Bayern
Thornbridge Brewery

Bottle. New label and new ABV at 4.8%.
Pours a light straw in colour with a bubbly effervescence.
A doughy aroma with earthy and mild citrus hops.
Some indistinct spice upon tasting.
A sparkling and refreshing feel.
A decent job done by Thornbridge.

[Reviewed from notes taken in late Summer 2014.]

5% ABV. Served on-draught at Craft Beer Co. Clerkenwell, London, England.

HEAD: Half a finger in height. White in colour. Not real creamy or frothy. Average complexion. Average consistency. 1 minute retention. Even consistent lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head quickly vanishes.

BODY: Clear translucent pale yellow of average vibrance. Clean, lacking any yeast particulate. Obviously filtered.

Appears adequately carbonated. Not unique or special looking, but generally appealing for the style.

AROMA: Well-hopped for a pils judging by the aroma; floral hop aromatics are prominent. Nice grassy hop aromatics as well. Pilsner malts/helles malts lend some balancing sweetness, but the grassiness dominates. The sweetness/bitterness balance seems to be perfect judging by the aroma in spite of the assertive hop presence.

A pleasant aroma of mild strength. I detect no overt yeasty notes or off-notes. I don't find any overt alcohol.

TEXTURE: Smooth, wet, crisp, well-carbonated, light-bodied, refreshing, and of ideal thickness/thinness.

Suits the taste well.

Not oily, gushed, hot, boozy, astringent, harsh, rough, or scratchy.

TASTE: Pilsner malts are at the heart of this lager. Grassy hops dominate (probably Noble). Crisp clean barley. True to style, it's simple but effective.

Flavour profile is pleasant and approachable.

Average depth, duration, and intensity of flavour. Not a gestalt harmonious whole of a beer, but it's pretty well balanced considering its hop pungency. There isn't much subtlety, intricacy, or nuance to this build, but the increased hop flavour was a risk.

I like it.

OVERALL: Absolutely a drinkable beer, as every pilsner needs to be. I'll easily finish the glass. But it can't hold its own against the best Czech pilsners or world class paragons of the style brewed in other countries. I'd get it again at the right price, sure, and the relatively aggressive hopping for the style is surprisingly effective, but I can't say it's a great expression of the style and many American breweries have executed the hoppy pilsner variant better. Worth trying if you come across it.

C+ (3.19) / ABOVE AVERAGE

Champagne blonde with loose head. 3.75
Soap and cream cracker. 4
Mild crispy grain, slight bubblegum, then coriander seed and hay. 3.75
Crisp and light. 3.75

Fruity yet underhopped for pils bitterness. It’s not super-fresh, so I’m not expecting big aroma notes. Still something a bit odd, though - estery yeast character? Either way, Thornbridge do better. 3.75

Slightly hazy golden color with white head. Aroma is mostly grainy with some earthy hops in the background. Taste is slightly sweet and malty with a light buttery note. Medium body with lower carbonation. Doesn't really taste like a pils and the hops are not really as aromatic as expected.

Umm, exceeds expectations on the first gulp. It is very much a faithful Pils, without any of that silly overhopping crap. Rather more bitter than what I'm used to. Nice subtle residual earthiness with that classic lemon. I'd have it again for sure.

Served cool from 500ml bottle into straight pilsner mug.

Erm, just looking at the ingredients and it includes wheat. In a pilsner. Not impressed, Thornbridge.

L) Typical pale golden colour, clear, large bubbles rising, thin bubbly white head.

S) Smells like a proper pilsner, although on the light side. Saars hops dominate.

T) A very light pilsner flavour, the saars hops flavour is definitely there, it is just lighter than a German or Czech pilsner. Bitterness is very light, but there.

F) Typical for the style, clean mouthfeel, perhaps below-average carbonation.

O) This bottle cost me £2.80, from a shop in Sheffield, probably about 15 miles from Thornbridge's brewery. I can get a bottle of Pilsner Urquell or Staropramen for £1.50 from the supermarket, and both are superior to this, so struggling to recommend it.

Served very cold. Poured from a 500ml bottle into a pilsner glass.

A - Blonde/golden hue, not too pale. Frothy head that starts large and recedes but persists to the bottom of the glass. Some lacing. Clouds of microbubbles race up the sides of the glass. Effervescent.

S - Noble hop aroma. Maybe a little too delicate. Became more prominent as the beer warmed.

T - Lemon pith and a light spicy edge. Soft bitterness becoming quite dry. Moreish.

F - It's the mouthfeel that really stands out. Soft and creamy, wraps around the tongue.

Great example of a 'German' pilsner, brewed in Bakewell, Derbyshire. Would be equally satisfying on a winter evening by the firepit as on a summer afternoon in the beer garden thanks to its dry hoppiness and smooth mouthfeel. Very good.

 

 

 

500ml bottle bought from the Thornbridge shop, Bakewell...

Poured a pale straw yellow colour... slightly off white head poured quite loose and frothy then faded fairly quickly to almost nothing... only the faintest trace of carbonation... some light lacing...

Aroma - Good citrusy and grassy hops to the fore, sweet biscuity and grainy malts, quite peppery, some marzipan notes, juicy fruits (lemons, grapefruits, pears and light mangoes), floral honey, cut wet grass and hay, faint caramel...

Taste - Good blast of earthy, citrusy and peppery hop bitterness, spicy juicy fruits (grapefruits, sour apples, pears), light biscuity malts, some sweet floral honey, grassy, sweet grains, lightly perfumed, quite herbal, some saltiness, light traces of chalk...

Feel - Quite sharp and dry... Light body... An extremely quaffable pilsener...

Overall - An excellent example of a Pilsener - as good as i've had... recommended...