Scherdel Edelhell
Privatbrauerei Scherdel OHG

On the back of the bottle it mentions "finest hops and traditional recipe makes this hop-spiced beer a unique enjoyment." Ok, it's marketing speak, but the taste is close to what they say. The ingredients list is the usual suspects for a beer "brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot," but in addition to normal hops, they use hop extracts, which I find not only poor quality, but disappointing in following the Fernsehbiere (conglomerates).

The beer pours thick and foamy, nice head as usual for a Pils. Aroma is very strongly suggestive of Pilsner malt mixed with a little noble hops. The taste doesn't disappoint the aroma, for it's full on Pilsner malt, maltier than a normal Pils, which suggests a little Münchner malt. The flavor is extremely malty, very full mouth feel, both things I love. This is not a thin conglomerate Pils, but a thick Pilsner-malt bomb. It's also quite hoppy, especially in the back of the tongue, very strong noble hop character of Saaz, Hersbrücker or Tettnanger. Malt flavors dominated the first few sips, but with not half the 0,3L glass gone, I'm getting lots of bittering hops, in fact, it's now the predominate flavor. Noticed on the pic of the label it says "Feinherbes Pils?" Herb translates as herbal, but in German beer vernacular it denotes hoppy, vegetal aromas/flavors of noble hops. Again, the warmer this Pils gets, and the more I drink, the more hop has overpowered the malt flavors, but all while being wrapped in a thick, satisfying, almost cozy mouthfeel. When I say hop flavors, it's not thin, dry nor sharp like a north German style Pils, nor is it the dumbed-downed flavor of a Fernsehbier. However, nearing the end of the glass, I miss the Pilsner malt flavors which have been bullied away by the hops. Nonetheless, a cozy beer to sip with a noble hops smack, not as much a refreshing beer, at least on this winter day a week before Christmas.