Cincinnati Beer Week 2014 Hostivit
Christian Moerlein Brewing Company
- From:
- Christian Moerlein Brewing Company
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Pilsner
- ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 87
- Avg:
- 3.82 | pDev: 17.02%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 08, 2016
- Added:
- Feb 09, 2014
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
This beer is a collaboration brew done by Blank Slate, Christian Moerlein, Double Barrel, Fifty West, Listermann, MadTree, Moerlein Lager House, Mt. Carmel, Rhinegeist, Rivertown and Triple Digit.
Traditional Bohemian Pilsner is recognized by its rich, complex maltiness, but still refreshing. Typical soft, rounded bitterness and spicy flavor is imparted by the generous addition of Saaz hops. For our collaboration brew, we opted to create a "bigger" Pils. This "Imperial" Pils will be close to 7.3% ABV, a slight, sweet finish will balance the alcohol to produce a dangerously easy drinking offering. The addition of 5% rye malt also gives an unusual dimension/layer that complements very well the distinctive flavor of Saaz. Zythos was liberally used to showcase a beautiful tropical, citrusy, slightly piny aroma.
Traditional Bohemian Pilsner is recognized by its rich, complex maltiness, but still refreshing. Typical soft, rounded bitterness and spicy flavor is imparted by the generous addition of Saaz hops. For our collaboration brew, we opted to create a "bigger" Pils. This "Imperial" Pils will be close to 7.3% ABV, a slight, sweet finish will balance the alcohol to produce a dangerously easy drinking offering. The addition of 5% rye malt also gives an unusual dimension/layer that complements very well the distinctive flavor of Saaz. Zythos was liberally used to showcase a beautiful tropical, citrusy, slightly piny aroma.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by JoeySaliba from Ohio
4.68/5 rDev +22.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.68/5 rDev +22.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Please bring this beer back. It's delicious
Jan 08, 2016
Reviewed by KYGunner from Kentucky
3.59/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
This Imperial Pilsner pours a tad darker than most with a very clean golden almost brassy hue. It poured a full fingers worth of just off white foam that had good retention.
The nose is quite crackery with that tell tale Pilsner malt scent. A little bready or doughy it's not too pronounced but I also get a little hops.
The taste is dry Pilsner malt, with a malty tea leaf and crackery body. Nothing remarkable it is a simple Pilsner style that has no real change despite the Imperial label. I expected more cracker and dough on the tongue but it's straight forward Pilsner style.
Very smooth, and incredibly light. I think it's 7 pct which makes this a scary drink as it was gone quickly with little fuss.
Some styles don't need to be Imperialized but I applaud the effort as its a easy drinking beast.
May 30, 2014The nose is quite crackery with that tell tale Pilsner malt scent. A little bready or doughy it's not too pronounced but I also get a little hops.
The taste is dry Pilsner malt, with a malty tea leaf and crackery body. Nothing remarkable it is a simple Pilsner style that has no real change despite the Imperial label. I expected more cracker and dough on the tongue but it's straight forward Pilsner style.
Very smooth, and incredibly light. I think it's 7 pct which makes this a scary drink as it was gone quickly with little fuss.
Some styles don't need to be Imperialized but I applaud the effort as its a easy drinking beast.
Reviewed by BusterCasey from Ohio
4.01/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.01/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Generally not much of a palate for pilsner brews, however in hearing of a Cincinnati collaboration of an "imperial pilsner," I had to check it out.
One on hand, I really enjoy the Hostivit for the following reasons:
1) I like big beers, hence my unsophisticated approach to pilsners. Hostivit makes up for this, though I'm unsure whether or not that's a good thing.
2) The beer is like, 7.2%, which gives it an obvious advantage (in my eyes). A bit juvenile, but it still counts in my opinion.
Sadly, the reasons for liking this beer are also my reason for disliking the beer: Pilsner taste doesn't exactly corroborate well with high ABV - the nose of Hostivit rings almost sour, something which rides alongside a competent backwash of clean malt sugars and balanced hop characters. I can be grateful that I can get drunk faster off this pilsner, but something about it just isn't refreshing. The mouthfeel dissolves into sour hops & alcohol, produce an effect similar to eating raw garlic (fyi, I love garlic).
I love Cincinnati and the brewing culture that has begun to take off here. Mad Tree, Listerman's & Triple Digit, Double Barrel, Blank Slate, Rhinegeist, 50 West, Christian Moerlein are all great breweries, however it seems a bit logistically dense to have so many breweries collaborate on a single beer. Come to mention Christian Moerlein, it seems as if the brewery not only spearheaded the release and distribution of the Hostivit (rightly so, they have the best capacity to do so), but also perhaps used a house brew to base the remaining collaboration.
Overall, not bad for an Imperial Pilsner, but not something to strike me as exceptional or worthwhile.
Feb 14, 2014One on hand, I really enjoy the Hostivit for the following reasons:
1) I like big beers, hence my unsophisticated approach to pilsners. Hostivit makes up for this, though I'm unsure whether or not that's a good thing.
2) The beer is like, 7.2%, which gives it an obvious advantage (in my eyes). A bit juvenile, but it still counts in my opinion.
Sadly, the reasons for liking this beer are also my reason for disliking the beer: Pilsner taste doesn't exactly corroborate well with high ABV - the nose of Hostivit rings almost sour, something which rides alongside a competent backwash of clean malt sugars and balanced hop characters. I can be grateful that I can get drunk faster off this pilsner, but something about it just isn't refreshing. The mouthfeel dissolves into sour hops & alcohol, produce an effect similar to eating raw garlic (fyi, I love garlic).
I love Cincinnati and the brewing culture that has begun to take off here. Mad Tree, Listerman's & Triple Digit, Double Barrel, Blank Slate, Rhinegeist, 50 West, Christian Moerlein are all great breweries, however it seems a bit logistically dense to have so many breweries collaborate on a single beer. Come to mention Christian Moerlein, it seems as if the brewery not only spearheaded the release and distribution of the Hostivit (rightly so, they have the best capacity to do so), but also perhaps used a house brew to base the remaining collaboration.
Overall, not bad for an Imperial Pilsner, but not something to strike me as exceptional or worthwhile.
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