Braumeister Pils (Spalt Hops)
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draft at the Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a very hazy and dark golden yellow color with banana hues and a 1.5 finger frothy white head.  Good retention, only slowly fading into a lasting ring.  Chunks of soapy lacing left behind.

Earthy aroma with a spicy hop presence that's countered by light fruit, citrus rind and pale malts.  Slightly spicy with some clove/pepper followed by  lemon peel, apple, pear and earthy, grassy pine.

Medium bodied with a spicy, slightly dry hop bite that lingers into a dry finish.  Grassy but only slight bitterness that nicely balances the grass/straw notes as well as the citrus and light fruit.  Hints of apple and pear compliment the pale pilsner malt flavor.  Very flavorful , refreshing and easy to drink.

 

Poured from my growler into my Stiegl Pils glass. (Growler from Greens in Piney Grove)

A - Golden yellow with a big fluffy white head.

S - Noble hop smell with spicy lemon hints. Smells a little spicier than your normal Pils but basically in line for the style.

T - Crisp pilsener flavor with a bit of the lemony spiciness I smelt up front. A little bitter at the finish. It's good but really lacks compared to the other Pils from Victory.

M - light-medium body with a high amount of carbonation typical in the style

D - Easy drinking Pils. Decent but really isn't as good as the other two I've had in the Braumeister series (Tettnanger was best then the Saaz). In fact I think I prefer Prima Pils over this one. I'd try this one again but won't seek it out.

a: tall lager glass, rich golden color but with little to no head

s: full pilsner malt aroma, bready and crisp, with an outstanding spalt hop aroma - leafy and mildly spicy, subtle citrus, very well rounded

m: carbonation a high medium, not quite as full or lively as I prefer, body ranges between light and medium

t: great balance between crisp yet mildly sweet pilsner malts and the leafy, citrusy, spicy noble hops; balancing bitterness in the finish, Victory tends to produce fantastic lagers, and this is no exception

d: a full-flavored pilsner with good drinkability, took two servings with no problem

16 oz. at ChurchKey before musics at the Black Cat

Got it on tap at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA, 5/27/10.

A: Slightly hazy bright golden-yellow body with a 2-finger white head. Leaves behind nice rings of lace.

S: Nice and clean -- cereal grains and floral -- what I think of as German-style -- hops.

T: Light crackery/biscuity malt up front, with a good dry, lemony bitterness at the end. Slight hint of spice and a bit of a "bite" to it. Bitterness lingers. As it warms, I get a bit more earthiness to it.

D: Very good. Goes down easily and was enjoyable. Might've been served a tad bit too cold, which is an unusual impression for a pilsner, especially for me, as I like my pilsners very cold.

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours a slightly hazy golden-straw color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of crisp pilsner malts with very light hints of breadiness. Also present are crisp leafy hop aromas with light amounts of lemon rind.

Tastes very similar to how it smells, although a bit smoother. Pilsner malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by earthy and leafy hop flavors. Midway through the sip very mild amounts of light citrus - lemon with hints of grapefruit - make an appearance before carrying through to a mildly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass quickly and could have another.

Overall I think this is my least favorite of the braumeister series - still a very good beer but it doesn't really gain anything from the dry-hopping. The bready/yeasty notes are not as pronounced in this version either. Still, a good beer that's worth a shot.

On tap at Victory (had this the other week).

Poured a lighter golden/yellow color with a smaller sized white head. Aromas of grassiness, some citrus, and grains. Tastes of the same grassiness, citrus, and a lighter sweetness. Light, drinkable and resfreshing.

Another beer brewed exclusively for the Craft Brewers Conference in April but also available for a limited time at Victory's Brewpub. Uses Spalt hops instead of Tettnanger.

Poured a clear golden yellow with 2 fingers of bubbly white head, good retention and great lacing. Smells of fresh cut grass, honey, and earthy hops. Tastes of honey up front, sweet grainy malts, and spicy and earthen hops in the finish for a nice crispness. Medium light in body with good carbonation, smooth and crisp. A good balance of flavors, very crisp and refreshing, low in alcohol. A little more mellow in the hop area than the Tettnanger version.