Grand River Czech Pilsner
Magnotta Brewery
- From:
- Magnotta Brewery
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Czech / Bohemian Pilsner
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- +5 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.73 | pDev: 4.83%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 10, 2026
- Added:
- Mar 27, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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Crafted for those who appreciate life's simple pleasures, this pislner is golden, crisp, and packed with bold, bready malt flavour and a lively hop kick. With a smooth bitterness that hits just right, it's the perfect brew to kick back with. 30 IBU.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.67/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Sep 22 2025 and served barely chilled.
Pours a clear, sunny golden yellow colour, sporting two fingers of bumpy, soapy white head that lasts for nearly five minutes. Delicate, doily-patterned lace adorns the glass afterwards, with a creamy collar and thin cap remaining on the surface - looks great to me. A bit floral & grassy, but most of all spicy, on the nose; hints of lemon peel as well as grainy, crackery pale malts fill in the gaps.
It's not bad - grainy malts and bready sweetness at the forefront, with some doughy, honeyed sweetness coming through by mid-sip. The hops are still quite floral, but somewhat less spicy than the nose might've suggested; still, they serve as a proper foil to the malts while also contributing a hint of citrus zest. Maybe a little too assertively bitter for the style, but I can dig it. Light in body, with moderate carbonation that softly prickles the palate; I appreciate this lager's smooth, satisfying mouthfeel. Really easy to toss back.
Final Grade: 3.67, a B grade. I wasn't blown away by Grand River's Czech Pilsner, but I do think it's a serviceable example of the style. Maybe not quite up to snuff if you're comparing it to PU or Czechvar, but most Ontario breweries don't fare a whole lot better by that metric. I haven't seen this stocked locally, but it's a brew that I'd like to revisit at some point, and probably one of the top three Magnotta brews I've reviewed to date.
Apr 10, 2026Pours a clear, sunny golden yellow colour, sporting two fingers of bumpy, soapy white head that lasts for nearly five minutes. Delicate, doily-patterned lace adorns the glass afterwards, with a creamy collar and thin cap remaining on the surface - looks great to me. A bit floral & grassy, but most of all spicy, on the nose; hints of lemon peel as well as grainy, crackery pale malts fill in the gaps.
It's not bad - grainy malts and bready sweetness at the forefront, with some doughy, honeyed sweetness coming through by mid-sip. The hops are still quite floral, but somewhat less spicy than the nose might've suggested; still, they serve as a proper foil to the malts while also contributing a hint of citrus zest. Maybe a little too assertively bitter for the style, but I can dig it. Light in body, with moderate carbonation that softly prickles the palate; I appreciate this lager's smooth, satisfying mouthfeel. Really easy to toss back.
Final Grade: 3.67, a B grade. I wasn't blown away by Grand River's Czech Pilsner, but I do think it's a serviceable example of the style. Maybe not quite up to snuff if you're comparing it to PU or Czechvar, but most Ontario breweries don't fare a whole lot better by that metric. I haven't seen this stocked locally, but it's a brew that I'd like to revisit at some point, and probably one of the top three Magnotta brews I've reviewed to date.
Reviewed by OldBrewer from Canada (ON)
3.46/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A little over-carbonated (three fingers head), nice malt flavour, bitterness seems well over 30 IBU and also a little harsh (bitter hops boiled too long?). Lots of lacing in glass. Must have been dry-hopped. Seems to contain Saaz hops, but also perhaps Northern Brewer as bittering hop?
Overall: would have been a decent Pilsner if it didn't have the harsh, bitter, aftertaste.
Nov 27, 2025Overall: would have been a decent Pilsner if it didn't have the harsh, bitter, aftertaste.
Reviewed by talisen-crw from Canada (ON)
4/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
At my lady Pamela's house; canned and chilled, 473mL in a pint glass. From my favourite but now closed The Beer Store on Goyeau St. in nearby downtown Windsor. Packaged February 25/25. My third beer from the Vaughan, Ontario brewery, and for 2025. With Gracie the cat...
Sep 24, 2025
Reviewed by scott451 from Canada (ON)
3.81/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured a 473ml can into a pint glass. A two finger fine white head on a pale gold. The head diminishes to a layer. Lots of patchy lacing.
Spicy floral hops in the nose. Taste is bready. Sweetish. Some lemon. A mild hop finish.
Medium body and carbonation. Overall a solid but unremarkable Czech pilsner.
Aug 02, 2025Spicy floral hops in the nose. Taste is bready. Sweetish. Some lemon. A mild hop finish.
Medium body and carbonation. Overall a solid but unremarkable Czech pilsner.
Rated by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.71/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
June 6 2025
Jun 06, 2025
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