Prairie Pilsner
Prairie Krafts Brewing Company

 

 

Taste: crisp, some bright hop bite, grassy, lemon notes, slight toothy mouthfeel. Wheat grain, lemongrass nose. Gold hue, mostly clear, white foamy head, carbonated, some broken ring lattice. Medium body.

Got introduced to this new brewery by another Lager-lover at Binny's. Had never heard of the place before and it's practically in my neighborhood. The Binny's floor associate told me this was his go-to when he wanted to change it up from Grevensteiner -- as a fellow Grevensteiner fan, I took this recommendation seriously.

12 ounce can packaged in January. Poured into my short Becher.

L -- Clear, bright gold with a sudsy white head that settles rather quickly.

S -- Spicy and lightly citric hops, good balance of bready Pilsner malt, mild DMS.

T -- Tart to spicy -- even a touch minty, bitter hops up front. Balance of clean, lightly bready malts follows. Crackery breadiness lingers through the finish with bitter, herbal hops in the aftertaste.

F -- Crisp and dry mouthfeel with a light body.

O -- I'm sure this beer is using some of the newer strains of noble hops because my palate is fatiguing after 2 cans, but they aren't over-the-top in their use. The crackery malts balance well and aren't overpowered by the hops -- making this a fine Pils to me. Compare it to Urban Chestnut Stammtisch if you can -- very nice for a small local spot. Sorry Beginner2, but you can trust a Pilsner lover on this one.

4/18/18 review and re-rate.
OK. Based on SteveH's review, I'll lighten up and throw my previous rating out. (Although I confess that I am not a pils fan except under very limited conditions... like hot weather and salads for lunch.)

However I could not wait for summer since that may not come until July... so I Had Prairie Pilsner after a bike ride on this, the first day of spring in Chicagoland (note a month after the calendar's first spring day.)

At any rate, about the Pils...
For a style that Looks crystal clear, Prairie's is average... slightly better when the sun struck it.
I still get not much stand-out for Smells... but that is sign of balance.
And balanced in the Taste is this... although I do think the hops linger a bit too much.
OA: I increase and will try not to be such a malt curmudgeon when tasting suburban fare.

 

 

Great summer beer. Very drinkable.