Italics
Ocelot Brewing Company

Can:
Hazy enough to block solid forms, the head's nice build, structure, and lace-producing capabilities adds a lot to the looks. The feel isn't as clean as I'd expect - it's a little thicker with some aspects of what I get in wheat/oat included IPAs.

Nose is grain, grass, grape leaves, bread, and dry stone fruit. A little more grainy than bready - more like a multigrain bread with whole grains on the crust. Fruit and grass challenge each other at times. Taste is a little more bready, and somewhat reminiscent of their Sunnyside Dweller, though a bit sweeter. Grape, citrus rind, stone fruit impressions join in, none very distinct. An grassy to herbal finish has a bitter lean.

Poured into a small stemmed tulip. Hazy with great lacing. A medium light bodied beer with a dry finish but not enough malty sweetness to balance the hop bitterness. A nice noble hop aroma.

CANNED ON 04/08/20. Poured into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint.

A: Slight hazy gold with 2-finger frothy white head with excellent retention and sticky dense lacing.

S: Aroma leaves a little to be desired with initial intense herbal, grassy, lemony hop aroma only to meet more sulfur-hot dog aroma than I think is ok in a clean style like pilsner. I know some yeast character is ok in an Italian style pils, but I think it still has to be pleasant and well-incorporated - this sticks out too much for me. Some crackery pale pils malt aroma comes through as well.

T: Flavor shows very little of the negative aroma characteristics and is very good version of the style. Bitterness is assertive but nicely balanced with the herbal, lemongrass, and spicy hop flavors. Crackery pils maltiness supplies a solid base. Tiny bit of sulfur in the early-palate but disappears quickly.

M: Feel is very crisp and dry with bitterness and high carbonation both pushing the crisp edge. Body is.light-medium at most.

O: Ocelot does a stellar job with lager, this being no exception. Sulfur is too heavy in the nose for me, maybe a little longer lagering period would help, but it doesn't detract much and doesn't at all from the flavor and feel of the beer.

 

A-Pours a nice straw golden color with a nice head and lacing, and a few minute floaties
A-Aroma has nice lemongrass and floral hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a nice lemongrass and floral flavor with a little peppery hint (perhaps due to the floaties)
M-A light bodied very well carbonated beer
O-A good Italian styled Pilsner (peppery floaties!?!)

 

Pours a hazy golden. White head. Not a lot in the form of aroma. It feels like it is fighting being bready or hoppy. In the end, despite the late dry hop, the bready character seems to stand out a bit more. A narrow thin crackily sour dough baguette is what it reminds me of, with a lightly peppery effervescent finish. It's not bad. Ocelot has been doing lagers too long to make a bad one. However, I can go to the store by my house and get some Luppolo. I would not have this over Luppolo as far as "Italian" pilsners go.