Assistant To The Manager
Stemma Brewing

Review: 2095
Name: Assistant To The Manager
Brewery: Stemma Brewing
Location: Bellingham, WA
Style: West Coast Pilsner
ABV: 5.4%
Date: May 2024
As the sun gave way to clouds and rain, I sought the refreshing embrace of a Pilsner. The pour revealed a frothy, creamy, two-fingered, bright white head with excellent retention. The slow dissipation left a beautiful lacing on the glass. The beer has a lovely straw color with light yellow hues, having an opacity of four on the SRM color chart. The beer is clear. The appearance is above average for this style, promising a satisfying experience.
Nosing the glass, I smell pine, resin, grapefruit, floral blossoms, and a bit of grass. Assistant to the Manager has an unusual hop aroma for a pilsner; this style usually has light hop profiles and is not assertive. The malt profile lends some sweetness and has light bread cracker notes. Although the beer has these bold hop aromas, it has a beautiful aroma.
The taste begins with the assertive hops of white pepper, pine, grapefruit, floral blossoms, resin, and earthiness. The malt, albeit tender, still has a firm backbone of crackers, lightly toasted bread, and subtle malty sweetness but does stand firm with the aggressive hop profile.
The mouthfeel is astringent and tannic yet finishes crisp. The body is light and has high carbonation.
This beer surprised me; I was unsure what to think of a West Coast-style pilsner. The aromas and the flavors give the beer a West Coast vibe. Despite the bold hop profile, it has a lovely pilsner vibe; it is damn tasty. I wish I had six of this stuff in the fridge. Stellar Beer!!!