Flywheel Pilsner Bier
Metropolitan Brewing

Flywheel Pilsner BierFlywheel Pilsner Bier
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From:
Metropolitan Brewing
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
German Pilsner
ABV:
5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 13.68%
Reviews:
104
Ratings:
283
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 13, 2024
Added:
Jan 15, 2009
Wants:
  23
Gots:
  44
Formerly Flywheel Bright Lager

The kinetic beauty of spicy hops grabs you by the nose and lets you know: this is German-inspired beer. A mild, bready malt sweetness greets you at the lips, smoothing the crisp hop flavors. Flywheel is meant for bombastic celebrations of singing voices and clamoring mugs. But then, that first contented moment of happy hour is uniquely celebratory as well.

45 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by malcontent:
Photo of malcontent
Reviewed by malcontent from Illinois

3.52/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Nice golden hue although the huge level of chill haze detracts from what should be a bright (hey, it's even named for it!), vibrant liquid. Head is minimal.

Bread with honey, hint of tree fruit (apricots? in a lager?!?), barely any trace of noble hops. Smell decent but not exactly what I'm looking for.

Man, this yeast is just way too fruity for a lager, especially a German-inspired one at that. Hops are at least present on the palate but there's a weird, doughy effect through the interplay of the yeast and metallic hop twinge.

Mouthfeel is appropriate but I'm just not seeing this as a go-to session lager. I was really hoping for something more because a) I love trumpeting all things Chicago and b) new session beers (and local ones at that) are hard to come by. Oh, well, it wasn't bad enough for me not to give the brewery another shot.
Sep 06, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by mjpolzin from Wisconsin

Jan 13, 2024
Photo of ovaltine
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana

4.24/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a bright straw color with a bit of suspended haze and a fluffy white head lingers as a cap on the beer and provides moderate lacing. The nose is LOADED with spicy hop aromas of grass, lemon zest, and earthy herbs, plus a nice amount of biscuity malt. Wow.

The taste is likewise filled with spicy hop flavors, again with the grass, lemon zest and especially the earthy herbs most prominent , yet balanced by a firm biscuity malt flavor at the back of the palate.

The mouthfeel is very crisp, as expected. The best word I can use to describe this beer is “striking.” What a pleasure it is to drink this beer.
Nov 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3 by xdtfx from Illinois

Jun 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.79 by snowmageddon from Massachusetts

Nov 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.2 by uncleotis from Illinois

Nov 07, 2021
Photo of barnzy78
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois

3.61/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle
no apparent freshness date
L: clear golden bier; foamy eggshell colored head
S: grassy & herbal hops, biscuity Pilsner malt, slight skunk
T: assertive bitterness: grassy, spicy, herbal; biscuity Pilsner malt
F: medium body, moderate carbonation, clean finish with some modest bitterness lingering a bit
O: better than I remember; I’ll have to get a can and see if the mild skunk persists…my presumption is no
Aug 31, 2021
Photo of MNJR
Reviewed by MNJR from Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
There is a chalky bitterness to this pilsner which lingers and somewhat ruins the good points. I've had three cans over the course of two days form a six pack with an "best of" date 2 months away, so it isn't old. I can't put my finger on it but there is something in the aftertaste like bitters, which is gentian root, a very odd taste in the beer. Or cleaning fluid. Just weirdly bitter or chemical. It has very good flavors to begin with, spicy, crisp, lemony, and feels great going down, good carbonation, but then this aftertaste creeps in from each sip and I just can't say I would ever buy this again. I have never experienced this odd flavor in any other beer. Sorry Metropolitan but that's what I taste. Maybe I got clunky batch. Purchased a couple miles from the brewery March 3 2021.
Mar 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

Feb 14, 2021
 
Rated: 3.61 by stanale from Illinois

Sep 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by trek7000 from Illinois

Jul 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.15 by runlikeakenyan from Indiana

Jul 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4.08 by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

Apr 21, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by jschott75 from Illinois

Jan 08, 2020
Photo of michaelsmith11
Reviewed by michaelsmith11 from Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This beer poured a light gold color with a little bit of a head. The smell was like a bread with a little bit of something spicy and a touch of citrus. The taste was nice and light and crisp with some sweetness to the malt. Very nice beer.
Oct 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.18 by jstern from California

Sep 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.33 by Chilmer from Iowa

Jun 27, 2019
Photo of JoeWalsh
Reviewed by JoeWalsh from Illinois

2.3/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
This light yellow beer pours with a substantial, sudsy head. Hops dominates the flavor profile. They taste a bit spicy, almost lemony. But not too bitter. Yet, for all that, I don't find the flavor appealing. I've had much more enjoyable pilsners.
May 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by -Andrew- from Michigan

May 03, 2019
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A pilsner with a grainy and sneaky hoppy bite in the taste, goes decently with underlying malts, yeast, lemon, and flowers. Pale gold with white foam. Smell is grain forward with classic pilsner malts backing, along with some grass. Feel is bready, then sharp and crisp to finish. Solid
Apr 22, 2019
Flywheel Pilsner Bier from Metropolitan Brewing
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 283 ratings