Black Star Lager existed from 1995 to 2003. Now, following a long hiatus, it is back on the market in Montana, San Francisco, and the Pacific Northwest (and, oddly, Virgin Airlines) for fans old and new to rediscover.

As the name promises, two types of hops (Bavarian Mittelfrüh and Czech Saaz for you beer wonks) are used in the golden-colored brew, but Black Star itself is not overly hoppy. Rather, it is fairly moderate in the hops department, and is nearly as refreshing as a lighter pilsner or simple lager. Apparently “double hops” doesn’t mean twice the amount of hops, just twice the variety of hops. The body itself has a light sweetness, but it’s on the watery side. The finish is thin. Easy to drink, but not terribly memorable.

It’s unknown if the recipe has changed at all in the near-decade it’s been off the market, although the label appears to have been updated.

4.6% abv.

Also available in cans.

B- / $8 per six-pack / blackstarbeer.com

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