Rubikon
Old Nation Brewing Co.

 

A - Pours a lightly hazed straw yellow with a nice fluffy white head. Good amount of soapy lacing.

S - Aroma is lemon, lime, yeasty white bread and and floral hops.

T - The taste is lemon, lime, bready malts, cereal grains and a lingering bitter finish.

M - Full body with medium carbonation. Chewy mouthfeel with a soft crisp finish.

O - Solid Italian pils.

 

 

 

16oz can. Date stamp on can bottom is 'BEST BY 08/20/23'.
Very slightly cloudy, pale gold colored body. Three fingers of white head with the initial pour; this slowly recedes. Leaves behind stuck puffs of lacing.
Aroma of bright toasted bread malts and floral hops, with a bit of spice.
Taste is toasted bread malts, but lots of lemon, lime, and orange flavors. Some late sulfur and minerality. Some pine bite. Low bitterness.
Soft texture mouth feel. Clean but not crisp for the finish. Very good carbonation.
Citrus flavors add a lot to the complexity of the bready malt base.

Slightly bitter tasting pilsner. Grapefruit rind, spicy hops. I found it refreshing, if you like a bit of sourness. Not a metallic or "bad" sour taste, just more than expected. I assume this is dry hopped, since I understand this is a major facet of "Italian" pilsners. For some reason I expected sweetness. My mistake, but this is a decent beer, interesting flavor.

Appearance: Pours a mostly clear (90% clarity) deep and medium golden color with a strong white head that leaves a lacing. SRM of 8. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of lemon citrus, earthy and pale malts. A bready aroma behind it. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong flavors of lemon citrus, floral hops, then smooth bready malts with a floral and light tart citrus note in the yeast. Finishes with bread and mildly sweet with lingering lemon and bread. No bitterness. (4.00)

Feel: Medium to heavier bodied, carbonation to match. Finishes lightly sweet with lingering lemon and bread. (3.75)

Compared to Summit Twin Pils 5/2023: Pours similar, stronger head. Stronger aromas. More sweet lemon and bread. Less authentic Noble hops. Sweeter and heavier.

Compared to Une Anne Pils 5/2023: Pours darker, stronger head. Stronger aromas. More lemon and bread. Less yeast. More flavorful.

Overall: Very nice flavors in this Italian Pils. Lemon and bread. Mildly tart and leans fruity. Mildly sweeter and heavier, but matches it with flavor. Lacks the German Pils cripsness though. Still very enjoyable. (Rating: 3.92)

 

I compare all American Italian style pilsners to Fort Point Sfizio, since they were among the first to brew it and actually go to Italy and study it. This is a great pilsner, but lacks that bready and hoppy bite that a true Italian pilsner should have. An italian pilsner should not be soft and inviting at any point, this one is too earthy. Italian pilsners are built to offend!

Canned 2/17/23; drank 3/12/23 @ the Yarchives.

See-through pale yellow/orange appearance.

A violent pour yielded a HUGE off-white head; thick, frothy tree-rung lace.

Lemon, pine & faint wheat notes in the nose.

Medium thin mouthfeel.

Pine, lemon & dry wheat flavors.

It's no Tipopils, but it's better than most American "Italian style" pilsners.

 

 

 

 

Appearance is a bright, clear yellow with a half-inch foamy white head that had excellent retention and spotty lacing. Aromas is lemongrass and biscuit and very appealing.

Taste largely follows the nose. There's plenty of herbal grass with just the right amount of hop bite to keep things interesting. Very light, crisp and easy drinking. The type of beer I'd love to have on hand at all times. Super refreshing and easy going down.

Pours crystal clear yellow, nicely carbonated, frothy well sustained head, aroma is very unique, very earthy, grains, some hops, taste follows, little sweet initially, very muted hops, different profile Italian pilsner is not one I’m familiar with, but different and enjoyable