Summer Pils
Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Summer PilsSummer Pils
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From:
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
 
Texas, United States
Style:
Helles
Ranked #277
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
81
Ranked #25,634
Avg:
3.57 | pDev: 14.85%
Reviews:
177
Ratings:
534
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 24, 2023
Added:
May 08, 2003
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  148
A golden Munich-style Helles. Crisp and refreshing, this beer is perfect for a hot summer day. Saint Arnold Summer Pils has a delicate, sweet malt taste complemented by an abundant hop aroma and flavor. This beer is brewed with fine German malt, and a copious quantity of "noble" hops imported from the Czech Republic.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by HardTarget:
Photo of HardTarget
Reviewed by HardTarget from Texas

3.79/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aroma: A nice bready aroma with malt undertones.
Appearance: Very clear bright yellow but no real head to speak of and no lace.
Flavor: A nice Pils profile. The bready smell translated into a nice nutty taste with a clean finish. A generous dose of hops keeps it light and crisp.
Mouthfeel: A long hop soaked but clean finish.
Overall Impression: A light, crisp, refreshing beer. Perfect for a hot summer day. I would have trouble with it as a session, but would understand others that would choose it. Worth a try!
Apr 06, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of Mdog
Reviewed by Mdog from Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Clear gold, some particles? Big head.

Smell: Lemony, grassy.

Taste: Moderate sweetness, honeyed bread. Light to medium mouthfeel, finishes with the honeyed bread, which lingers.

Overall: Another 6 pack from Texas, I knew going in that this is actually a helles and not a pils. I'm pleasantly surprised anyway, I really like the honeyed bread aspect of this beer, quite tasty and refreshing.
Jun 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.83 by LXIXME from New Mexico

Jun 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.9 by darktronica from Indiana

May 29, 2023
Photo of dcotom
Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa

3.67/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from 12-ounce can into a tulip glass. Hazy pale yellow, with a thick white head that settled in short order leaving no lacing. Interesting aroma, with floral funk and notes of bubblegum. The fruitiness obtains on the palate as well, with light malt sweetness and lots of bitterness lingering on the finish. Crisp and refreshing, just like it says on the can.
May 18, 2023
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Good head production and retention; excellent lacing. Body is crystal clear, straw-hued, and lively.

Fantastic aroma, roughly equal parts honey, lemon, straw, grass, and flowers. The aroma is definitely more in line with a Helles, less spicy and bitter than a Pilsner, but it's a fine line to walk.

Flavor follows. Clean, moderately sweet, crispy; a touch oily on the palate. This really does evoke a good German Helles. Tasting notes include white bread, a touch of pepper, grass, green herbs, honey, and a very slight hint of citrus. Not super complex, but satisfying, refreshing, crushable, and with zero off flavors or poor aftertaste.

I'm very confused by a beer proclaiming itself to be a Pils that is a Helles. Why not call it Summer Helles? From a quick glance, most reviewers are considering it a Pilsner - which it is not. Is this kind of like Rogue Dead Guy Ale?

I'm not sure if the poor ratings here are reflective of a beer lacking in depth and complexity, disrespect for the Helles style, or that no one seems to notice it's not a Pilsner (Saint Arnold's fault there, really). Helles is one of the styles that really introduced me to craft beer, and I certainly appreciate a well-executed example of the style - and this is one.
May 15, 2023
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.84/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance – The brew pours a clear golden color with a small head of white foam. The head has a good level of retention, fading slowly and leaving a touch of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is strong of a grainy smell mixed with some light caramel and bready smells. Along with these aromas comes a bit of a floral and grassy hop smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a crisp cracker malt and grainy taste mixed with a touch of caramel. A little presence of a pear flavor as well as a little bit of grape are there as well, adding a touch more sweetness. The floral that was in the nose is rather light on the tongue, adding just an accent. A little bit of hay and toast round out the taste, leaving one with a rather crisp and clean taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is light with a carbonation level that is high. For the crisp flavors and style of the brew the feel is great and makes for a very easy sipper.
Overall – A rather nice, easy drinking brew overall. As the name suggests, a great summer time pils.
May 02, 2023
Photo of DavyJonesXXX
Rated by DavyJonesXXX from Texas

4.1/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Good everyday pils. 12 packs are a good buy.
Apr 27, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by TrojanRB from Texas

Sep 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.09 by raust from Texas

Aug 12, 2022
 
Rated: 3.73 by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

Jul 17, 2022
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.17/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Crisp, clean, softly rounded German pils. The outlandish label art strikes me as the opposite of what’s inside the can-an understated, subtle, and enjoyable everyday sipper.
Jul 10, 2022
Photo of acycler01
Rated by acycler01 from Texas

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very tasty!
Jun 18, 2022
 
Rated: 3.99 by eluvah from New York

Jun 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.03 by Highlonesome1 from Texas

May 10, 2022
 
Rated: 4.14 by lonestarshield from Texas

Apr 17, 2022
Photo of CTHomer
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut

3.72/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: crystal clear; medium gold in color; 1 finger white head that receded to a splotchy cap; OK lacing;

S: grass, leaves, and floral;

T: citrusy - orange and lemon from start to finish; mild to moderate bitterness at the end;

M: light to medium bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish;

O: refreshing and thirst quenching;
Jan 07, 2022
 
Rated: 3.62 by 9mozingo from Texas

Oct 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.94 by Netraam

Aug 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.55 by superwho24 from Arkansas

Jul 12, 2021
Summer Pils from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 534 ratings