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5 O'Clock Pils
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Saint Arnold Brewing Company
- Texas, United States
- Style:
- Bohemian / Czech Pilsner
- ABV:
- 5.2%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 11.36%
- Reviews:
- 34
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 03, 2021
- Added:
- Mar 27, 2016
- Wants:
- 12
- Gots:
- 35
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
We believe the greatest beers are the ones that achieve their goal with the simplest recipes. 5 O'Clock Pils is all about its two ingredients: pils malt and Saaz hops. This is the entire basis of the original Bohemian Pils style.
The pils malt is light yet with a pleasant bready character, emphasized by the decoction mash wherein a portion of the mash is removed, boiled and added back. Saaz hops, the only hop that has never been hybridized dating back to when it was first cultivated from a wild plant around 1,000 years ago, gives a pleasant earthy spiciness.
The final, unfiltered beer has a light maltiness, a big refreshing bitter and wonderful, delicate hop flavor and aroma. This is the beer we enjoy every year in the Czech Republic when doing our Saaz hop selection. Only, we've added even more hops. It is a beer that can be enjoyed everyday of the year. You will never tire of it.
The pils malt is light yet with a pleasant bready character, emphasized by the decoction mash wherein a portion of the mash is removed, boiled and added back. Saaz hops, the only hop that has never been hybridized dating back to when it was first cultivated from a wild plant around 1,000 years ago, gives a pleasant earthy spiciness.
The final, unfiltered beer has a light maltiness, a big refreshing bitter and wonderful, delicate hop flavor and aroma. This is the beer we enjoy every year in the Czech Republic when doing our Saaz hop selection. Only, we've added even more hops. It is a beer that can be enjoyed everyday of the year. You will never tire of it.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
2.08/5 rDev -47.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 1.75
2.08/5 rDev -47.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 1.75
So highly rated - this is the beer that ended me on pilsners. I thought that maybe I just never had a good one, but even for style this one didn't improve my opinion.
Apr 21, 2019
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri
4.02/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear pale yellow with two fingers of dense, rocky white foam. Head retention is great. Aroma is spicy, herbal hops with biscuity, wafery, bready malts underneath. Very bright and refreshing. Flavor profile is big spicy and herbal hops, with biscuity, earthy, bready malts and yeast supporting. Less bright than the aroma. Mouth feel is lightly crisp, with a semi-bubbly effervescence. Overall, refreshing, bright and a touch spicy. It's a fun little sipper.
Served from a 12oz can into a shaker pint glass. Reviewed on phone.
Apr 03, 2019Served from a 12oz can into a shaker pint glass. Reviewed on phone.
Reviewed by mushroomcloud from Texas
4.24/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12oz canned on 2-28-19 (opened 3-11-19)
Deep, straw gold color with a 3/4" white head. Retains close to a cap and leave nice lacing.
Classic aromas of cracker, light dough. Soft spice, grassy goodness.
The flavor follows the aroma in every way, very well made and very tasty.
Crisp, light body, medium-high carbonation. Just right.
Really good.
Mar 12, 2019Deep, straw gold color with a 3/4" white head. Retains close to a cap and leave nice lacing.
Classic aromas of cracker, light dough. Soft spice, grassy goodness.
The flavor follows the aroma in every way, very well made and very tasty.
Crisp, light body, medium-high carbonation. Just right.
Really good.
Reviewed by GRFrank75 from Texas
4.35/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Texans (like most "Americans") seem to know & love the typical MASS-produced "pilsner-style lager" (e.g., Budweiser, Miller, Coors, etc.), but here in Houston is produced a Czech-style pilsener (e.g., Pilsener Urquell) - only I believe BETTER! The hops are the proof of this beer!
Feb 04, 2019
Reviewed by mjurney from Texas
4.22/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance:
Pale gold color, touch of haze. Medium carbonation. Thick frothy head.
Aroma:
Clean lager yeast, spicy noble hops, sweet grain.
Taste/Finish/Body:
Very clean. Sweet grains, grassy, cracker. Hop bitterness is moderate, mostly spicy. Finish is semi-dry, very crisp. Light bodied, clean, crisp, refreshing, bubbly, super drinkable.
Overall:
Very nice pilsner.
May 27, 2018Pale gold color, touch of haze. Medium carbonation. Thick frothy head.
Aroma:
Clean lager yeast, spicy noble hops, sweet grain.
Taste/Finish/Body:
Very clean. Sweet grains, grassy, cracker. Hop bitterness is moderate, mostly spicy. Finish is semi-dry, very crisp. Light bodied, clean, crisp, refreshing, bubbly, super drinkable.
Overall:
Very nice pilsner.
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
2.93/5 rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
2.93/5 rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Lightly cloudy pale gold with a foamy half finger head.
With the slightest hint of raspberry in the aroma, this is otherwise your typical bitter, grassy and bready American attempt at a Pils.
Feb 03, 2018With the slightest hint of raspberry in the aroma, this is otherwise your typical bitter, grassy and bready American attempt at a Pils.
Reviewed by Madmike05 from Texas
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.21/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
St. Arnold does this one just right.
Color is a hazy gold with a nice bright foam with decent bubbles arising from lower to midway upwards.
The hops are noted, but not overpowering. Just perfecly balanced. Bready, earthly complex flavors topped with a slight malt all blend together just right to deleiver a smooth flavor and a pleasant, smooth mouthfeel. The ethanol componet is not overly present thus leading to a great drinkability with a great pilsner flavor.
What a great beer.
Nov 16, 2017Color is a hazy gold with a nice bright foam with decent bubbles arising from lower to midway upwards.
The hops are noted, but not overpowering. Just perfecly balanced. Bready, earthly complex flavors topped with a slight malt all blend together just right to deleiver a smooth flavor and a pleasant, smooth mouthfeel. The ethanol componet is not overly present thus leading to a great drinkability with a great pilsner flavor.
What a great beer.
Reviewed by gvickery from Texas
4.6/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Look is dead on, light golden, pure white head, moderate carbonation. Despite the Saax hops I find this beer tastes more like a German pilsner. In fact, it tastes nearly identical to Bitburger from Germany. It is very good, much better than their "summer pils" which I find disgusting. If you want a great pilsner, this is it.
Nov 11, 2017Reviewed by thebiglebowski from Texas
3.83/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.83/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Not a Pilsner Urqhell (one of my favorite all-time pilsners) but a great beer. I do wish you couldn't quite taste the alcohol like you can on this beer. My point being that it tastes like an 8% beer when it's really a 5.2% beer. Not my favorite but it's definitely a good beer. I like it very cold, though.
Oct 25, 2017Reviewed by ulfjoh from Texas
4.1/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.1/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is hands down a perfect pils. I just don't understand why so few breweries can make a pilsner that you actually want to drink!
Thanks Saint Arnold for getting it!!!
Oct 01, 2017Thanks Saint Arnold for getting it!!!
Reviewed by 60sFolks from Texas
4.19/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
4.19/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4
I fell in love with Pilsners in Kenya years ago. This one is outstanding. Full mouth and feel. I love the art work as well on the can. This could easily become my go to Pils
Aug 26, 2017
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana
4.29/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
The can describes this as a "bright and hoppy lager," and that is extraordinarily accurate for this excellent example of the Czech Pilsner. The pour shows a golden straw-colored beer that's a bit hazy and has a fluffy white head.
The aromas are dominated, of course, by the Saaz hops and the bready, spicy, earthy notes that varietal imparts.
The taste has big, luscious bready notes, some lemongrass, and a spicy kick to keep this dancing all the way along the palate. Magnificent.
The feel carries the body of the Pilsner malt, which allows the hops to lead while the malt stays in the pocket and gives them s the gravitas this beer needs.
Exceptionally well done by Saint Arnold.
Jul 02, 2017The aromas are dominated, of course, by the Saaz hops and the bready, spicy, earthy notes that varietal imparts.
The taste has big, luscious bready notes, some lemongrass, and a spicy kick to keep this dancing all the way along the palate. Magnificent.
The feel carries the body of the Pilsner malt, which allows the hops to lead while the malt stays in the pocket and gives them s the gravitas this beer needs.
Exceptionally well done by Saint Arnold.
Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa
4.38/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 12-ounce can into a pilsner flute. Stunning appearance, crystal-clear pale golden in color with an abundance of sticky, brilliant white spongy foam. Aroma is almost "Belgian" in character, with light bready malt, a bit of yeast, a little hay, and hints of banana and clove. That Belgian character carries over to the palate. Nice, lingering bitterness from the Saaz hops, with a finish that is crisp and dry. Outstanding take on the Czech Pilsener.
Jun 01, 2017
5 O'Clock Pils from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
123 ratings
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