Pillowrock Pilsner
West Virginia Brewing Company

 

 

This pils rocks! I haven't tried anything labeled 'pilsner' since I stopped drinking mass produced Miller/Bud/Coors products, but I'm glad I tried this one. I partly tried it at lunch today because it was a new seasonal at the WVBC, but mostly because they have a very limited supply and wanted to try it out before it was gone. Very nice, sparkling, golden color. It had a crisp, hoppy aroma. Smooth going down, a little carbonated it seemed, but not much, nothing like you'd get from a major pilsner. Distinct hoppy tones, as well, a very nice, strong flavor. Get it while it's still there!

Very nice from WVBC.
Beautiful golden color with a decent head and good lacing. This beer was crystal clear..not a hint of cloudiness.
The nose was a bit sweet with a bit of 'bready" malt and not much hops to note.
Mouthfeel was very typical of the style and light. Lingering light malt was the flavors I noted. Light crystal, more than likely.
Good starter beer as an intriduction into the craft beer scene.

Pillowrock Pilsner looks like weak iced tea in the growler, but is a bright, medium amber in the glass. The head is cream-colored with the barest hint of lemon, is nicely firm with better than average retention and is beginning to stick to the upper reaches of the pint glass. The nose is my kind of pils nose, low on the noble hop scale and high on the lemon zest scale. It's more reticent than I like, but what I do pick up is very nice.

My immediate impression upon tasting is that Pillowrock is maltier, spicier and simply more flavorful than the vast majority of pilseners. That's a good thing as long as the flavor is enjoyable, as this most certainly is. The toasty malt provides an underlying sweetness and the spicy, slightly lemony hops provide more than enough flavor and bitterness to bring the beer into sublime balance.

I also pick up an appley fruitiness that adds another dimension and even more flavor. The body is medium and the carbonation is well done, giving a brightness to the mouthfeel that doesn't step over the line into fizziness.

Pillowrock Pilsner is a beer that I can sink my teeth into. With flavor to spare, it has something for everyone: malt, hops, spice, fruit, sweetness, bitterness, you name it. This is a fine craft brew from the great state of West Virginia. Thank you WVbeergeek, very nice choice.

A huge sturdy white head, with a deep golden body gleaming is the appearance this beer left me. The Czech Saaz hops tantalize my senses, with a smooth malt background to it. Crystal clear, this beer is a solid one with the Saaz entertaining me. This beer has kept me satisfied many times, and I think it's a great representation of a Czech pilsener. Mouthfeel is crisp smooth and creamy that causes much and enjoyment from this one very drinkable beer. Long live the WVBC!!!

"Update"

A new version of this brew is on this year they used new specialty malts and it just kicks ass, so drinkable and fresh right now definitely worth the experience.