Crystal Waves Pilsner
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

Bought this beer when it came out several months back, finally getting around to it this week. Like the Like Whoa and several other recent releases, this had four different labels and in this instance, they resembled a circuit board. The taste was a bit different but I'll give Other Half and Transmitter credit for going out on a limb with this one, and coming up with something that was true to stylistic form and being sessionable at the same time!

Not a bad pour to this as the beer was golden, hazy, and lively with a moderate head and several rings of full lacing left on the top half of my teku glass. Grass, straw, melon, and malt on the nose with all of those being present in the taste as well. The hop profile was broad enough to make this feel grassy and skunky like a true German Pilsener but there were fruit flavors, bread, and hop oils to be found here as well. That gave this the depth needed to separate it out from other examples of this style as the yeast was slightly reminiscent of champagne. Yes, there was enough carbonation and bite here to liven things up though the sour mouthfeel ended up prevailing when all was said and done.

Not a lot of alcohol here as this was the essence of what a good session beer should be. Some yeast in the can would have made things interesting here but there was enough fermentation and body here to pique my interest. A moderate resin lingered on my palate once I finished this off and though this was brewed on 5/25 with "HANG LOOSE" written above it, this tasted fresh and didn't need a reminder for me to chill. This may have been the most relaxed Other Half brew that I've had and though it won't win any awards, it's a worthy offering to enjoy when mowing the lawn of sitting on the back porch on a hot night. A good example of what a German Pilsener should be about!

 

 

32oz growler from the brewery. Pours a translucent golden straw color with a thin layer of head. Some lacing. The aroma is grassy hops with melon and Pilsner malt. Some light acidic fruits as well hay. The taste is bread and melon with a good amount of the Pilsner malt. Hay and bread crusts with sourdough bread at the end. Grassy, straw finish. Crisp with a light body. A bit dry with lots of toasted bread flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my man davidsoul slaying it with the ticks....thank you! wish you would've slayed it w all 4 labels, but one can of this is more than i need.

summer of pils, call it what you will but it seems that brewers and those with much more sophisticated appreciation of beer really wants us to love the pils, especially in the summer. but I just don't get it. a style that big beer shoved down our throats, for me, it's hard to enjoy even a well made one.

that said, this is a well made pils. still grainy and true to style but balls on the body. great beer to mow your lawn with but fuck that I've got a gardener.