Bocce Pils
Foundation Brewing Company

 

 

 

Just to state it clearly, the brewer is calling this an Italian style pilsner, so basically it is a German pilsner that has been dry hopped and made to mimic a beer brewed at a specific brewery in Italy.

Looks like a beautiful pour to me. Clear, light honey color and a vigorous white head that last decently, falls to a ring and clingy residue on the glass. Maybe a tad bit dark for the style.

The smell is very slightly sweet malt - vaguely reminding me of Portuguese sweet bread I grew up eating, but not nearly that strong. Just a faint, bread-like sweetness. The hops shine here, as I take it they should. Slightly floral/herbal, definitely lemony, faint spicy peppery notes. A vague sense of minerals. It isn't a strong aroma. but it is certainly very pleasant and inviting. The hops are prevalent yet seem kind of ethereal and floating.

The taste is exceptionally smooth. All of those subtle aromas show up in one superbly blended and satisfying taste. Slightly sweet malts with hops flying high. There is very clean, fresh lemon, plus the herbal/floral/grassy tastes and spicy/peppery notes one would expect from Noble hops (that came nowhere near this beer). Good skill here picking the right new world hop variants to mimic the effect the "style" calls for. There is a bit of a mineral tang. The hops are built in intensity as I got further into the pint, yet the malt never fades entirely. Everything the brewer intended (according to conversation and web site info) is all there where it is supposed to be and doing what it should. I like this beer quite a bit.

The feel is light. Pleasant lemon zing on the end of the taste. Slightly dry, clean, crisp, refreshing, moderately carbonated.

I really dig this beer regardless of the style argument. It is balanced, clean, seems to more than adequately hit the style points for a pilsner with the dry hopping twist, and delivers to the brewers intent in spades. I could drink this one with alarming frequency! Great job picking the right new world hops to deliver the Noble hops flavors an aromas that this beer is supposed to have - well done.