The International Lager style has always been an exercise in precise and minimalist brewing, and Japanese style even more so. So what caught the eye of the judges at the New World Beer & Cider Awards to make this 5% ABV “neo-Tokyo lager” from Garage Project a Top-30 winner? There’s a delicate, almost fragile, noble hop aroma of fresh grass and faint florals that invites the senses further into the glass. Then a striking lime acidity lights up the palate and kicks off a surprisingly energetic finish. It is a superbly dynamic lager that is both reserved and racy in the same breath.