Shouboushi Ginger Pilsner
Pennichuck Brewing Company, Inc.

Shouboushi Ginger PilsnerShouboushi Ginger Pilsner
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From:
Pennichuck Brewing Company, Inc.
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
German Pilsner
ABV:
5.1%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.53 | pDev: 10.76%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
27
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 19, 2009
Added:
Jun 22, 2008
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Photo of LilBeerDoctor
Reviewed by LilBeerDoctor from New York

2.86/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Reviewed on 9/25/2009. Bottle. Pours a clear orange with a small white head. Aroma of carrot, spices (pepper, ginger). Flavor is also quite spiced in the initial sip with some wheaty, bready malt in the finish. Definite ginger notes are pleasant. Overall, this is bland and bad. It really should be labeled as a spice/herb/vegetable because it was not very pilsener-like. Just not very tasty for me.
Dec 19, 2009
Photo of TheManiacalOne
Reviewed by TheManiacalOne from Rhode Island

3.17/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a 22oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy gold color, with a very thin white head that fades very quickly and leaves very little lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of honey, spices, light caramelized malts, citrus and some hops.

T: The taste starts with sweet and spicy flavors of ginger, honey, caramel & citrus. There's a decent hops presence that comes in and the ginger flavor seems strengthen as you continue to drink it. The malt character is a little thin but it where it should be for the style. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Flavorful, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, if you like the ginger flavor this is a beer worth drinking for a while but overall I think it's just mediocre.
Nov 10, 2009
Photo of selecter70
Reviewed by selecter70 from Massachusetts

3.56/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another birthday beer, one I may not have easily picked up, although I love ginger. One important note: drink this at a keller/room temp so the ginger comes out, otherwise, it hides behind the malt. A bright gold pour that hazes a bit with a thin white head & little lace. The aroma offers green apple, mild sweet spice (clove) and some fruity hops. The flavor is a mild version, but bright, of the above in a refreshing & crisp pilsener. Quite delicious & invigorating, as the ginger warmly moves out after the up front malts & hop edges. A great summertime beer, very clean & happy(?)
Oct 23, 2009
Photo of BrewerB
Reviewed by BrewerB from North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Wasatch for hooking me up with this one!

A - Mostly clear, medium gold color. Thin off-white, slightly rocky head with great retention.

S - Subtle spiciness lies beneath a soft pilsner malt character and a light earthy nop note.

T - Pilsner maltiness combines with a touch of honey, herbal hops, and a mild spicy presence (ginger, perhaps?).

M - Medium/medium-light in body with a medium-low carbonation.

D - Would have enjoyed more ginger character given the beer's name. A decent, not stellar pilsner which misses out on the nuances its labeling alluded to.
May 25, 2009
Photo of pecokid
Reviewed by pecokid from Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Very nice beer, but average. The appearance was fine as were the mouthfeel and drinkability. Sadly the ginger was not nearly as strong as I had hoped in either the smell or taste. So to me it was just a malty pilsner. Not worth the $8.55 I paid for it but I would drink it again if I found it cheaper.
May 23, 2009
Photo of pokesbeerdude
Reviewed by pokesbeerdude from Colorado

3.82/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Special thanks to Wasatch for this one in a trade!

A: Poured a hazy golden orange color, with a minimal head, and very little to speak of for lacing. Really cloudy for a lager.

S: Definite pilsner malt with a few spicy ginger/noble hops scents, smells pretty tasty.

T: Definitely a spiced beer, ginger, and allspice, a little bit of a pumpkin pie flavor stands out to me, hops are slightly noticeable, but are subdued and balance nicely with the other flavors. Ginger is very present though, especially as it warms. Quite interesting really.

M: Dry, thin, and crisp. For the amount of spice flavor, it is pretty refreshing really.

D: This one would be a great one to pair with a meal, on its own, it is tasty, but I can see this complementing a meal quite nicely. Thanks John!
Mar 20, 2009
Photo of trbergman
Reviewed by trbergman from England

3.13/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
22oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

A - Amber beer with plenty of carbonation and a one-inch white rocky head.

S - Not as gingery as expected - perhaps a hint of ginger spice with the standard pils aroma. Crackery malt and floral hops.

T - Not a terrible pilsner, but certainly not what I was expecting. Crisp, light malt balanced with floral, spicy hops and their dash of bitterness. But almost no ginger. I was expecting a more ginger-beer-like bite.

M - Despite the initial rush of bubbles after the pour and the trickle rising to the surface now, the beer falls rather flat and feels a bit thin.

D - Could be better. Lacks the effervescence I enjoy in a pils and is generally bland. I'd also like the ginger I was promised.
Feb 19, 2009
Photo of grahambo
Reviewed by grahambo from New York

3.87/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 22oz bottle into pint glasses.

A: This beer was very clear. More so than I, kind of a hay color with a bright white head that dissolved relatively quickly but left a nice lacing. Nothing special but it looked good.

S: A nice all-malt pilsner scent, bready malts with a nice hop backbone. As the beer warmed the scent lost some of the hop scent and picked up the ginger.

T: When the beer was colder is tasted like a good all-malt lager. As the beer warmed the ginger root came forward and changed the taste a bit. The beer then had a nice malt note on the front and which dissolved into a spicy candied ginger flavor and finished very dry.

M: The mouthfeel on this one was good, not to thin but not syrupy.

D: A drinkable beer if the conditions are right. I liked this beer quite a bit. When the beer was cold the character wasn't quite right, no ginger present. When the beer was to warm the ginger was a bit to powerful. When the beer was in the suggested temperature range of 40-45F it was perfect and a nice blend of malty, bitter, candy ginger and dryness. A beer I will certainly be trying again soon, probably with a nice roast chicken and veggies.
Feb 09, 2009
Photo of LOCAL
Reviewed by LOCAL from New Hampshire

3.81/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours hazy vibrant orange with not much head to speak of.

Aroma: Having a hard time getting a nose on this. Maybe because there are too many other smells around me in the kitchen, but I'm picking up a sweetness and perhaps some corn? Honestly I'm not detecting much.

Taste: Taste is very balance between a smooth pilsner malt and sweet ginger.

Mouthfeel: Medium with good carbonation, very easy drinking.

Overall: First ginger styled beer that I've had. It goes down smooth and is seemingly well balance. I can easily drink this bottle myself.
Jan 21, 2009
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a hazy, pale gold body with a thin, wispy, white head.

Smell: Pilsner malt aroma with floral, spicy hops and some sliced ginger root. Also, there's a distant vegetal note, like a nearby opened bag of cole slaw mix.

Taste: Crisp pils maltiness with a light sweetness and hint of grain. The taste of ginger is present, but it definitely comes up short and leaves one wanting. Very, very small hint of veggies. Slight Noble hop component with a light bitterness. Finishes dry with a lingering touch of graininess.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: A bit disappointing. It is neither a great pilsner nor is it a good ginger-based brew. Take the ginger addition and PUMP IT UP and you may just have something.
Jan 04, 2009
Photo of ATLbeerDog
Reviewed by ATLbeerDog from Georgia

3/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
From twelve ounce brown bottle - Pours a very light cloudy yellow with a small mostly white head. Smells of Belgium yeast with not much of a hop presence in the nose. First sip is bitter with a weird twist. Not sure what it is and I do not like it. Mouthfeel is also strange.
Jan 03, 2009
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle purchased as a single from Julio's, Westboro, MA.

Poured into a imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" off-white head over the slightly cloudy golden amber brew. Head recedes slowly, with sporadic chunks of lasting lace. Aroma is Saaz and ginger. Taste is a quick shot of sweetness to start, citrusy ginger character in the middle, and closes with crisp hoppiness that lingers. Mouthfeel is nice and soft, and drinkability is good. Interesting spin on the style.
Dec 28, 2008
Photo of Wasatch
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks goes out to ybnorml and jwc215 for this brew.

22oz. Bomber

Pours a nice hazy golden yellow color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy white head, with some sticky lacing hanging around. The nose is malty, with some nice ginger/spice notes. The taste is malty, sweet, slightly bitter, with some ginger and other spice notes. Medium body. Drinkable, this is a tasty brew. Thanks Wayne and Joe.
Dec 24, 2008
Photo of GratefulBeerGuy
Reviewed by GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This puppy pours out a hazy, very bubbly yellow-gold color with an orange hue in direct light. The carbonation is big and creates a a rather thick, foamy white head that does a good job sticking around. Literally.

The aroma is very bold, with a big, sweet-bread malt and a huge, herbal and earthy effect. bunches of freshly husked-corn and wheat with a spicey, sour hop and yeast edge. The ginger aroma is obvious but not "in your face", nicely subtle.The hops provide a spicy, yet slightly fruity whiff.

The flavor is pretty complex for a Pilsner, massive malt, there's sour bread and honey, the hops provide a unique and sublime balance with big earthy flavors like, Freshly cut wheat, husked corn-on-the-cobb and a sweet current of ginger and slightly fruity hops. The hop complexity is also really high with spiciness and slight sweetness.

The feel is right on, crispy, not sharp, and rather hefty for the style.

A unique twist on a classic style with tons of flavor. Well done.
Dec 13, 2008
Photo of orbitalr0x
Reviewed by orbitalr0x from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Golden orange pour with half inch of white bubbly head. Lots of active carbonation in this one. Aroma of crisp pilsner malt with herbal hop accents. Ginger is well placed in the nose as well.

Smooth lightly grainy malts upfront with caramel accents and a fruity touch. Spicy, robust ginger flavor comes in on the way down. Finishes crisp and refreshing.

Overall, an easy drinking brew with a nice kick of ginger that creates a good twist to the pilsner. Glad I had a chance to sample this one...thanks to Truh for leaving it at my place!
Nov 29, 2008
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

3.97/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a light amber-yellow color with a very thin head.

Aroma is smooth with the hint of bready malt and ginger in the nose.

Taste is bready with a bit of spicy ginger at the back of the tongue. Crisp and light. Hop bitterness is at a medium level.

Mouthfeel is comprised of hops, ginger and bready malt.

Overall, this is a nice and drinkable pilsener with an added twist in the ginger. I like it.
Nov 28, 2008
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.28/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
A fairly vigorous pour into my 25cl tulip glass only produces a two finger thick head. The beer is a rich amber hue that shows an almost clear, bright copper hue when held up to the light; this is much darker than I would expect with something called a Pilsner, even the malty Bohemian versions. The aroma is not nearly as ginger focused as I was expecting; instead the first thing I really pick out is a sweet malt note and a touch of toasty grain towards the finish. There is definitely something else going on here, but I would be hard pressed to say it was ginger without knowing about it beforehand; slightly herbal, a touch fruity (like young pickled ginger) and perhaps a touch of vague citrus.

The taste is lightly sweet with a sweet grain note, a touch of chewy, lightly caramelized malt sugars, as well as a bit of a bite up front that must be from the ginger. This has a light, astringent sort of bitterness to it in the finish, but then the first really distinct ginger character starts to become noticeable in the finish about three seconds after a sip has disappeared from my mouth. The ginger note in the long finish is still light, but at least it has a distinctive spiciness that is reminiscent of ginger. This has a fair amount of body to it and is quite malty too.

Quite an interesting interpretation, I am really surprised how faint the overall ginger character is, I actually think a bit more would have been beneficial to balance out the chewy, sweet malt character. There is nothing wrong with this beer, it is just a bit less characterful than I would have liked.
Oct 22, 2008
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

3.27/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
22 fl oz brown bottle; served in a pilsener glass.

Pours a hazy, slightly dirty camel color with a few auburn highlights. Somewhat creamy, white head that fades to a thin, nearly intact sheet rather quickly. No visible lacing at all.

Semi-sweet, biscuity toasted malt with a hint of diacetyl; soft caramel and light vanilla. Rounded, malted wheat with a well hidden, mild astringnecy. Notes of flora and jasmine-like spices.

Thin, malted wheat with a certain bland, mustiness. The biscuit flavor really only develops well into mid-sip following the bland and airy grain profile. Diacetyl well into the aftertaste with only hints of floral spices. Burnt caramel and lingering diacetyl in the aftertaste.

A light, medium in body; over-carbonated at mid-sip in between a chalky, buttery texture. The intense carbonation practically provides immediate heartburn.

A few interesting flavors, but mainly pretty bland. Also, the flavors aren't particularly reminiscent of the style. Average eye candy with a rough mouthfeel. All in all, not one I'll return to.
Oct 07, 2008
Photo of WesWes
Reviewed by WesWes from New York

3.35/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
The beer pours a dark golden color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a wonderful pilsner and Munich malt scent along with a light hint of fresh ginger. It's crisp with a definate malty feel. The taste is average. It has a great German pilsner taste that goes down slow and hard due to the ginger presence. The aroma was great, but the ginger taste is off putting. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a nice experiment, but nothing I'd buy again. It's a bit too medicinal.
Oct 06, 2008
Photo of ClockworkOrange
Reviewed by ClockworkOrange from Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Really glad to see their beers make it to PA. Poured from a 22oz. bomber bottle into my Jever pilsner glass. Appears a clear golden yellow color with about a finger of fluffy off-white head. Smells mildly of ginger, bready yeast, green apple and grapes. A very pleasant, and by no means, overpowering flavor of ginger as well as toasted grains followed by a nice bitterness. Light bodied and crisp with medium carbonation. A well made pilsner that I'll probably keep on hand when I'm in the mood for a quality session beer.
Sep 19, 2008
Shouboushi Ginger Pilsner from Pennichuck Brewing Company, Inc.
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 27 ratings