Wisby Hansapils
Gotlands Bryggeri

 

 

The beer is clear deep golden, has a white head.

Very much pop corn butter in the aroma.

Also hear pop corn butter, malty sweet corn notes, some spicy bitterness.

Medium high carbonation, soft texture, medium body, a light dryness.

A nice easy-to-drink pilsener, possibly a bit too much butter.

The colour is clear yellow; the compact finger thick head is white. Some lacing occurs.

The smell is bitter with distinct notes of cream and butter. Some lightly sweet notes of malt.

The taste is very Czech: Fresh flavours of butter and dry bitterness. There are some metallic hints. The aftertaste is very fresh and refreshing with bitter notes of lemon/lime.

The carbonation is strong with small bubbles, the liquid somewhat creamy.

A fine and clean example of the Czech pilsner style with some German pilsner bitterness.

Gotlands Bryggeri is described as a small "test brewery" for Spendrups and located on the island Gotland east of Sweden. In the 25 years or so that it's been around only one beer, Wisby Klosteröl, has been approved by Spendrup's market department. I suppose that lends a certain level of credibility to the brewmaster. A modified version of Hansa Pils called Wisby Pils is also produced at a big Spendrup plant on mainland Sweden. Hansa Pils, however, is only available on tap at a handful of select bars in Visby. Of the Gotlands Bryggeri beers I have tasted so far Hansa Pils is the best. The brewmaster seems to have a certain preference for adding Czech hops and most beers, independent of style, tend to be rather bitter. In a pilsener this works well and in my opinion Hansa Pils is an excellent specimen of the style. It is made with ordinary tap water and not pasteurized. It is full of smell and taste. It is flowery with herbal Swedish malts, a strong note of bread and a citric bite. Very refreshing and a jewel in the Swedish beer crown.