Little Bo Pils
Smog City Brewing Co.

Little Bo PilsLittle Bo Pils
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From:
Smog City Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
German Pilsner
Ranked #634
ABV:
4.4%
Score:
81
Ranked #35,725
Avg:
3.55 | pDev: 12.11%
Ratings:
90 | reviews: 18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 18, 2025
Added:
Aug 02, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  22
A perfect companion when relaxing or adventuring, Little Bo Pils is your go-to beer. Classic Saaz hops pair nicely with a light malt backbone for a balance that's both crisp and refreshing. This pilsner with style screams "take me with you!", so crack one open and enjoy the ride. Light, Crisp, and Refreshing.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by PJBScript:
Photo of PJBScript
Reviewed by PJBScript from California

3.77/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
first time for this brew .... hot and thirsty straight from the 16 oz can down the hatch. Did not see the color or the head, there was probably some lacing on the inside of the can, but who's going to look down there, I was not drinking this at high noon. However, it had great,well balanced malt/hops flavor, average mouthfeel, nose picked up floral and slight bitterness and metallicness. Overall I would have preferred the flavor to be tilted a bit more towards the hops, and a slightly heavier and fizzier mouthfeel, but I wouldn't mark them down for that. Also, the pilsnerness of this beer did not strike me as Czech, but more of a very nice universal pilsner.
Nov 28, 2020
More User Ratings:
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.81/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16oz can, adhesive label. Date stamp on bottom lip is '09/02/25'.
Partly cloudy, straw colored body. Two fingers of dense white colored head, which stays around as a full cap. Leaves behind intricate lacing webs.
Aroma of cracker and floral hops.
Taste is more expressive than the nose, full of bready malts and peppery hops. Flavors are herbal/floral, lemongrass, toasted grain malts, and pepper. Concentrates on the malts and peppery hops in the aftertaste.
Medium mouthfeel. Clean and crisp texture. Any bitterness comes from the Saaz hops. Very good carbonation.
Well balanced components, with a rewarding taste profile.
Dec 18, 2025
Photo of Some_Beer_Sometimes
Reviewed by Some_Beer_Sometimes from California

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Been drinking this one for a few years. After trying a few Czech Pilsners, I can say it does taste traditional. Lemon, green apple, cracker, and noticeable yeast. Peppery, herbal saaz hops that linger. Very slight floral aroma. Pretty well-balanced. It’s pretty good. Nice and foamy with a fluffy white head. Second only to Fremont Golden Pilsner among American-made Czech Pilsners. Yes this is a Czech Pilsner, not a German Pilsner. It’s in the wrong category.
Aug 11, 2025
Photo of ChicagoJ
Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois

3.81/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
7/9/25 - (Mission Control) (Las Vegas, Nevada) Bar/Untappd Menu Notes: $5.42 HH special with tax, 4.4% ABV.

Appearance: 16 oz draft served in a nice nonic pint glass. Crystal clear base, steady slow carbonation, bright white head leaves generous lacing and thin cover over the base. 4.5

Aroma: Faint salty cracker aroma. 2.75

Taste: Full flavored, cracker, bread, salt, pepper lemongrass, floral notes. Really nice. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Very light and easy, faint gentle carbonation. Drinks below 4.4% ABV. Slightly malty, balanced by a nice hops presence. Salty pepper cracker finish. 3.75

Overall: This is a solid Pilsner, light and easy drinking with full flavor. Recommend, would like to try more from this brewery. 4.0
Jul 09, 2025
 
Rated: 3.4 by Lucnifter from California

Oct 21, 2024
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.84/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
leftpaw scored me a four pack of these when he was in LA for the Taylor Swift concert. Its a dang good beer.

Pours yellow, has that cloudy aspect going for it. The yellow is relatively bright. 2/3" white head. Soapy. A nice aroma that pushes lager yeast first, then some traditional in type of hops smells, if not in the usual California quantity (high). Light lemon Saaz hop bitterness to it.

The taste is dang good, pilsner malt gives a nice grain presence, right in the wheelhouse in terms of hops quantity wise for a California pilsner. But with a very traditional yeast impact that has one foot firmly planted in the Germanic tradition. Good floral quality to the hopping. Hits a nice yeasty, zesty note throughout.

Its one of those good beers 365 days a year. Sure, its even better on the river or golf course in warm weather, but its also a respite from heavier stuff in the dead of winter too. Court's legs split was a good time, been too long. Well done.
Mar 28, 2024
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.54/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5
2024-03-27
16oz can served in a hotel tumbler glass. Dated 01/18/24.

Pours clear light yellow, small head, plenty of sustained carbonation. Complete head doesn't form, just a thin island with a few bigger bubbles. Smell is lemon and cut greens.

Taste is on the sweeter side, with an earthy hop character, but still tons of lemon. Sweetness comes across as honey and flowers, not so much grain. There's a lemon-zesty bitter finish, but it's pretty mild.

Mouthfeel is maybe slightly too far toward the syrupy side for a pilsner, but not offputting. Overall, it's not bad.
Mar 28, 2024
 
Rated: 3.15 by BalancingBrooms from California

Aug 20, 2023
Photo of BillAfromSoCal
Reviewed by BillAfromSoCal from California

3.63/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Canned 7/11/23, poured a month later into a pilsner glass. The high point is the looks and even that is imperfect. Really nice fluffy white head of good persistence, some lacing, very pale yellow, but much more chill haze than expected from a good pils. Toasty malts and biscuit on nose. Similar flavor plus hop bitterness. Medium body, not an overly remarkable finish or mouthfeel.
Aug 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.01 by plasticsun17 from California

Jul 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by shigg85 from Japan

Apr 19, 2023
 
Rated: 3.78 by heymikew from California

Mar 25, 2023
Photo of NeilSilber1
Rated by NeilSilber1 from California

3.96/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours golden clear with bright white foamy cap from tall can to pint glass. Clean and crisp Czech style lager, easy drinking and light at 4.3% ABV.
Feb 15, 2023
Photo of GuyFawkes
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned 3/7/22; drank 1/26/23 @ Roadrunner Lodge.

Mostly opaque pale yellow appearance.

A rough pour yielded a HUGE white head; strong, frothy lace.

Rice, pine & white bread notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

White bread, mild honey & faint pine flavors.

Nice Czech vibes.
Feb 06, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by Beernoobie from California

Jul 28, 2022
 
Rated: 3 by mpenske from California

May 22, 2022
Photo of pkalix
Reviewed by pkalix from California

3/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
just lays there. no carbonation... super clean glass with Bartenders Secret even... why only Russian River carbs there beers? not bad. i guess. just flat, is all.... it'd pop if it had the carb Modelo or Miller Lite has....
Nov 06, 2021
 
Rated: 3.76 by Gatch from Massachusetts

Sep 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4.84 by ConsciousClay from California

Aug 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.53 by QuintusHorace from California

Feb 21, 2021