Pinkus - Organic Ur Pils

I have done much yard work today.  I also have several acquaintances pressing me for some reviews on dark, amazing beer.  I apologize to my friends, but yard work has put me in the mood for something light and in a bottle no smaller than a bomber bottle.  Of course, my beer fridge delivers.  Today we review the Pinkus Organic Ur Pils.  I am a little hesitant because the last Pinkus I had was a sub-par hefe, but yard work has the strange ability to drive the desire for suds.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 10/12

First reaction?  "Ooo!" (end quote)  The aroma is quite sweet.  The malt is a sweet bready smell and combines nicely with the fruity and floral esters that are floating about my glass.  Flowers are definitely present and one could only pin down the fruit aromas as that of apple and grape.  This is obviously not-to-style, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

Appearance 2/3

Nothing earth-shattering in the pour.  It pours a dusky yellow (subsequent pours with sediment result in a dark gold), with an expectation-meeting ivory head.  Very hazy as a result of sediment.  The bottle does mention that it is an "unfiltered pilsner beer," but that does not make it appropriate for the style.  I apologize for the lack of a customary photo next to the EBC scale.  Without placing any blame, it appears that the scale has been "misplaced."

Flavor 17/20

Tastes before the sediment was added to the glass were initially sour for an instant before heading into the main structure of the beer.  Once sediment was added, the beer became much more rich and mellow.  The malt is also harder to detect initially (with or without malt), but after warming it is a rich, sweet, flavor that hints almost toward caramel (!).  The primary flavor is a light, crisp, sweetness with lemon notes and a very nice balance of a spicy hop bitter.  The bitter takes the drinker into the finish and helps the beer find a dry, satisfying finish.  Excellent flavor, but not to style.

Mouthfeel 3/5

A bit heavy in the body for the style, but not unpleasantly so.  Carbonation is average and there is even a bit of creaminess present in this pilsner.  The only drawback was a slickness left in the mouth.  It left me smacking for several minutes even after I had finished the pint.

Overall Impression 8/10

The general theme with this beer is "not to style."  However, in its error it is giving us more rather than less: more flavor, more aroma, more body, more sediment.  The balance is excellent, but this beer is overall far too sweet and flavor rich to be considered a pilsner.  It should be scored lower, but all the ways in which it "was not to style," were so pleasing that its rating stands.

Total 40/50 (Excellent)

As I have just mentioned this beer is a far cry from a pils of any style (American, German, etc).  If I had scored this beer with a heavier emphasis on stylistic accuracy I would have to rank it no higher than a 26 (Ar:6, Ap:1, Fl:12, M:3, O:4).  However, because this beer delivers more than what its style demands I have rated more highly.  That and because it's my blog and I can do whatever I like.  If I were to perform a blind taste test this, I would have guessed it a poor man's hefe.  It is lighter in body and flavor than  hefe, but all the essentials are there in a subdued package.  I even began to wonder if this was not a failed attempt to brew a hefe (hence its unfiltered state and flavors), that was cleverly remarketed at the last moment.  In any case, I opened this pils for a light refreshing treat and I was not disappointed.  Regardless of whether or not it is to style, I enjoyed it a great deal and would gladly purchase another bottle.  Cheers, Pinkus!

Sam Adams - Noble Pils

I know this is not exactly a "rare" beer.  However, Samuel Adams still accounts for less than 1% of beer sales in the United States (kinda sad, really) and I have not done a review of a Sam Adams to date.  Also, in my defense, I have heard many good things about this beer and appreciate Sam Adams dedication to quality and making "non-macros" brews.  They have been more focussed on good beer than good profits for some time and that says something.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.

Aroma 6/12
The theme of the aroma is definitely the sour, citrusy hops.  Underneath, there is the aroma of true, almost piney hops, but they were not as present as one would expect in a beer that boasts 5 types of hops.  Then again, this is "just" a pilsner and perhaps one should expect a lighter, more subtle aroma.

Appearance 3/3
The picture says it all.  Does that not look like a perfect pilsner?  It is a bright, clear yellow and has a sizable  head that comes roaring out of even the gentlest pour.  The head retention was phenomal and the lacing was more than I expected out of a pilsner as well.  Top marks all around.  Cheers!

Picture is my own.

Flavor 17/20

There is no insane flavor waiting for you in this bottle.  However, this is a pilsner and so that not only is OK, it is appropriate.  A sweetish, grainy front is the introduction.  This leads to a balanced structure that does favor the "hops" side.  The bitter of the hops combines with a light spiciness that is quite nice.  This is not the "death by hops" amount of hops that are often insisted upon by many west coast brewers.  The hop flavors are present and enjoyable without beating one about the head.  The bitter and spice in the mouth are a departure from the citrus that was present in the nose.  The citrus is all but absent in the backbone.  The finish is true to its pilsner roots; clean and crisp.  The aftertaste again revisits the bitterness of the hops and leaves a dryness that does not alter the refreshing nature of this beer.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Very drinkable for a beer themed by hops!  A tad heavier than the average pilsner, but the "average" pilsner is often a thin macro offering.  This is a welcome change.  Noble Pils' body is still appropriate to style as is the near-sparkling carbonation.

Overall Impression 7/10

A technically sound beer that not only is a great quencher, but also a great introduction to hops without being overwhelming.  A bit simple in its flavors with only the hops, spice, and malt truly present.  A bit more of the citrus notes from the aroma or any other complimentary sweet flavor (honey, sugar, etc) would have been welcome and suited this seasonal beer.

Total 38/50 (Excellent)

I originally had this beer scored lower due to a personal bias: I enjoy intense beers.  It should come as no big surprise that a pilsner is not a huge glass of flavor and I rated it accordingly.  However, the more and more I drank, the more I realized that this beer is an excellent representation of the style.  Not only that, but it still manages to add a little something extra in the way of body and hops.

Kudos to the boys at Sam Adams for not only being technical enough brewers to hit this style dead-on, but also to offer some hops that do not feel like a punishment to drink.  This offers a taste of hops, a great spring thirst-killer, and a thorough understanding of the (American) pilsner style.  It may not have been my personal cup of tea, but I cannot give it a lower rating in good conscience.