Venture Pils
Bent Paddle Brewing Co.

jimmah120 from Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

16oz pour at Guavas, the best restaurant in a 150 mile radius

Clear and golden with a small smattering of head that sticks around. Faint malt and grassy hops compose the smell, and translate into a bitter hop-filled pils. Very bitter for the style.

Nice amount of hops in this pilsner. Beyond that, it's good but doesnt stand out a whole ton.

Nov 05, 2019

JamesMN from Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

No canning date. Get with the program Bent Paddle.

Appearance: Light straw body with a short cap of white foam. Nearly clear but with a slight haze.

Aroma: Super clean but not dry. Hint of wheat. One of the cleanest pilseners I've come across.

Taste: It's been a while since I've had a well crafted pilsener. Venture Pils walks that fine line between noticeable yeast esters and off-flavor. The malt bill is nearly undetectable except for some cracker flavor, which pairs well with the mild spicy bitterness from the hops. Classic pilsener yeast brings everything together providing a clean taste signature of the style. Crisp yet wet finish. Aftertaste of dry cracker malt flavor and very light bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body, which is a bit heavy for the style, with the exact right amount of carbonation. Obviously session territory.

Final Thoughts: I've enjoyed getting to know Bent Paddle's offerings since they began distributing to the cities. I'm beginning to sincerely envy the citizens of Duluth who can get these offerings straight from the source. Who knew an american pilsener could be this good. Would I drink it again? Oh yes, I'm thinking this is the beer of summer '15.

Apr 14, 2015

BrewNoob1 from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Jun 07, 2017

ParnellJoseph1138 from Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Aug 12, 2015

Mnmich7662 from Minnesota

3.56/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Feb 16, 2015

iRun2Beer from Minnesota

3.77/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Oct 26, 2016

Metalsnota from Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Mar 05, 2015

Josholson666 from Minnesota

3.94/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nov 17, 2015

Briancaldel from Minnesota

2.93/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not my favorite pils, was turned of with a skunky taste.

Mar 30, 2015

BEER88 from Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Apr 21, 2018

couchsitta from Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

May 09, 2015

MrUse from Minnesota

3.94/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Feb 04, 2016

jwessel from Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Very good, slight hippiness bitter, perfect balance of sweetness, slight white head, quick aftertaste

Nov 21, 2015

HopliteMpls612 from Minnesota

4.37/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Mar 22, 2016

castortroy89 from Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Oct 03, 2015

hegg4345 from Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Apr 06, 2016

PMarcy78 from Minnesota

3.86/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Sep 24, 2017

mngermanshepherd from Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Mar 15, 2019

fflopps from Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Dec 06, 2020

defunksta from North Dakota

4.12/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clouded deep golden color with a strong and sticky white head.
Aroma: Strong aroma of sweet and syrupy golden malt. Tons of ripened mango with a little resinous tropical fruit that gives notes of gasoline and sharpie. So much mango I thought it was an IPA. I've never detected more mango in a beer.
Flavor: So much mango! Flavor follows the nose with some light citrus, floral, and pepper upfront that is wiped away by golden, honey, malt sweetness. Strong flavor of syrup and ripe mangoes. So much mango. Finishes definitely sweet. I don't understand how nobody else mentions mango.
Feel: Heavier mouthfeel. A little syrupy. Carbonation is decent but not strong enough to match the hops.

Overall: This is an absolutely delicious beer. It's unique, sweet, and has a distinct ripened mango flavor. Not hoppy enough to be a German Pils. Much more sweet too. Drinks more like a hoppy American Blonde. This distinct syrupy mango flavor is worth coming back to this beer despite it not hitting the style. I don't see anyone else mentioning the syrup and mango flavor and if nobody else also mentions this I will be confused.

Jun 28, 2019

superwho24 from Arkansas

4.52/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jun 05, 2019

ZAP from Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Nice yellow/golden color....nice clarity...evident carbonation bubbles.

S-Very floral and fresh....also a light grainy malt impression blends perfectly...nice nose to this..

T-Definitely categorized right as a German Pils as it has a nice tight dry bitterness..light graininess adds some balance but this is a pretty hop forward pils...just a hint of DMS evident, probably from the Pils malt...

M-Good carbonation....medium bodied...crisp, dry on the finish with some hop bitterness lingering...

O-Pretty spot on for a German Pils....I prefer Bohemian style but this is right on the money for a German version. If you like a Pils with some good dry bitterness this is for you. Not saying the malt isn't well used but it is pretty hop forward as it should be for the style. I am rating for style not my personal preferences.

Nov 20, 2013

Chaz from Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a coppery-tinged, golden straw in color and with near-excellent clarity, and some chill haze (very slight.) Shock-white head starts dense, and there's excellent head retention throughout.

On the nose there's a blast of intense Noble-like hop character, definitely true to stylistic tendency. Lighter malt character peaks through after the hops have had their say, at once earthy and grassy. Some "booziness", too.

As I'd grabbed this six from the store's cold-box it was still quite chilly when I got the package home, so I let it warm a touch after pouring. In that time the head has fallen to just a cap from its initial two-fingers, and the malt character has really begun to shine, and it reminds me a little of the last Helles I enjoyed: fresh sweetgrass and malted barley.

Lighter, crisp and with a nice astringency on the first sip, and a very dry finish, quite bitter and even slightly biscuity.

Quite light in body, brisk and refreshing, with no off-flavors*. Bitterness lingers almost perfectly (for my palate) and while I detected booze in the nose, there is none present as I finish this pour. It's just a crisp, dry, and refreshingly-bitter drink throughout.

A very nice rendition of the style, and as the style is my personal favorite, I'd absolutely love to see more Craft and True Micro brewers offer a Pils of this type of character and execution.

*I could not discern a date on the package, but this appears to be a very fresh package.

Mar 15, 2014

steveh from Illinois

3.72/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Another in a great Minnesota sampling from Grant & Chaz.

Never heard of this brewery until Grant told me about it, interested to try this sample.

A -- Hazy pale gold with a massive, thick, dense white head. Can conditioned? I'd guess. I'm rating this good because the head lasts so long and leaves terrific lacing.

S -- Light citrus and spiciness in the nose. Mybe even a touch of pininess (northwoods beer?).

T -- Sweet, yeasty breadines right up front with spiciness following and a touch of citrus toward the end. Definite reins in the aftertaste, but nothing so harsh that it kills the palate.

M -- Mouthfeel is crisp and dry with a light body.

O -- This is quite an interesting take on the Pilsner style. One of the better crosses of traditional style and current craft-brew trends I've tried. I'd grab this often if it had local availability.

Jul 02, 2014

Mdog from Minnesota

3.79/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From a 12oz can:

Appearance: Slightly hazy yellow, good head.

Smell: Mild grassy aroma.

Taste: Lightly fruity, crackers, finishes dry and lightly grassy.

Overall: Venture Pils is another solid beer from Bent Paddle. Pretty much hits the pilsner notes without having as bold of flavor as some other US-version pilsners. Tasty and drinkable.

Feb 28, 2016