearance of this classic Pils is light straw with crystal-clear clarity. Noble hops provide a hint of spice in the aromatics as well as a quick burst of hops flavor on the palate. The soft mouthfeel is followed by a crisp, clean, and refreshing finish."

The Brew Kettle, Taproom and Smokehouse Local Lager (96)

“Crisp, smooth, refreshing. A perfectly balanced hoppy flavor with a mellow bitterness.”

Denizens Brewing Company Born Bohemian (96)

Light toasty malt flavors are complemented by a floral and spicy hop character throughout, making for a balanced and refreshing beer.

Brick West Brewing Co. Ladder #4 Helles (96)

“A double-decoction mash heightens rich malt flavors and aromas of bread dough, crust, and light sweetness balanced by a soft bitterness and just a touch of sulfur.”

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. Schwartz Bier (96)

“It’s a traditional Old World beer style and it’s a lager, so it takes time to make, but it also has roasted and toasted malt flavors. And while it’s light to medium in body, it’s black with a quick, crisp finish.”

Brick West Brewing Company Lucky Penny (96)

“Sweet honey aroma. Flavors of sweet maltiness, lightly toasted breadcrust.”

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co Shadow Raptor (97)

"Shadow Raptor reveals the intricate nuances of vanilla selected from around the world. Layered delicately so as to still allow the influence of the barrels to emerge in your glass. We get notes of vanilla waffle cone ice cream, dark chocolate, and a whisper of bourbon in the finish."

Samuel Adams Black Lager (97)

['“Literally translated as ‘black beer', '’ schwarzbier is one of the oldest and most traditional German beer styles. Dating back to around 800 BCE, this dark, roasty beer combines caramel and chocolate malt notes with a bright flavor and crisp finish.”']

Tampa Bay Brewing Co Day Donkey (97)

“Citrus notes. Delicate flavors of tropical mango with a slight floral aroma. Lighter body.”

Goldfinger Brewing Company Heller Bock (98)

“A strong pale lager full of rich malt flavor balanced by fresh German hops.”

Von Ebert Brewing Bohemian Dark Lager (98)

Continental dark lager with a rich mouthfeel and flavors of biscuit and chocolate-covered raisins.

Wise Man Brewing Living a Double Life (98)

“Rich and dark, this silky-smooth lager seduces you with sweet malty flavors. But drink carefully, because it packs quite a punch.”

Ladd & Lass Brewing Zoospaloos (98)

“Only lightly roasty, allowing notes of coffee and cacao to intermingle with clean flavors of deeply toasted rustic bread crust.”

Brick West Brewing Co. Brick West Pilsner (98)

“Showcases the finest German malt and hops, creating clean and bready malt flavors.”

Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils (2019) (98)

"A rich-with-flavor Pilsner built with pale malt, specialty malts, and Saaz hops."

Firestone Walker Brewing Co Welcome to LA (98)

“A laid-back West Coast lager … that’s crisp and refreshing with pronounced tropical fruit flavors.”

Dock Street Brewery Bohemian Pilsner (98)

“A grist consisting solely of German pilsner malt is carefully decocted to produce a bright golden color and soft, nutty malt flavor. The wort is hopped frequently and exclusively with Czech Saaz hops, is fermented cool and slowly, and then lagered extensively.”

The Veil Brewing Company Culminate (98)

Our first ever blend of turbid-mashed one-, two-, and three-year old spontaneously fermented lambic-inspired ales designed in the spirit of Belgian gueuze. The layered flavors of funky fruit, cheesy hops, gentle oak, a bright citrus acid profile, and a pleasant natural carbonation give this beer unrivaled complexity for its strength.

Green Man Brewery Sunseeker (99)

“An Italian-style keller pils. Made with a custom pilsner malt from Riverbend Malt House and hopped and dry hopped with Czech Saaz. Lagered for five weeks. Noble-hop spice and herbal flavors and aromas dominate with cracker and low biscuit notes supporting. Dry with a pronounced bitterness.”

Von Ebert Brewing Rauch Helles (99)

“We took our Helles recipe and mixed it up a little by adding malted barley that has been smoked with beech wood and cherry wood. Flavors of wood smoke and baked bread.”

North Park Beer Co. Birdie to Bogey (99)

“Built for ultimate crushability and loaded with Strata, Citra, and Mosaic hops, Birdie to Bogey California Pils is the perfect companion for your next round of bangin’ chains! Flavors of zesty lemony-lime citrus, red berries, and subtle pine makes this one an absolute delight to drink.”