Wednesday, May 27, 2009

US Pilsners reconsidered

Considering the current American craft beer majority obsession with hop-derived aromas of grapefruit and cat-pee —at the expense of malt— it's thrilling to read this description of a Pilsner-style lager ... made in the USA.

There is a massive hit of bitter and spicy hops in the mouth with toasted malt and tangy citrus. The finish is long and beautifully balanced with bitter hops, ripe malt and sharp fruit. <...>

The color is brilliant gold and the aroma has undertones of lemon and tangerine and a fresh floral German noble forefront. Very lithe in the body, with a drying and durable finish full of hop bitterness.

From Pennsylvania, it's Sly Fox's Pikeland Pils —packaged in cans— as reviewed in the July issue (available now, in May) of All About Beer.

I would say to those American double Imperial IPA drinkers who disdain Pilsners, and by extension, all lagers: doing so is akin to a European's dismissal of American beer as watery, without having tasted any US local/small brewery beer. At the source.

I haven't yet tasted Pikeland Pils, but I shall.

Alerted to this story by a post at Jack Curtin’s LIQUID DIET.

2 comments:

  1. "I would say to those American double Imperial IPA drinkers who disdain Pilsners, and by extension, all lagers: doing so is akin to having a European's dismissal of American beer as watery, without having tasted any US local/small brewery beer. At the source."

    Guilty as charged!

    Though I must say - I've had some of the "better" US craft brewed pilsners out there (Oskar Blues, Victory, etc.) but I just can't appreciate them as much as I can most other styles. Too watery, not enough going on to keep me coming back for a 2nd.

    But after reading this, I'm more than willing to try this new Pilsener from Sly Fox. Sounds like they might've done it right.

    I'll look for it next time I'm out. Thanks for the info.

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  2. I am a DIPA person, but still enjoy a good lager. Hot day= good pilsner

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