Fresh Hop Hallertau Pilsner
Ferment Brewing Company

Look: Clear, pure yellow with a lofty head that builds and slowly recedes to a 2-finger pillow, leaving nice lacing behind

Aroma: Freshly mowed lawn grass, snappy and bright floral hop notes, pilsner malt, dried flowers, straw, and light honey

Taste: Oh yeah. The first sip unleashes a huge punch of freshly cut grass that begins to develop and quickly joined by a plethora or floral notes, Star jasmine, cherry blossom, rock daphne, climbing honeysuckle, daylily, butterfly bush, and burkwood viburnum – just to name a few – and these dance atop a cracker-led pilsner malt base. Straw and honey peek in as it winds down as well

Mouthfeel: Light, clean, medium-high carbonation, and clean and crisp on the finish with little to no dryness detected

Overall: This is awesome stuff. I’ve always been a sucker for fresh hop Pilsners because they usually use fresh noble hops as opposed to new-age, aroma/flavor ones and also because when they hit, they really hit. This one hits as it’s a huge grass and flower bomb and the fresh Hallertau are easily recognized. Don’t sleep on this one!

16-ounce can purchased at John's Marketplace in Beaverton, OR. Date stamp reads "CANNED ON 08/27/25". Enjoyed in a nonic half-pint glass.

Look:
The beer has a medium-gold body that has a tiny bit of haze to it. The head is paper white with a texture that looks rich and creamy. The head quickly retreats to a thin skin and collar that leaves attractive lacing.

Smell:
Soft, doughy malt balanced by spicy/floral Noble hop character, a drop of honey, and a hint of sulfur. Floating above these scents is a different kind of floral character that's a bit woody. Elusive and intriguing.

Taste:
Starts with nice clean malt, slightly toasty and not too sweet. A delicate herbal/licorice hop flavor emerges in the middle, and then the beer just...blooms. The herbal character shifts into something that triangulates oregano, dried mint, and tarragon. The floral character in the nose takes on a subtle mixed citrus note (mostly lemon) that persists into the finish. None of this is particularly strong, but it's distinctive. The beer ends with mildly sweet malt, notable hop spice, and just enough bitterness to balance the malt.

Feel:
Medium body that's soft and rounded yet finishes crisp. Dense swarms of tiny bubbles provide lively carbonation.

Overall:
I've enjoyed a number of fresh hop pilsners over the years, but I can't remember one which had such a wealth of nuanced and detailed fresh hop character. Ferment Brewing Fresh Hop Hallertau Pilsner offers outstanding layers of fresh floral/woody and herbal aromas and flavors, yet still remains well balanced with an excellent depth of malt flavor. A truly eye-opening beer.