Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company out of Lexington, Va., has been around since 2008. In 2016 they were bought by Anheuser-Busch InBev though they have stayed true to their craft beer roots. They have several different offerings including Gold Leaf Lager.
God Leaf Lager is a golden lager with 4.5% ABV. It pours a clear, golden yellow with a fairly decent white, foamy head that was about a finger tall. There was some nice bubbling rising to the top. The aroma was one of malt though it was faint.
The first sip offers a decent mix between bready malt and grassy, floral hops. The grainy, bready malt takes the forefront here. The beer is crisp with moderate carbonation. It has a light-bodied feel in the mouth and finishes a little on the dry side.
Throughout the beer there was a nice consistency to the Gold Leaf Lager. There is a bit of a European-style taste to the beer. The malt and hops definitely remind one of a European brew but there is a lightness to this beer that make it a little easier to drink. The carbonation stayed the same and the head, though disappearing quickly, formed a nice ring around the glass with some lacing.
Overall, this is a fairly good beer. There are many like it but this one was good. It has a nice balance between malt and hops and is smooth enough to drink quickly but crisp enough to satisfy those in a sipping mood. This is a beer you can enjoy any time of the day or year.