Modern Times dropped a Foeder-Aged version of their Ice Pilsner and now they have brand extended to a gin barrel version and loyal readers will know that, when gin is mentioned, I go searching.
Slow Ice
Modelo Tequila
I do not like much highly corporate mass produced beers but if I was forced to make a choice, I would draft Modelo. Not their full range of Pacifico’s and Corona’s but the Modelo only. I do not know much about the Grupo but I have had much better experiences with their beer than other of the big players.
Which makes their foray into a tequila barrel-aged pilsner a bit interesting…
They are going to take their plain vanilla pilsner and give it a tequila spin. Hopefully the process is more of a subtle hint than a -Rita style blast.
The Slow Pour
Amidst the lactose and pastry and god forbid boba out in the beer world, it is really nice to see that beertending technique is coming back, in the form of the slow pour.
I first encountered it at Cellador Ales which smartly has a pilsner on tap amidst its fine sour collection and my first thought was that it was an Instragam beer moment for sure.
But I just read on a newsletter from the magazine Craft Beer & Brewing the following from renowned brewing legend, Charles Bamforth, “Maybe there is a flavor difference; maybe it has lost a bit of its fizzy nature, and you get a mellower mouthfeel, depending on how much of the CO2 has dropped out of the solution. But, I think the visual triggers are more important than the taste ones.”
So maybe that pretty top hat of foam is just show, but it is a cool one that might even give you a different flavor perspective on that pils in your glass.
How Do You Pronounce?
Even though I am quick to point out when someone butchers the pronunciation of Oregon, I would be less speedy to correct those who have not encountered the word Deschutes Brewery before.
That being said, I wonder why this hasn’t been done before. Maybe it was planned for their East Coast operation and now is being used here. Either way, good to see another pilsner to choose from.
Review – Pils from Chapman Crafted
Finally back on track with a review of a non-hopcentric beer. Pils from Chapman Crafted from Orange, California.
Really refreshing. Light to almost the watery point. A nice bright yellow color. Getting almost a blonde ale vibe to this one and less pils when sipping but the aroma is straight up lager. A bit of corn taste malt lodges on my tongue.
An Ale Smithed Pils
Looks like AleSmith will be canning more this year. And instead of heading into the obvious direction of hops, they are heading towards a “spezial” German.
Will this year bring more pils into the world?
1 Ingredient too many – Don Durio
First off a cashew pilsner does not sound very appetizing. Then you add in the notorious Durian “fruit” which even the brewer, MobCraft describes as smelling of “onions or rotting meat” and this has stunt brew written all over it. Thanks be that Wisconsin is far enough away from L.A. that I won’t have to smell this.
Or maybe I can carefully open the essence of Durian liquid that I received from my Oregon kin and place some drops in a Budweiser to see what happens.
Let’s Do the Numbers
After the multitude of helpful GABF statistics started being posted online, it got me to thinking about a personal pet peeve of mine. Why pilsners aren’t loved more.
Using BeerAdvocate as a test case (that I will explore further, at a later date), German Pilseners 1-50 range from 4.04 out of 5.0 to 3.7
Czech Pilsener from 4.18 to 3.55
That’s a range of of .34 and .63 respectively.
Now look at these two, more loved styles:
American IPA 4.53 to 4.22 for the top 50
Double / Imperial Stouts 4.67 to 4.28
That’s a range of .31 and .39
Obviously IPAs and big stouts seem to be starting with an advantage because their higher ranking beers score higher than their Pilsner counterparts. But what strikes me is that the 50th best IPA and 50th best Imperial Stout are considered that much better than the absolute best Pilsener, from whatever country.
Now, I don’t expect a Pilsener to score 5 out of 5. But I can’t believe that the Top 10 in any category don’t track at the same levels.
Numbers Game
Keep the craft pilsners coming. When is see the 801 from Utah’s Uinta, I will grab it and 805 from Firestone Walker and have a taste-off. Los Angeles gets hot, so I will need more light but flavor filled beers.
Now who brews in area codes 802-804?
Review – Pravda Bohemian Pils from Ninkasi
I recently got a sample of Spring Reign from Ninkasi Brewing which was decent, but what I was really looking forward to was Los Angeles getting some of the Prismatic Lager Series. And Lo and Behold, Pravda appeared as if by providence.
I was a little worried though. This won the 2013 GOLD at the Great American Beer Festival last year. It pours a very clear dark yellow hue. Thin head and many bubbles streaming from the bottom to the top of my pilsner glass. The aroma has that metallic and slightly sweet note that my taste buds tend to pick up from this style. The taste is very crisp and clean. With a touch of bitterness. It is light but not to the point of watery at all. Grain taste is not there but I do get a twinge of citrus as each sip fades off.
I recently had a Heater Allen pils (right here in LA!) and that beer matches up well to this one. Both are big on the mineral taste with a bit of salt/savory going on. The carbonation keeps the proceedings fresh and ready you for the next sip. I am looking forward to seeing where the Prismatic Series goes next.