S150lius 2015 Juhlaolut
Vakka-Suomen Panimo
- From:
- Vakka-Suomen Panimo
- Finland
- Style:
- European Pale Lager
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.25 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 24, 2015
- Added:
- May 24, 2015
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
"Vakka-Suomen S150lius 2015 Juhlaolut". A beer celebrating Sibelius, one of Finland's most famous composers, and his 150th anniversary. This is flavored with juniper (kataja), but it is not a Sahti. Purchased at a Prisma supermarket in Kuopio, Finland.
BOTTLE: Brown glass. Branded black pry-off cap. 33cl. Best before: 15.09.15. Nice label art.
Reviewed live. Served cold into a pilsner glass at low altitude in Kuopio, Finland. Expectations are average.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: ~2 inches. White in colour. Fizzy but not real frothy, creamy, fluffy, or full. Complexion could be softer and more inviting. Recedes audibly within ~3 minutes, leaving no lacing.
BODY: Clean and clear, with a pilsner-y yellow-copper colour. Translucent and transparent. No yeast or sediment is visible within. Obviously filtered.
Overall, it looks decent for a pilsner. Certainly not unique or special, but within style conventions.
AROMA: It has that dry gin-like juniper berry character so often observed in Finnish brews, but it's a nice element when integrated into the seemingly more refreshing pilsner malt body. Grassy noble hops help even things out, and the juniper comes off nicely fruity and inviting instead of off-puttingly ginny or dry. The hop profile could be more vivid and fresh (even if it is just Saaz or noble hop character), and the pilsner malts could be fuller, but overall this is an attractive aroma and the juniper doesn't seem like a gimmick.
Aromatic intensity is average. I'm looking forward to trying it.
TASTE & TEXTURE: It's clean, smooth, wet, refreshing, and light-bodied - as any good pilsner (or pale lager) should be. The juniper doesn't dry it out too much, but does lend some nice fruity elements that are well integrated into the pilsner malt-dominant flavour profile. Juniper replaces hops as the primary bittering agent, but there is some faint grassy character consistent with traditional pilsners. I find both juniper berries and some branch-like juniper notes here.
Overall, I find it surprisingly well-balanced, and its crisp mouthfeel helps present the flavours as clean and distinct. There's a nice marriage of texture to taste here, but I don't know that they're in perfect harmony; it could be still more refreshing and light-bodied.
In any case, it boasts above average complexity for a pilsner - though at the expense of the subtlety and nuance observed in the very best traditional expressions of the style. Though the juniper is an acquired taste, I think it works well here.
No yeast character, off-notes, or alcohol come(s) through.
I like it, but it could be less shallow. Flavour duration is average. Flavour intensity is somewhat high on account of the pungent juniper.
OVERALL: It's a nice Finnish take on a traditional style, and nails the clean crisp feel but not quite the elegant simplicity of pilsner malts and Noble/Saaz hops. I like that the Finns have brought a regional touch to this lager, and I find this very drinkable, but it's not world-class. Its uniqueness alone makes it worth trying, but I'd only purchase this a second time if I found it at a better price. Still, it's remarkable than even those drinkers who hate gin (like me) will enjoy the mellow juniper in this beer.
High C+ (3.25)
May 24, 2015BOTTLE: Brown glass. Branded black pry-off cap. 33cl. Best before: 15.09.15. Nice label art.
Reviewed live. Served cold into a pilsner glass at low altitude in Kuopio, Finland. Expectations are average.
No bubble show forms as it's poured.
HEAD: ~2 inches. White in colour. Fizzy but not real frothy, creamy, fluffy, or full. Complexion could be softer and more inviting. Recedes audibly within ~3 minutes, leaving no lacing.
BODY: Clean and clear, with a pilsner-y yellow-copper colour. Translucent and transparent. No yeast or sediment is visible within. Obviously filtered.
Overall, it looks decent for a pilsner. Certainly not unique or special, but within style conventions.
AROMA: It has that dry gin-like juniper berry character so often observed in Finnish brews, but it's a nice element when integrated into the seemingly more refreshing pilsner malt body. Grassy noble hops help even things out, and the juniper comes off nicely fruity and inviting instead of off-puttingly ginny or dry. The hop profile could be more vivid and fresh (even if it is just Saaz or noble hop character), and the pilsner malts could be fuller, but overall this is an attractive aroma and the juniper doesn't seem like a gimmick.
Aromatic intensity is average. I'm looking forward to trying it.
TASTE & TEXTURE: It's clean, smooth, wet, refreshing, and light-bodied - as any good pilsner (or pale lager) should be. The juniper doesn't dry it out too much, but does lend some nice fruity elements that are well integrated into the pilsner malt-dominant flavour profile. Juniper replaces hops as the primary bittering agent, but there is some faint grassy character consistent with traditional pilsners. I find both juniper berries and some branch-like juniper notes here.
Overall, I find it surprisingly well-balanced, and its crisp mouthfeel helps present the flavours as clean and distinct. There's a nice marriage of texture to taste here, but I don't know that they're in perfect harmony; it could be still more refreshing and light-bodied.
In any case, it boasts above average complexity for a pilsner - though at the expense of the subtlety and nuance observed in the very best traditional expressions of the style. Though the juniper is an acquired taste, I think it works well here.
No yeast character, off-notes, or alcohol come(s) through.
I like it, but it could be less shallow. Flavour duration is average. Flavour intensity is somewhat high on account of the pungent juniper.
OVERALL: It's a nice Finnish take on a traditional style, and nails the clean crisp feel but not quite the elegant simplicity of pilsner malts and Noble/Saaz hops. I like that the Finns have brought a regional touch to this lager, and I find this very drinkable, but it's not world-class. Its uniqueness alone makes it worth trying, but I'd only purchase this a second time if I found it at a better price. Still, it's remarkable than even those drinkers who hate gin (like me) will enjoy the mellow juniper in this beer.
High C+ (3.25)
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