Gambrinus Pale
Plzeňský Prazdroj

 

 

 

 

A - Medium gold color with a thick, foamy white head. Settles fairly fast with a bit of lacing left.

S - Some pale malts and a fair amount of grassy hops.

T - Well balanced beer, with some malt sweetness (a bit of caramel and bread) and some grassy and bitter hop taste. Both are present throughout just fading in and out with each other.

M - Light body that is fairly refreshing. A little watery with moderate carbonation.

D - Easy to drink beer that is refreshing, but it doesn't really leave me craving another. I would drink it if it were there but not reach for it.

Notes: Decent, easy to drink beer. Nothing special about it, but just a simple beer that is well balanced.

The colour is medium straw yellow; the finger thick foam slowly sinks down to a thin white lid leaving no lacing.

The smell got some sweet notes of malt, but the dominant flavour comes from fresh, somewhat spicy bitter hops. There are some mild buttery notes, too.

The taste is very refreshing: Mild, somewhat sweet malt is blended with flavours of diacetyl; butter, butterscotch and consommé. The bitterness is there all the time – a fine fruity balanced slowly growing one. In the aftertaste, de bitterness fades slowly, leaving room for an almost candy-like sweetness.

The carbonation is a little milder than usual for the style with lots of small bubbles. The mouthfeel is very liquid and a bid creamy.

A fine, elegant Czech Pils. I like!

BB 04-02-07. White head and pale golden beer that's bright. Nose shows nice saazer hops and pale malts. Taste is bit empty, even for a pils and bitterness is low. Good and easy drinking beer with watery mouthfeel and no off taste. But love it to have a bit more taste, even when drinking a pils.

The head was quite smooth and creamy and lasted nicely on a glittering golden color body. The smell showed a strong and crisp maltiness. The taste basically showed the same features with light hints of caramel and roasted almonds. Maybe some floral notes too, even ginger. The finish was clean and dry, with a nicely balanced hoppiness that didn't stick to the mouth. Mouthfeel was light yet not thin, smooth and round. Greatly drinkable!

Purchased in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, the bottle is standard Czech style, brown half liter with a long tapered neck. The label is white, gold and black, featuring the name in big Gothic letters and a seal featuring a big G. Sugar is an ingredient. Best before 10/9/04, I opened it on 8/4/04.

Poured a slightly orange clear gold under a one finger white head that settles quickly to thick foam, then lasts long, leaving some lace. The nose is slightly sweet, but crisp with hoppiness. The mouth is fairly heavy and somewhat prickly. There is a sweet, almost grape-like note to the malty opening, while the hops presence lends an edge to the finish, but never quite generates a bitter bite. Grainy maltiness returns for the aftertaste. It's OK, if not much more.