Cold Brook Pilsner
Steuben Brewing Company

 

Never heard of this brewery but if this is an example of their work then I need to try more. A absolutely wonderful Pilsner from a person that does not typically like Pilsner.

Pours very clear yellow (SRM 3-5). A big, bright, white head slowly turns rocky before suddenly collapsing and leaving an impressive coating of lace. At the top of the Pilsener glass, the lace is thick and becomes patchy farther down. Fine, lazy carbonation occupies the beer.

It has a dusty aroma of ground grain, with lemon rind and watercress as a backdrop.

The flavor is more bitter than I had anticipated, with lemon pith. Otherwise, the aroma carries forward. The finish is dry and lingering.

The alcohol is barely noticeable and the carbonation is modest. It has a thick, coarse texture of wool and a full body, with mild astringency.

This is a well-done Pilsener that one could easily session while, as the label suggests, spending an afternoon fishing. It would go very nicely with grilled trout or, frankly, any fresh water fish.

On tap at Steuben Brewing in Pulteney, NY.

This one pours a clear straw yellow color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This has a bitter piney and rindy hop aroma, with crackery and biscuity malt.

This is very hop forward, but not in an unpleasant way, with a bitter but refreshing hop character – rindy, zesty, and piney, with some citrus, lemon, and spice. There’s almost a rye-like taste to this, with the spicy hop character. There’s also a biscuity and crackery malt backbone.

This is light bodied, clean and very crisp, with a long bitter finish that keeps you wanting to come back for more.

If the hop character was dialed back just a little bit, this would be near the top for this brewery’s lagers.