South African Hopped Pilsner
Untitled Art

 

 

 

 

Though I drink mostly Porters and Stouts, My son, has got me trying Pilsners. What better way to experience this style of beer, than to try one of the venerable "Untitled Art" renditions. I picked up a 4 pack, chilled it to 45 degrees before pouring it into a classic "Pilsner" glass. Light honey in color, with a white, long lasting head. Just the right amount of carbonation. I was expecting this to be a bit more hop forward, but it was not the case. There is a good balance between the grain and hop. A very refresh brew.

 

 

16 oz. Can
Canned On: 04/26/19

Poured into a Trillium glass a pretty nice clean/clear dark golden yellow color, with some pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger plus white head, which also leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, hoppy, with a nice citrus complex (lemon, lime, tangerine), bready, peppery. The taste is pretty nice, malty, hoppy, with a nice citrus complex (lemon, lime, tangerine), bready, peppery, with some little sweetness. Medium body, ABV is hidden very nicely, with a little dry/bitter finish. Overall, a pretty tasty brew. A nice thirst quencher. Nice to see it around here.

 

Can. Large white head. Lace. Clear straw gold.

Earthy and zesty. Melon with a light strawberry flavor. Hints of citrus. Grassy and a touch floral. Bready, biscuity malts. A really nice crisp, clean, and fresh drinking pils.

Clear, golden body; lively carbonation with plenty of small, rapidly rising bubbles, thick and frothy head; globs of foam dotting the glass. Very pleasing cracker aroma; mild spiciness and light grassy hop notes. Light cereal grain taste with a subtle and sublime hop bitterness; bread crust; very clean taste. Medium body; crisp and fairly dry throughout the tasting experience.

One of the best pilsners I've experienced. The fact that this is a collaborative effort makes me think this won't be offered again, but one can hope. I'm glad I picked up a second can and plan on going by to my local beer store to (hopefully) pickup a couple more. This beer definitely has character, is nicely balanced and complex, and certainly an easy and very pleasant drinker.

 

Got in a trade with GreenBayBA. 16 ounce can into lager glass, canned on 4/26/2019. Pours slightly hazy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, melon, apricot, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and pale malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, melon, apricot, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, peach, pear, melon, apricot, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and pale malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no astringent hop flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Perfectly clean on lager flavors, with no yeasty notes present. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth and moderately bready/grainy/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5%. Overall this is an awesome German pilsner! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and pale malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink with the modestly bitter/drying finish. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Everything you would expect from a German pilsner with added unique complexity of African Queen hops. Very vibrant and fairly juicy/dank/earthy hops; with a perfectly balanced clean pils malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and outstanding base style example.

 

Pours crystal clear - initially effervescent - but that dies down quickly. Bubbly white head collapses quickly leaving a thin layer of sudsy foam on top of the beer.

Aroma is interesting. Some bready malts are there with notes of lemon, some herbal flower-y notes and a definite aroma of broccoli. Its really unlike any IPA aroma I've come across.

Taste has a strong earthy - vegetal flavor. Cracker malt backbone is present here. Hops come through nicely with a profile that is really unique. Hay, a peppery bitterness, dried hop petals, and an earthy roasted vegetable flavor all come through. This isn't the vegetal off-flavor you sometimes get, its the hops themselves giving off this profile.

Feel is light, drinkable and crisp. Moderate, bright carbonation.

Overall, this was unique, but ultimately, the hops just provide a flavor profile that I did not enjoy. The beer itself was crafted well enough, the ingredients just didn't do it for me.