Exile Ruthie

This is a 5.2% ABV lager from the Exile Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa. They are a brewpub that recently began bottling their beers. You might think the drawing on the bottle is a bit of pure fantasy, but it is in fact based on the pouring technique of the real Ruthie, a bartender in Des Moines in the 1950's (I put a couple of pics of her below).

The beer pours a light copper and amber in color. The bottle says a gold lager, so a touch darker than I expected. There is over an inch of thick, foamy white to off-white head. The aroma is grassy, earthy, toasted malt. The taste follows the aromas in turn, there is a touch of sweetness, bready, lightly fruity. It has a tingling carbonation, is smooth, easy to drink and refreshing. This is one really good lager.