Classic Pilsner
Waterloo Brewing

Growler from the brewery: decants a pale hazed gold with a bone white fluffy white cap that lasts well. Aroma is grainy bready with grassy leafy herb undertones. Smooth delivery medium bodied with a clean malt forward character.....flavor is much like a Munich helles or a Dortmunder more than a Pilsner...big bready malts in front with just enough hopping to enhance the malts ...not bitter but leafy-herbal....clean finish with a lemony kiss in the finish like a good helles......decent beer but lacks Pilsner sharpness

 

 

 

Serving Type: 473 mL Can

A- Pours a slightly hazy pale golden topped by a 2 finger white head. Good retention. Head works down to a thin ring and a few whispy patches. Slight lacing.

S- Bready grains, corn, slight lemon tinge, and grassy hops.

T- Same as aroma. Good solid flavour throughout.

M- Light-Medium body and moderate carbonation.

O-Not exactly what I think of when I think of a Czech Pilsener, but a good beer nonetheless. Very drinkable with a good flavour.

Poured from a 473 ml can.

L - pale, golden straw colour. Pours with 3 finger thick head which lasts several minutes. Lots of lacing.

S - malty, grassy.

T - a touch of sweetness at firs, ending with dryness. Bready, wet grass. some corn.

M - light, medium carbonation, some body, not crisp.

O - doesn't compare to European pilsners. Not as crisp. Lacking in hops. Might not be all pilsner malt.

Overall a nice beer. Dark gold colours. Straw smells. Metallic finish nice beer but better finishes.

 

 

473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. Purchased for a reasonable $2.45 CDN.

Appearance - a bright mostly clear straw colored beer poured nearly two fingers of white head. An absolute plethora of bubbles are unleashed towards the surface and help the head keep its form. Modest retention even still and no lacing left behind.

Smell - Mostly grassy and floral notes but there a sweet corn aroma that sits in there and detracts from the fresh aromas usually associated with pilsners.

Taste - Clean and short grainy flavor, with some sweet corn with an adjunct-ish flavor. Mostly crisp with some maltiness at the back end.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and fairly crisp with lots of carbonation. Maybe a touch gassy but good feel.

Overall - A decent pilsner but by no means does it stack up well with some of the best from Czech republic and Germany. The sweetness is more reminiscent of a German pilsner as often I find that the Czech ones are more bitter and sharper than their German brethren.Not missing much by avoiding this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This beer is certainly crisp and clean although the taste and smell are pretty weak. It is bitter, however, it isn't balanced at all by the smell/taste combination. Not even close to being in the same league as a Pilsner Urquell. For my taste, a decent pilsner has a certain floral overtone...certainly with regard the aroma. This certainly doesn't taste like they used a Saaz hop.

As much as I would like this beer to shine (I am an avid craft beer drinker) it just doesn't.

Would I buy this again...no. But if one was offered to me I would certainly drink it. If I was offered this or domestic pint I'd choose the Classic Pilsner just because it isn't from a major brand. One positive...this would really quench your thirst after a hard-played sport.

To me this verges on being a discount beer although at $35.95 (Ontario, The Beer Store), it isn't priced like one.

Waterloo Pilsner should be a very respected beer. Poured slightly cloudy, a sign of flavour. Not much head or lacing, just a steady amount of flavour from the first sip to the last. The Beer Store here in Canada has it on sale recently for $19.95 for a 12 pack, i bought a few of those. Its a good summer beer for the patio with a magazine or a good book. Not sweet or overly hoppy. Good for someone who wants a flavourful beer without committing to a true IPA.

 

473 mL can picked up at the LCBO; coded E30312. This is from a sampler pack containing three brews I have never tried before - a nice deal for me, since that means I get to tick three beers I'd probably never try if they had only been available in the usual 6/12 packs. Served well-chilled.

Pours the standard clear golden-yellow colour, topped with one finger of bone-white head. Good retention; it takes at least a few minutes to die down into a dense cap and generous collar, leaving a rim of lacing around the glass. If nothing else, this is a great looking lager. The aroma isn't off-putting, though it's hardly what I'd expect out of a Czech-style pilsener - a lot of lemony citrus, wet grass and grainy malts, with a touch of corn sweetness and floral notes.

Fairly tasty stuff, though it doesn't meet all of my prerequisites for this style. While there are plenty of floral, grassy Saaz hop notes to justify the 'pilsner' name, the malt backbone leaves a bit to be desired - it's mostly grainy and corny, providing some light, bland sweetness. The finish is grassy and a little dry, with a clean, non-descript aftertaste. Light-bodied, with strong carbonation that gives this one a good bite and a bit of bloat. Unlike many Waterloo brews, this one is easy to drink quickly *and* tasty enough for that prospect to not seem daunting.

Final Grade: 3.37, a manageable B-. Waterloo Classic Pilsner is a respectable lager, although it can't hold a candle to the genuine Czech examples (or even most domestic craft lagers). This one is reminiscent of a more floral, noble-hopped version of Rickard's Blonde - the macro influences are detectable, but it's obvious that at least some effort was put into catering toward the beer geek set. A passable brew - I'd drink this again, but I'm not in a hurry to pick up a case of the stuff.