Walter's Premium Pilsener Beer
Northwoods Brewpub and Grill

Walter's Premium Pilsener BeerWalter's Premium Pilsener Beer
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From:
Northwoods Brewpub and Grill
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
American Lager
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
70
Avg:
2.6 | pDev: 35.77%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
21
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 29, 2021
Added:
Jun 28, 2010
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of GrumpyGas
Reviewed by GrumpyGas from Illinois

3.44/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
14oz draft in a nonic pint shows a clear, lifeless, pale, pale, pale straw yellow body with barely a ring, and random spots on the glass.

Faint candy-like aroma that flows into an almost strawberry flavor. Neither is off-putting, but not what I expected.

Thin, easy, all-day-drinker.

Overall an okay beer
May 29, 2021
Photo of WiscoBA
Reviewed by WiscoBA from Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +71.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Something's changed from 2 yrs ago. Great hop flavor! Not many better American pilsners, in league w/Chuckanut, Victory, Goose Island.
Lack of filtration is only thing holding this beer back. 6 pack cans. Bitburger doppleganger.
Jan 03, 2017
 
Rated: 1.4 by Ozyo1992 from North Dakota

Mar 14, 2016
 
Rated: 3.41 by MJSJr from California

Mar 11, 2016
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

3.25/5  rDev +25%
Walter's Premium Pilsner is good and drinkable. The beer poured a slightly hazy golden with decent white head that is leaving a lace. The scent and taste carries grain, slight biscuit and grass. The mouthfeel is lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall this is a solid beer.
Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by NewGlarusFan from Illinois

Jul 29, 2014
Photo of CraftPro
Reviewed by CraftPro from Minnesota

2.2/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Walter's comeback has proven that "The Beer that is Beer" is, in fact, "The Beer that is Highly Inconsistent." When fresh and brewed strictly according to the original recipe, I'd put this pilsner against any in the world, including Pilsner Urquell, and it would handily win. Many Wisconsin beer drinkers lamented the demise of Walter's in the early 1990s and wondered how it was possible that a vastly inferior beer from a neighboring county (Leinenkugel's) had the contrasting good fortune to be bought up by Miller and survive. But the good news is Walter's is back!

The problem, however, is that Walter's has an exceedingly short shelf life and expired product can lead to a horrendous drinking experience. I do seem to recall the original Walter's Beer had the same challenge of expiring quickly, but it was undoubtedly less of a concern in the late 1980s and early 1990s as Walter's didn't sit long on most shelves as it became increasingly hard to find.

In order for the Northwoods Bew Pub to have success with this classic recipe, they will need to strictly monitor sales and ensure that unsold inventory passing a certain (short!) expiration date is immediately bought back. Otherwise, the beer quickly morphs into a "franken-beverage" that has an overpowering fruity tone and other unsavory flavors. I had this experience myself recently and would imagine that many of the reviewers of this beer were also drinking expired product. It's a shame because fresh Walter's is truly a tremendous beer!
Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 1 by Fluffmeister from Wisconsin

Nov 25, 2013
 
Rated: 1 by FFATS from Wisconsin

Oct 30, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by heytomcat from Minnesota

Aug 13, 2013
Photo of Lemke10
Reviewed by Lemke10 from Wisconsin

2.74/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75
This pours a clear, golden yellow color with a slight, off-white head. There is a slight grain aroma but nothing too strong. The taste is very strong with raw grains. It’s fairly chalky and has a slight bitter finish. It also has a thin texture for very easy drinking. It’s not terrible, but it’s also not very good.
Jul 07, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by Joel12 from Illinois

Apr 07, 2013
Photo of MikeAAL
Reviewed by MikeAAL from Wisconsin

4.36/5  rDev +67.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.75
I picked this up for $4.99 for a 6 pack. Definately worth it.

It pours a yellow, gold. Very cloudy. A little darker than an American Ajunct Lager. It has a small white head that dissipates quickly.

Smells fruity.

It has a very fruity taste, which I like. I can taste apples and plums, and a little hops.

Thick, full bodied beer. Low carbonation. Clean, dry finish.

Walter's is a good beer. It tastes good and I only live 25-30 miles from the brewery.
Mar 05, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by ruckus232 from Illinois

Mar 03, 2013
 
Rated: 2.25 by pebbs from Wisconsin

May 29, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by NEDmiller from Wisconsin

Apr 18, 2012
Photo of WastingFreetime
Reviewed by WastingFreetime from Wisconsin

1.5/5  rDev -42.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Reviewed from notes.

A. Very clouded dirty amber in color with absolutely no head or lacing at all. This is supposed to be a pilsener?

S. Really fruity. Lots of varieties / colors of apple smell and a faint strangely sour/saison-like yeasty odor. No hops detectable. This is supposed to be a pilsener?

T. Rather musty muddled grainy flavor with fruity esters and oddball tangy and sweet / sour patches. We must repeat : *This* is supposed to be a pilsener?

M. Strangely greasy and thin in texture, hyper over carbonated yet it *still* manages to not have a head. Seriously... who is Walter and why did he think that this -thing- was a pilsener?
Mar 21, 2012
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

2.18/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Hazy yellow, bubbly

SMELL: Yeast, browned apples, medicinal, grainy, astringent

TASTE: Yeast on yeast, grainy, thin, wet, apple skin, chalk

Brewer should change their yeast out, there is no shame in a light filtering either. I am sure this would have been a decent beer with both changes.
Oct 18, 2011
Photo of crossovert
Reviewed by crossovert from Illinois

1.86/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Saw the old school label and "Preium Pilsener" and it was cheap so i bought it.

12 oz can.

It pours a hazy golden color with a big white head, more like a zwickl pils than a "premium pils".

The smell is fruity, unlike a normal pils. Reading other reviews I agree it smells like a slightly awkward hefeweizen.

The flavor is pretty crappy. It has a harsh grain flavor with some tanginess. This would be bad even for a homebrewed beer.
Aug 09, 2011
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.15/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Single from Woodmans. Pale straw gold color, creamy white foam that has a creamy texture. Concentric rings of lace in the glass, lasting skim on the surface.

Sweet apple and plum aroma, soft and pleasant, sort of estery.

Clean and a little dry in the aftertase, mildly sweet at first. Seems to lose a little carbonation toward the end of the glass. Fruity flavor dominates with a little bit of basic malt flavor in the middle. Not especially dry or bitter like a traditional pils, but its not bad. The retro label is probably the best thing about it.
Jul 31, 2011
Walter's Premium Pilsener Beer from Northwoods Brewpub and Grill
Beer rating: 70 out of 100 with 21 ratings