Torch Pilsner
Foothills Brewing Company - Downtown Brewpub

4.02/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Porured from a can into a pint glass.
Appears golden yellow with a nice foamy head that lasted.
Smells lightly bready and floral.
Taste follows the nose with enough hoppiness to keep my interest, and slightly estery.
Mouth feel is medium for the style.
A very nice example of a American Bohemian Pilsner that I definitely plan on drinking again.

 345 characters

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Torch pours a hazy golden color, with a small, but long lasting head. Dry aroma, but with some skunk notes. Flavor is more on the bitter side, noticeable hops, then a creamy finish. Good body and feel. Overall, it is a bit more on the bitter side for a pils, nice finish to the flavor, and very pretty beer.

 311 characters

3.8/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This beer poured a clear golden amber color with a large frothy white head that lasted throughout the drinking experience. There is also very nice lacing. The aroma is somewhat subtle, but basically fruity, malty, and a little yeasty. The taste is dry and bitter with slightly sweet malt flavor.

 295 characters

3.36/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured to a heavy head with a golden color. Hoppy taste was accompanied by a slight bitter biscuit taste throughout. This Pilsner was heavy on the hops and not quite as flavorful as I would like, the bitterness up front made the beer feel slightly off.

It's still a decent offering.

 283 characters

3.85/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Just like a real German Pils. Somewhat bitter from the hops.
But balanced by the grain bill. Malt of course. Barley.
And some real Czech hops too.
A satisfying take on a real Pils.

 180 characters

3.52/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Hazy golden pour with full head. Kinda bready aroma. Taste is bitter for a pilsner but not unpleasant. Light slightly watery mouthfeel and slightly bitter aftertaste. A good pilsner but not a great example.

 206 characters

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nice pills. Not quite a bohemian style. I prefer a smooth start with a bite on the back end but this one just has the bite up front. Still plenty refreshing though.

 167 characters

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid 4. Has all the things I look for stylewise in a BoPils. Slightly darker and danker than a german pils. Saaz hops in full force. Great looking and tasting.

 162 characters

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at a MiLB game here in Winston-Salem, NC. I usually go straight for the IPA, but tried a Pils tonight. Nice, clear light-amber color (as best as I can tell as I am color blind). Really nice, bready aroma. The taste was very crisp, clean and light, with a small bit of hops, excellent. Very light and easy to drink. Considering I am usually an IPA guy, I really enjoyed this take on a Pilsener. Will definitely pick up in a 6 next time out.

 450 characters

3.77/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle undated from AC. Straw color and a malty nose. Tastes include malt and a hint of citrusy hops, probably lemon. A fairly strong finish for a Pilsner. Refreshing and smooth.

 183 characters

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Pour from 12 oz bottle.

L: Straw yellow, slightly darker than most pilsners I've seen. Slight haze, not crystal clear. Lots of bubbles, well carbonated it seems. Eggshell white head.

S: Saaz hops really shows through on the nose. Bready pilsner malt aroma.

T: Bready, malty, slight hop spice from the Saaz. Clean finish

F: Very carbonated medium body.

O: Decent for the style. Good summer beer/ after work beer.

 416 characters

4.53/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A really nice pilsner, biscuit, bready, sweet and a crisp finish with a little lingering bitter. Really solid pilsner here and hits alot of the marks I generally look for in this style. Highly recommend.

 205 characters

4.93/5  rDev +34.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer should be called a "Pils" vs a Pilsner because it reminds me of the crisper less malty taste of a German Pils. Having said that, they nailed it! Great thirst quenching crispy bitterness from the Saaz hops. The best Pils I've had this side of the Atlantic.

 267 characters

4.54/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Fresh 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsner glass, achieving nice 1.5" head easily. Beautiful clarity and very light golden hue.

Nice lacing and lingering foam. Still 1/4 inch and I'm almost done.

Aroma is the classic Pils, fresh malt, cut grain field/ almost earthy, floral, a direct reflection of its appearance.

Tastes great, with a pleasantly decisive peppery bitterness that slightly tips the scale agains the pale malts. Goes down EASY.
A nice modern update that doesn't veer away from the classic very far. Much like other Foothills brews, this is a great craft and in my case, local, beer. Great labels on all their brews too, for the artsy imbibers like myself.

Very crisp and clean, sparkly feel, with some nice carbo to stay fresh, incase you don't chug it down in three minutes.

Overall, Torch is a very nice, edgy Pilsner for the hoppers who usually only drink ales. Doesn't have the biscuit/bread notes out front like many pilsners. Pilsner is the best food beer ever, "everyone knows that"...:)

Try any Foothills beer, and if you want clarity - try the Torch for a light peppery burn. Get Torched!

 1,125 characters

3.71/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Enjoyed on the porch with a friend.

Golden color with a thin white sudsy head and nice lacing. Smells twangy and funky. Tastes twangy too with a grassy bitterness. A light peppery kick. Malty and yeasty aftertaste with lingering bitterness. Light body.

 255 characters

3.96/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden color. One inch head of a white color. Great retention and decent lacing. Smells of strong pale malt, Euro yeast, hint of sweet malt, hint of citrus hops, and a hint of fruit. Fits the style of a Czech Pilsner. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong pale malt, Euro yeast, hint of sweet malt, hint of citrus hops, and a hint of fruit. Overall, good appearance, complexity, and blend.

 454 characters

3.42/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Had this on Draft at Sticks and Stones. Very clear with nice carbonation. Has some bitterness in the taste which, IMO, puts it ahead of the AALs so common in the states. As it is summer here in NC I've been trying some of the lighter (in color) beers. For me, this was OK but doesn't measure up to Stone's Wussie.

 313 characters

4.02/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft at Carolina Ale House in Wilmington, NC.

Golden yellow body with a soapy white cap. Sticky lacing clings to the perimeter of the pint. Aromas include fresh, earthy hops, grain. Mild bitterness in the flavor. Really fresh. More character than is customary for a pilsner brewed in the US. Quaffable.

 304 characters

3.81/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a hazy straw yellow.
The smell is slightly sweet grass and lemon.
Taste is dry, malt. Grassy hops with some peppery lemon.
More bitter than expected but in a good way.

 179 characters

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a chill hazed deep straw producing a 3 inch glowing white, billowy head that recedes to a nice surface cap leaving a coating of dense, weby lace. Aroma is lemon forward, cracker & biscuit malt, grass, pepper with hints of honey. Taste is bready malts, lemon, grass & spice with a dry fruity finish with a lingering bitter lemon & cracker aftertaste. Nicely balanced. Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied (slightly heavy for the style) with moderate-high carbonation, lively on the tongue, slightly juciy yet creamy, dry in the finish with an astringent aftertaste. Good & very drinkable.

 588 characters

3.69/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a very slightly cloudy pale straw colour with a bright white foamy head.

The smell is very earthy, some grass, pepper.

The taste is earthy, fairly bitter, a little grass.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall not bad, it's very heavy on the earthy notes.

 290 characters

4.14/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I generally highly approve of Vikings on label art and even more enjoyed the historically accurate helmet without big bull horns. Nice clarity and pour on this one, with a straw gold color and respectable head and lace. Nose is crisp and fresh with light hops and some kind of fruit, maybe apple or pear.

This has classic pilsener attributes, with strong spicy noble hop and bread tones throughout. Carbonation and texture are about right for the style and this goes down very easily. Aftertaste is bitter and lengthy.

Kind of on the cusp of session-able but I imagine putting these down in quantity would be enjoyable.

 629 characters

3.85/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Had the "green St Patty's day" version of this beer so just giving average grade for look (well carbonated so don't the regular version would look off). Aroma is more bitter and grassy than sweet pils malt aroma with bit of lemon/citric hops. Fuller bodied for a pils, little bit hearty, has a bit of sweetness but more of a grassy and dry pils; not bad and pretty easy to drink so can't complain about this beer but nothing will wow you.

 440 characters

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A good czech pilsner. Pours a pale yellow, nose is of pilser malt. Taste is light and fruity. Typical of a craft brew take on a czech pilsner, overall a fun drink and enjoyable.

 177 characters

3.67/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured a medium gold, somewhat veiled. A beautiful white head lasted for the entirety of the trip. Good lacing made this beer good to look at for the duration.

There is a very slight perfumey aroma, along with subtle honey and white bread on the nose, as the nose goes further in the glass. It is quite faint, and probably would be delightful if I got a little more of it. As it stands, it's a somewhat muted bouquet.

Floral hops, grains, and a touch of honey are the first flavor impressions. By the end of it, there's some lemon, more flowers, and a little more tartness. The flavors are soft and delicate, and the increasing lemony presence was a welcome joy. A somewhat grating hop bitterness does battle with the citrus, and ends up lingering a bit after the sip. It is refreshing, clean-tasting, and sprightly.

Carbonation is there, and it glitters on the tongue. Combined with the creamy feel from the soft water, it is a nice balance. The slight astringency from that hop aftertaste sneaks in and tries to crash the party.

Though the aromas and flavors aren't intense, Torch is a nice beer. Occasionally, on some summer days, I enjoy having my mouth washed out by a solid Pilsner. This would be one to have in the cooler.

 1,237 characters