Black Pils
Goldfinger Brewing Company


- From:
- Goldfinger Brewing Company
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- European Dark Lager
Ranked #8 - ABV:
- 4.9%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #10,061 - Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 4.09%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 31, 2024
- Added:
- Nov 23, 2021
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 0
This Pils is exclusively hopped with Polish Tomyski and Zula hops which lend flavors of dark fruits and spices that go well with the roasted malt. At an easy 4.9%, this beer is crisp, dry, with a firm bitterness that balances the rest of the complex flavors. The color is deceiving as this beer is deliciously light.
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Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16 ounce can into a pilsner glass. Canned 2/6/23, had 5/1/23.
Pours a mostly clear cola color, with a first pour made up mostly of spongy foam with great retention and lots of foamy lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, herbal hops, some cocoa, light coffee. Has a spicy and smoky aroma. Flavors of malt, yeast, light coffee and cocoa, herbal hops and a mild hop bitterness. Has a spicy taste. Smooth, fairly crisp, semi dry, a solid lighter body, well carbonated.
Boy, this is just solid from top to bottom. The hops are really good with this, and everything blends together so well. Good stuff.
Jul 18, 2023Pours a mostly clear cola color, with a first pour made up mostly of spongy foam with great retention and lots of foamy lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, herbal hops, some cocoa, light coffee. Has a spicy and smoky aroma. Flavors of malt, yeast, light coffee and cocoa, herbal hops and a mild hop bitterness. Has a spicy taste. Smooth, fairly crisp, semi dry, a solid lighter body, well carbonated.
Boy, this is just solid from top to bottom. The hops are really good with this, and everything blends together so well. Good stuff.
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois
4.07/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.07/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
More or less a Black IPL, this one is Cascadian in style. Black with a 4 finger head. Smells and tastes like a Black IPA in lager form. Roasty and hoppy, moderately bitter. Smooth and tasty, supple carb level. Easy drinker, sessionable.
Mar 23, 2023Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
4.4/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - The beer was nicely black with a tan head topping the glass.
Smell - The roasted malts and bright hop bitterness were apparent.
Taste - The roasted malts were paired with bright hops. The bitterness was pleasant but did not overwhelm the profile. The profile was strong. The beer had a dry finish with lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel - The body was generously carbonated, yet smooth.
Overall - This is an elite dark lager.
Mar 11, 2023Smell - The roasted malts and bright hop bitterness were apparent.
Taste - The roasted malts were paired with bright hops. The bitterness was pleasant but did not overwhelm the profile. The profile was strong. The beer had a dry finish with lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel - The body was generously carbonated, yet smooth.
Overall - This is an elite dark lager.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.75/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Canned 2/6/23; drank 2/20/23 @ the Yarchives.
Brown/orange/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge tan head; a thick curtain of lace.
Pine, medium roast coffee bean & mild orange peel notes in the nose. Black IPA vibes?!
Creamy medium mouthfeel.
Pine, medium roast coffee bean & faint orange peel flavors.
Black IPA meets pils? It's interesting, but I'm not sure it's necessary. Fun, if inessential.
Feb 21, 2023Brown/orange/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge tan head; a thick curtain of lace.
Pine, medium roast coffee bean & mild orange peel notes in the nose. Black IPA vibes?!
Creamy medium mouthfeel.
Pine, medium roast coffee bean & faint orange peel flavors.
Black IPA meets pils? It's interesting, but I'm not sure it's necessary. Fun, if inessential.
Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois
4.13/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Can pour reviewed 3/27/23
Canned on date of 02/06/23.
16oz Tallboy can poured into Goldfinger branded Dimpled Mug.
Look: Black Bodied lager with colored head that stacks up nice and tall about 3 to 4 fingers of really frothy dense foamy head with great "structure". This head has really impressive staying power. There is a reason that they have to slow pour this at the brewery.
Smell: Bakers cocoa. Roasty grains with cereal notes.
Taste: Roasted malt forward with a smoke note; lighter end of moderate bitterness and some perceived sweetness as well. Primarily spicy hop notes with a hint of pine. Dry finish.
Mouthfeel: Lighter in body than most black lagers. Moderate carbonation levels. Carbonation is soft and creamy. This beer is definitely easy drinking beer.
Overall: This is a bit more aggressive than the Goldfinger Schwartzbier & I can easily say that while this is a delicious black lager I prefer the Goldfinger Schwartzbier without a doubt. Glad to revisit this beer & also excited that they finally put it in cans!
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draft pour at the source Jan 26, 2022.
Look: 4.5
Smell: 4
Taste: 4
Feel: 5
Overall: 4.25
Actual Score: 4.13
Jan 27, 2022Canned on date of 02/06/23.
16oz Tallboy can poured into Goldfinger branded Dimpled Mug.
Look: Black Bodied lager with colored head that stacks up nice and tall about 3 to 4 fingers of really frothy dense foamy head with great "structure". This head has really impressive staying power. There is a reason that they have to slow pour this at the brewery.
Smell: Bakers cocoa. Roasty grains with cereal notes.
Taste: Roasted malt forward with a smoke note; lighter end of moderate bitterness and some perceived sweetness as well. Primarily spicy hop notes with a hint of pine. Dry finish.
Mouthfeel: Lighter in body than most black lagers. Moderate carbonation levels. Carbonation is soft and creamy. This beer is definitely easy drinking beer.
Overall: This is a bit more aggressive than the Goldfinger Schwartzbier & I can easily say that while this is a delicious black lager I prefer the Goldfinger Schwartzbier without a doubt. Glad to revisit this beer & also excited that they finally put it in cans!
-------------------------------------------------
draft pour at the source Jan 26, 2022.
Look: 4.5
Smell: 4
Taste: 4
Feel: 5
Overall: 4.25
Actual Score: 4.13
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark cola color with a gorgeous light tan head that manages to be sudsy and creamy at the same time, whilst also providing more than ample lacing. Just a beautiful beer.
Nice roasty char notes on the nose that are coffee-esque but not quite coffee, if that makes sense. There’s also a fairly significant herbal aroma that I’m assuming is the hops and a bit of cocoa and stone fruit. Wow, this has a LOT going on.
The roasty char leads the taste, and there’s a subtle cocoa note, but that hoppy herbal flavor and the stone fruit make this beer for me - a lot going on, but very balanced and flavorful, with a crisp mouthfeel that reminds you that you’re drinking a low ABV lager.
I don’t know that I’ve ever had a chuggable “dark” beer, but this is definitely in that realm. Goldfinger’s lager game is world class, IMHO.
Dec 29, 2021Nice roasty char notes on the nose that are coffee-esque but not quite coffee, if that makes sense. There’s also a fairly significant herbal aroma that I’m assuming is the hops and a bit of cocoa and stone fruit. Wow, this has a LOT going on.
The roasty char leads the taste, and there’s a subtle cocoa note, but that hoppy herbal flavor and the stone fruit make this beer for me - a lot going on, but very balanced and flavorful, with a crisp mouthfeel that reminds you that you’re drinking a low ABV lager.
I don’t know that I’ve ever had a chuggable “dark” beer, but this is definitely in that realm. Goldfinger’s lager game is world class, IMHO.
Reviewed by michaelsmith11 from Illinois
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The look on this was deceiving. It look's like it would be a heavy beer but it's really not. It's got a very light body and it does not have a heavy roasted feel to it but you know it's there. There is some bitterness to it and it's got a nice dry finish. Very nicely done.
Dec 10, 2021Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark chestnut brown color. Complete clarity when held up to the light. Lovely thick tan head forms on the beer with pouring and lingers momentarily. Head recedes leaving just a thin layer of foam and some sticky lacing.
Aroma has notes of roasted malts, cigar ash, rye bread, biscuit malt, and spicy herbal hops. A black pilsner is exactly what this is - roasted malts and pilsner hops.
Taste follows nose with notes of roasted malts, hints of char, cigar ash, cocoa, rye bread and pumpernickel along with spicy, herbal hops. Absolutely delicious marriage of the roastiness of a schwarzbier with the hoppiness of a pilsner.
Feel is light, crisp, easy dinking. Moderately bright carbonation. Semi-dry finish.
Overall a delicious pilsner from Goldfinger and yet another impressive beer from them.
Dec 07, 2021Aroma has notes of roasted malts, cigar ash, rye bread, biscuit malt, and spicy herbal hops. A black pilsner is exactly what this is - roasted malts and pilsner hops.
Taste follows nose with notes of roasted malts, hints of char, cigar ash, cocoa, rye bread and pumpernickel along with spicy, herbal hops. Absolutely delicious marriage of the roastiness of a schwarzbier with the hoppiness of a pilsner.
Feel is light, crisp, easy dinking. Moderately bright carbonation. Semi-dry finish.
Overall a delicious pilsner from Goldfinger and yet another impressive beer from them.
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