The Bottom Shelf

Gordon Biersch Light

I enjoyed a Gordon Biersch Light last night with dinner. Ariele made some chicken pesto pasta with brocolli, and the beer was a very nice compliment to the meal. I must be honest that I look toward the lighter beers, and lagers, when I select something to drink to accompany a meal. I don’t like the drink to dominate the food; I like it to be an equalizer of sorts.

Ted got me the Gordon Biersch Light for my birthday, and I went into it thinking that I would find it to be on the order of a “regular” domestic: Budweiser, Miller Genuine Draft, or Original Coors. I know it’s a “light” beer, but it’s a craft brew, so I anticipated something stronger than the light domestics.

And boy was I not disappointed. Besides reading the word on the label, there was very little about this beer that gave me the impression it was light. I don’t mean to imply it was too heavy; it wasn’t. It just came across more like a pilsner or a wheat beer, both of which I highly enjoy drinking with a meal.

The color was a dark, golden yellow. The head was quite thick, having foamed up immedaitely upon hitting the pint glass. Its color was its most significant deviation from a pilsner; it wasn’t as clear or as lightly colored.

Both the aroma and the taste were grainy and somewhat malt heavy. The finish was crisp, again like a pilser, with just a slight touch of bitterness. It was just a very good lager, one I would highly recommend drinking by itself or with just about any meal. It was quite crisp and very refreshing, perfect for the warmer than usual summer we’ve been having.