Jack's Abby Red Tape
What the brewers say
“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.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Light biscuit and cracker mixed with caramel, toast, and pleasant nutty whiffs, but maybe a tad sweet. Still clean and interesting.”
Flavor: “Toasty rich malt (like toasted bread or graham cracker), but not overly sweet or thick on the palate. Nice clean, crisp, drying finish, almost husky, with some hops bitterness to balance as well.”
Overall: “Solid, very clean. Hoppy and crisp. The balance is toward the hops. Let’s call it an American-style dunkel. It’s not as sweet as some might expect from a dunkel, but that dryness is balanced by lower intensities of other flavors, giving it a drinkability that’s tough to match in the category.”