Pilsner
903 Brewers

 

 

 

 

I love a good pilsner, and this one didn't disappoint. Poured from a 12oz. can, straw color with minimal head. Light, thin and mildly hoppy...nice and crisp...plenty of flavor for a lighter beer. At 4.2% I would happily drink this all day.

 

 

 

This is an odd one. Another has mentioned it but this feels and looks like a pilsner but is too sweet. It comes through in the aroma as well. It finishes well with a hidden bite a couple moments after it goes down. A solid beer but not a pilsner, not quite sure what I would label it.

 

Medium copper body. Grassy, citrus and herbal hop bite. Mild caramel, minimal Pilsner crackery sweetness. Tastes like an APA, and a solid one at that but given what it says on the can, big miss. Medium body, lots of substance for a 4.5%.

 

12oz can with no freshness dating, newly released beer so presumably fresh. Opened 8-15-20.
2 finger white head with loosely packed almost soapy bubbles. Decent retention on a steady fade down to a cap.
Deep golden color with excellent clarity and active carbonation. Light and slippery lacing that doesn't stick.
Green, herbal, weedy hop aroma, not getting much beyond that maybe a light doughy malt way back there.
Aggressive grassy, herbal, spicy, and woodsy hops on a light pilsner malt base.
Light body, medium carbonation, high bitterness, almost crisp in the mouthfeel. Dry, hoppy, medium-length finish.
Potential crusher at 4.9%, but definitely on the high end of the pilsner hop spectrum.
Good.

One of my favorite beers, especially in summer, is Veltins Pilsener. It's a macro done right - deliciously crisp and grassy, heavily carbonated, and just enough of a sweet breadiness to balance it out. Unfortunately, seemingly every store in my area has simultaneously stopped stocking it. So, the quest for a replacement ensues. And while I could buy a German pils, why not try to support a local-ish brewery during these tough times?

903's "Pilsner" (that's its name) is close, but doesn't quite hit the mark I'm looking for. I won't review it based on its comparison to Veltins:

L: Yep, it's a pilsner. Not too pale, suggesting some flavor; it lacks head, lacing, carbonation streams.
S: Spicier than you'd expect. Some floral notes, but that opening whiff of spice suggests a full-flavored beer to come.
T: Very much on the bready side - a hoppy opening very quickly recedes, and while there's some crispness, the hops aren't nearly as forward as the label promises.
F: Despite the relative lack of visible carbonation, it hits the mark. Proper pils feel.

Overall, it's a fine beer, but I don't think it compares too favorably with the top German pilseners which it's trying to emulate.

I am a fan of 903, who are doing great work here in North Texas - their Mexican-style lager is a real highlight - but this one needs to go back to the drawing board if it's going to be a winner amongst the style. Perfectly fine in isolation; but it doesn't stand up too well in comparison.