Pils Lager
Old Nation Brewing Co.

 

 

Best by 12/11/20
Pours a large foamy almost 2 finger frothy head with a bit of soapy lacing, crystal clear golden pils color

Nose brings nice grainy-sweet malt, doughy straw pilsner malt, a little grassy note and cereal doughy grain, light floral herbal noble hops, a bit of a soft lager note

Taste brings more of the grainy-sweet malt, cereal grain and a little doughy, decent pilsner malt, with a touch of corn, then hops kick in and go overboard, herbal spicy, a little floral, but gets a bit green and spicy late, fair bitterness and the finish gets really spicy bitter with a soft lager, crisp finish

Mouth is med bod, soft lager, med-higher foamy carb, a little astringent on the finish

Overall not bad, great nose, taste started good and malt was good, but hops went overboard and even got astringent, almost like a German pilsner trying to be a Czech but not executed, but otherwise a decent pilsner

 

Having really enjoyed both M-43 and Boss Tweed by this stalwart beer producer from Michigan, I decided to pick up a single can of their pilsner, which they regard as a "North German style" pilsner, advertised on the can itself as "unfiltered & unpasteurized." Sounds like it may very-well be a Kellerbier of some sort. The side of the label waxes poetic about how difficult brewing a pilsner can be despite the "simple" ingredient requirements, and it also, curiously, claims that this utilizes a Danish yeast (probably Carlsberg if I were to guess off the top of my head) for a "full, yet crisp and delicate finish." I'm intrigued, for sure. Let's jump right in.

The pour here is an extremely clear, superbly-brilliant gold-colored lager with a sizable head of bone-white foam topping it off. Smallish bubbles cling to the sides of my glass as distinct, effervescent carbonation rises from the bottom with aplomb. I'm slightly confused about the "unfiltered & unpasteurized" thing mentioned on the label, though. This seems really heavily filtered, so... um. Yeah. Great, sheet-like lace and superb legs, though. I'm confused, but this looks mostly great.

The nose is floral, crackery, and a touch buttery, with some light biscuity notes as well. I pick up a touch of herbs, savory mineral notes, and a little hint of citrus. It almost has a weird Leipzig gose-like note to it, but without any acidity. Definitely pretty interesting, but also probably not exactly what I figured it would be like. I mean, it doesn't look anything like a Kellerbier, though the mineral note I'm picking up is leading me to believe it might taste a bit like one? Or maybe the hops here are a tad stronger than other Americanized pilsners I've had.

The first sips I'm having are strongly mineral-forward, with a somewhat aggressive hop bite as well. Uh, hmm... well, it doesn't taste clean whatsoever, despite looking that way... even though it's advertised, specifically, as not being a clean beer. This one is throwing me for a loop, and I'm not sure that's a great thing to have to say about what should by all accounts be a simple, unassuming, drinkable beer. Especially considering they talk so much about how tough it is to make something like what they're aiming for on the label itself. Strong florals and bitter citrus peel in the finish, lingering grassy and herbal notes, with a hefty mineral aspect and only a bit of crackery malt balance. Yeah, I don't think this is really done well. This is a style of beer that one must be very picky about, and I would say this feels more like a failure than a success. Feel is odd and sticky with a semi-lingering element and, again, way too much hops/mineraly-hard water stuff going on that distracts from what should, by all accounts, be a rather simplistic, prosaic beer. Nope, not good.

 

 

16 oz. Can
BEST BY: 12/11/20

Poured into a Trillium glass a pretty nice clean/clear dark golden yellow color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger plus white head, which leaves some nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, pineapple, grapefruit), some grassy, yeasty, peppery. The taste is pretty nice, hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, pineapple, grapefruit), pretty nice sweetness, grassy, yeasty, peppery. Medium body, ABV hidden pretty nicely, with a nice dry/bitter finish. Overall, a pretty tasty brew.

Picked up at some liquor store on our Michigan RV trip. Poured from the can, stamped DEC1719. I guess I was the only schmuck buying that beer. They call it a North German Style Pilsner. 28 IBUs
Nice fluffy head with decent retention. The beer is actually quite nice. Somewhat on the hoppy side with quite some bitterness but enjoyable.

$2.49 for a 12oz can. 5.0% ABV, 28 IBU. Danish yeast, one malt, one hop (not listed on can or website)

Pours out to a bright medium golden, forming a slightly yellowish rocky head with superior retention and lacing. The nose is just a little fruity, otherwise a little spicy hop. No off aromas, mild sulfur. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean with a medium body and a firm astringent bitterness. The taste is quite nice. Plain simple table cracker malt and spicy peppery, stinging, hops. Sure tastes like Perle to me, grassy and spicy. The bitterness is quite firm and very astringent. Honestly, too bitter to my tastes, more bitter than pretty much any other Pils I've tried, and I prefer their Helles to this.

Despite not to my tastes, this is still quite well brewed.

 

A - Pours a straw yellow with a nice fluffy white head. Tons of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is toasted biscuit, corn and cracker.

T - The taste is lemon, toasted biscuit, cracker, peppercorn and a nice earthy finish.

M - Medium body with medium carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel with a crisp dry finish.

O - One of the best pils I've had in a long time.

 

 

 

Quite beautiful. Straw in hue. Fully clear. Fluffy white head is confident at 2 plus fingers in altitude. Cap hangs around for most of the ride. Eventually retreating to a thin film 5 minutes down the road. Scattered, clingy lacing.
Nose begins with a melange of pepper tinged floral lemon, cracker, and grass.
Quite a tasty Pils. Slight bitterness begins, holds, and finishes. But cracker and bread comes through in the malt. Pepper is firmly present but never overbearing. Slight zippy lemon notes peek in as well.
Mouthfeel is crisp, smooth, actively carbonated.
Quite a tasty Pils experience.

 

 

 

16 ounce can into lager glass, canned on 12/17/2019. Pours fairly crystal clear medium golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky off white head with amazing retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Amazing appearance. Aromas of big lemon, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, wood, peppercorn, pine, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance of pale malts and earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of big lemon, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, wood, peppercorn, pine, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, cracker, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, wood, peppercorn, pine, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome robustness and balance of pale malts and earthy hop flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop astringency after the finish. Fairly crisp/clean finishing. Very clean on lager flavors, with minimal fruity/yeasty notes. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium-high carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and sticky/resinous balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is a fantastic German pilsner. All around awesome robustness and balance of pale malts and earthy hop flavors; very smooth and fairly crisp/clean/refreshing to drink with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish; not overly aggressive. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Awesome clean pils malt showcase with perfect noble hop presence/balance. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing spot on style example as expected of the brewery. One of the best I've had.