Fahr Out Pilsner
Brauerei Fahr

 

Slightly hazy pilsner gold. Head thins out fast but lingers and leaves generous rings of lacing. There is a malt on the nose that is unlike any other I've smelled - I would call it biscuity, for lack of a better word, but it's not the same flavour as typical biscuit malts in say a German pils. Hops character on the nose is gentle, but I've drunk enough pilsners to know it will be stronger on the tongue than it is on the nose. There is a third element here, which I can't say I find entirely pleasant. Can't quite put my finger on what it reminds me of -soiled cat litter? Horse urine? Unfortunately this scent carries through to the taste, though on the tongue it reminds me more of dirty engine coolant. Yes, that's it. And it only intensifies as it warms up, to the point that I have to downrate my score for taste and smell. The rest of the flavour not far off the mark for a pils - that unique malt I mentioned earlier, and grassy hops. The feel is good at first but there's an ethanol/gasoline finish that you only notice when you exhale. Overall this is a miss for me. Quite disappointed in Fahr, whose Hefeweizen was one of the best I've ever had. There's some kind of distinct nastiness in this beer that I just can't look past, even if the rest of its characteristics are decent. That off flavour is just uncharacteristic and off-putting. Glad I didn't go for the six pack. Got one more can in the fridge, so I'll give it a go on the slim off chance there's something wrong with this particular can, but I don't have high hopes. A sub-par offering from an otherwise excellent brewery. Disappointing.

 

 

 

 

A bit syrupy

 

 

 

 

16oz glass (and a bit extra - thank you, tapped keg!) at Beer Revolution YEG Oliver Square. Apparently the name has changed on this one since I added it, wait, what? Last year?

This beer appears a clear, bright medium golden yellow colour, with two fingers of puffy, finely foamy, and somewhat creamy eggshell white head, which leaves a wall of not yet dried paint job lace around the glass as it slowly abates.

It smells of bready and crackery pale malt, old-school lager yeast, faint petrol notes, hints of baked apples and pears, and some tame earthy, leafy, and floral noble hops. The taste is gritty and grainy cereal malt, a faded yeastiness, subtle gasohol, some muddled pome fruitiness, faint indistinct spice notes, and more leafy, herbal, and wet grassy green hoppiness.

The carbonation is adequate in its structurally supportive frothiness, the body a decent middleweight, and generally smooth, with nothing really getting out of line at this particular juncture. It finishes trending dry, the malt bleeding out a bit, while the steady hops maintain a taciturn Teutonic lingering stance.

Overall - this is a more or less pleasantly rendered version of the style, maybe not quite as crisp as it could be, but otherwise tasty and refreshing, especially in a relatively quiet establishment on this last shopping day before Christmas 2017.