Czechmate Pilser
Pints Pub

this is a very good and very flavorful pilsener. served up in a huge pils glass intentionally filled with about a fifth being white airy foam, a pretty and substantial glass of beer at the pub here. really cool yeast in here, gives it a nice floral element, not just one of those flavorless lager strains, it has notes of heather and honeysuckle and is very vibrant, delicate but different. the malts are clean and crisp and fresh and light, cerealy but simple and easy going. some grassy hops here too, maybe a little more of them than is common, really nice touch, adds some real depth to this, especially for the style. the mouthfeel is nice too, lots of bubbles at first but they dissipate out before the glass is empty, last few swigs are a little less lively than the first few. a full medium body here too, its not all that light, which i think gives it four season versatility and a little more appeal with some of their robust food items here. overall a real solid pils that has some unique features. i like it being a little floral, easy drinking, one of their better brews here.

 

This is another one of those beers that doesn't appear on the pub's website, but was on tap when we visited Sept. 1. In this case, I can't blame them for hiding it on their website - this is a Pilsner in name only. What it really is, I can't even begin to guess, but since they call it a Pilsner, I am forced to judge it accordingly. And the result is so weird as to be nearly undrinkable.

Pours reddish gold with decent head and good lacing. The smell is soapy with hints of honey and a strong earthiness. Flavor is sourish, thick and grainy, with a huge barnyard bite, not at all like a pilsner. There is a little bit of hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is syrupy and leaves a bit of bitterness clinging to the tongue.

Did I mentioned earthiness? It is hard to overstate the barnyard character of this beer - like a horse, like an old leather saddle. Strange. Super strange.