Cape May Brewing Co. has a new Vienna-style lager on, and the only way to drink it is to go to Cape May. Lot K Lager is a tasting room exclusive at 4.5 percent ABV, pouring on draft and packaged in 12 ounce cans.
The brewery describes it as light amber and malt-forward, with a toasty, bready character and a balanced hop finish. The pitch is tailgate season, and Cape May commits to it. The grill is fired up, the parking lot is packed, and the beer is meant to carry a drinker from first pour to fourth quarter.
Vienna lager suits that job. The style is an amber lager defined by Vienna malt, which is where its toasty, bready character usually comes from. Anton Dreher developed it in Vienna in the 1840s. It is also the close cousin of Marzen, the style behind most Oktoberfest beer, and that relationship is worth noting here. Cape May already brews an Oktoberfest of its own, a Marzen at 5.8 percent that shows up every fall. Lot K is the lighter, lower-strength take on the same amber, malt-driven idea, arriving a few weeks ahead of it.
The can is worth a look on its own. It shows a football player in mid-punt over a lit charcoal grill, drawn in green and cream, with a band of red laces running around the top.
Lot K Lager is pouring now at the brewery's tasting room at 409 Breakwater Road in Cape May. It is not headed for distribution.
Source & Editorial
JollyPint independently prepares release articles using information published by breweries through newsletters, websites, and other official public communications. Brewery-supplied descriptions and tasting notes are reported as provided, while editorial context is added by JollyPint.