Hillbilly Gold
Checkerspot Brewing Company

Poured from the can into a Libby style pilsner glass.

Bright brass color, with crystal clear appearance and multiple reams of linear carbonation. Head is bleach white with three fingers of big and tiny bubbles, but also long retention and staying power. Great looking aggressive pils.

Crackery dry and pleasurable aroma. Light touches of bready malts, with a clean classic hint and light airy flavor. Faint hints of mint strangely, and a touch of mineral rocky flavor seems to come off the nose also.

Palate easily gets the job done. Large touches of cracker malt and flavor. Slightly hinting of gassed up water, with large mineral touches of flavor also. Light bready notes, not as noticeable as on the nose unfortunately. Finish is a bit gaseous and tends to linger for a bit. Mild touches of honey also.

Very solid pils, would easily have this again.

On draught, a pale straw color with high clarity, light head and little lacing.
A very light bodied beer, Pilsner qualities are weak. Fairly well balanced, just a little light on the ingredients.
Carbonation is pretty good, even has a little bite.
There again, I believe the body, head and lacing would be more substantial if there was more substance.

 

 

Poured from a can into thin pint glass.

For a "German Pils," it lacks some of the basic requirements. One, I'm fairly sure corn is used in this brew, as it says "gluten reduced," and has the trademark macro corn smell. Head is pretty pitiful, lacing is better though. There is little visible carbonation going on in the glass which is something I expect from a good Pils. Thankfully it's at least got the color down, and is totally clear.

Smell is heavy on corn, crackers, and a lot of floral hops going on. A bit of malty sweetness too. Not a bad nose, but it's decidedly an American pilsner aroma.

Taste is a bit better, this is a very well-hopped pilsner, a nice balance between the floral and bittering hops that mostly dominates the palate. The corn taste is somewhat present, and while it isn't overpowering, the beer is still much sweeter than it should be. Expected pilsner malt flavor is present as well. As with the aroma, it's not bad, but it strays from what a German Pils should be.

Mouthfeel is better than expected. Despite the lack of visual carbonation, it isn't *too* low in the mouthfeel, within acceptable limits. A decently refreshing effervescence and it isn't watery like I expected. Nice and dry, this is a highly drinkable beer.

Overall this beer is actually decent, and grew on me as I drank it. But to call it a German Pilsner is misleading. This also isn't. a case of BA messing up, the can states "German Pils." If you're looking for a good American Pilsner with some actual hop character but retaining the corn sweetness, this would be the beer for you.

from the can with a character and a hat that isn't quite right for a Bavarian Hillbilly, it pours a clear yellow color with a nice white head that slowly reduces and does leave lacing. The nose gets a lightly hoppy scent of floral hops and light malt, followed by a nice mouthful of lightly bitter lightly malty brew. Highly drinkable and enjoyable.

Appearance: Clear gold, large but short lived white head, modest lacing.
Aroma: Grainy, along side floral hops in the background..
Taste: Solid hop bitterness balances pilsner malt base. Finishes dry.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied.
Overall: An uncomplicated, easy drinker that represents the style well.

Clear gold, thin white head, decent retention, thin rings of slippery lace
Bready malt, noble hops, whiff of sulfur
Herbal/floral/citrus hops up front followed by bready malt, whipcrack of bitterness on the finish
Light bodied and appropriately carbonated
Pretty decent

8 oz pour on tap at the brewery. Pours a cloudy light yellow with a sudsy off-white head. Good lacing. Aroma and flavor feature fresh-cut grass, dry crackery malt, light floral hops, and a hint of bitterness. Mouthfeel is crisp and well-carbonated. A great summer pilsner.

 

 

16 once can poured into a pilsner glass.

Pours very clear and gold with one finger of white soapy foam and a steady stream of bubbles rising throughout. The nose is dominated by fresh cracked feed corn, so much so that every time I raise the glass I expect to see corn dust in the glass. The taste is also big corn but more like the DMS "cooked corn" flavor and is more dimensional than the nose featuring floral and grassy hops. The moderate sweetness seems to build to the finish. Light bodied with medium-high carbonation and some light astringency.

OK but too heavy on the corn for me to have more than one.