Appearance: Hazy, light amber. Fluffy white head with good retention. Fast rising bubbles.

Aroma: Floral hops and biscuit/ grainy malts.

Flavor & Aftertaste: Spicy and grainy. Bitterness noticeable, but restrained. Low malt sweetness.

Palate: Medium bodied. Dry, with medium length finish.

On a recent trip to Savannah for some R&R, I had the opportunity to drop by Macon Beer Company to pick up some beer to review. I have not seen any of their product on the shelves in the Atlanta area; but I had read some about them and wanted to use the opportunity to try something out of their core line up. After reviewing their lineup, I decided to pick the one lager they had available. This is my MO when I try a brewery for the first time, if they have a lager, I go for that because it will tell me a lot about their skill and quality. With Macon Beer Co., I settled on Macon Valor, a Standard American Lager.

Macon Valor pours out a slightly hazy light amber color. If I am judging this beer to BJCP standards, it should be very clear. Not big issue; but just a side note. The fast rising bubbles develop into a nice, fluffy white head that exhibits good retention. The nose has mild pleasant floral hops aroma and some grainy and biscuit malt as well. Flavors naturally follow aroma: spicy and grainy. It has a noticeable bitter bite to it that most American Lagers do not; but it is restrained and not offensive. Malt sweetness is on the low side. The mouth-feel is medium bodied and the beer culminates in a medium length, dry finish.

As I have mentioned before in some previous posts, one of the things I really appreciate about craft beer breweries is how so many of them are active in their communities and support great causes. Macon Beer Co. is an excellent example. They produced this beer with a nod toward veterans – which particularly strikes a cord with me. One of my grandfathers served as a Marine in the Pacific during World War II and survived the horrific island hopping campaigns. Just listening to the stories of his experiences was amazing. My father served in the Army during the 1950’s. My son is currently a ROTC cadet at the University of North Georgia, so I have a particular soft spot for causes that support veterans. Ten percent of the proceeds from sales go toward helping veterans and their families through local organizations.

I absolutely love the can label art. As you can probably tell, it was specifically commissioned to compliment the beer name and cause.

Macon Valor is an enjoyable beer to drink. It actually approaches a German Pilsner style more so than the standard American Lager. I say that because it is a little more bitter than what you get with mass produced American beers. They missed the mark a little bit on clarity; but that may also have been just the particular batch that was canned. I’ve seen some photos elsewhere that reveal a much more brilliant, clear beer than my sample. That being said, it in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the beer and would certainly not prevent me from purchasing it if available locally. The relatively low 4.5% ABV makes it a great choice for tailgates, picnics, cookouts and days at the lake or beach. Macon Beer Co. also has a line up that includes Pale Ales, IPA’s, Sours and other styles you would expect to see from a well rounded brewery. They opened a second tap room location in downtown Macon that is well worth the visit if you are in the neighborhood.

Thanks for reading, until next time…Let Us Drink Beer!