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Brooklyn Lager

Brooklyn Brewery
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🌍 United States · Amber Lager · One of 47 Amber Lagers in hopIQ

Brooklyn Lager was the brewery's first beer, delivered to a Williamsburg bar in 1988, and it remains the flagship of the range. The dry-hopped amber lager rests on a malt base of toffee, toasted bread and caramel. Cascade and Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops lay grapefruit, floral notes and a touch of pine over the malt, and a moderate bitterness leads into a dry, clean finish. The balance between malt sweetness and fresh hop aroma has kept the recipe in the year-round lineup ever since.

ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter33 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
amber12
See all Amber Lager alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold · 2018
World Beer Cup
American-Style Amber Lager
★Gold — World Beer Cup (American-Style Amber Lager)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Moderate bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Amber Lager.
Hop character
citrusy
floral
hoppy
piney
Malt character
caramel
malty
toasty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best American Lagers→

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Brooklyn Lager

◎ Appearance

Brooklyn Lager presents a beautiful rich amber hue with excellent clarity and a well-formed white head that demonstrates good retention. The carbonation is crisp and visible, creating a visually inviting pour that showcases the beer's malt-forward character.

rich amberclearwhite headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose reveals a balanced malt-forward profile with prominent caramel and toasty grain notes characteristic of the Vienna style. Subtle floral hop aromatics emerge beneath the dominant malt character, with hints of bread crust and a clean, grainy undertone that suggests proper lager fermentation.

caramel malttoasty grainfloral hopsclean lager

◐ Taste

The palate opens with smooth malt sweetness featuring pronounced caramel and bread flavors that define the mid-palate experience. Balanced hop bitterness (30 IBUs) provides structure without overwhelming the malt foundation, while the medium body supports a crisp, refreshing character throughout.

smooth maltcaramel sweetnessbalanced bitternessmedium body

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and crisp with moderate length, leaving a pleasant grainy aftertaste without excessive residual sweetness. A subtle hoppy dryness rounds out the experience, making this an exceptionally refreshing Vienna lager.

cleancrisprefreshing
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
83
Appearance
85
Finish
82
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Brooklyn Lager

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Brooklyn Lager

About Amber Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Amber Lager?

Amber Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Amber Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, caramel, clean character as Brooklyn Lager will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Amber Lagers in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Amber Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →