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Vienna Lager

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Devils Backbone's flagship and 'Ol' Faithful' — a smooth, medium-bodied amber lager brewed with four imported malts and Germanic hops. Toasted caramel sweetness and a clean malty finish, named one of the '50 Best American Lagers' and a repeat GABF and World Beer Cup medallist.

ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber9
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
caramelmaltytoasty
caramel
malty
toasty
clean
honey
hoppy
Aroma
The nose leads with toasted malt character—caramel and bread crust—supported by subtle Germanic noble hop notes.
also:bready
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Vienna Lager

◎ Appearance

Pours a clear, bright amber with a golden-bronze hue characteristic of the Vienna style. A dense, off-white head forms and clings to the glass with stable lacing. Carbonation is moderate and even, supporting a persistent foam collar.

amber-bronzeclearstable head lacingmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with toasted malt character—caramel and bread crust—supported by subtle Germanic noble hop notes. There is no aggressive hop punch; instead, a soft, inviting sweetness of honey and light toffee emerges. The overall impression is clean and balanced, with no yeast esters or off-notes.

toasted maltcaramel sweetnessnoble hopsbread crust

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and medium-bodied, with upfront caramel malz character that builds gently across the palate. The mid-palate sustains a malty, slightly honeyed sweetness without becoming cloying. Bitterness is restrained at 25 IBU, allowing the toasted, clean malt finish to dominate; a touch of crisp hop character appears in the final moments.

malty sweetnesscaramelsoft bitternessclean finish

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and refreshing, with a lingering malty aftertaste that fades to a faint hoppy dryness. The beer leaves the palate clean without astringency.

malty aftertastedryrefreshing fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
84
Appearance
82
Finish
80
Serve at 7–9°C

Serve at 7–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Vienna Lager

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About Vienna Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Vienna Lager?

Vienna 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 Vienna Lager

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

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