Johnny Rawton Pils
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
American Lager
ABV:
5%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 8.02%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
28
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 17, 2013
Added:
Jul 27, 2007
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  0
This Brewpub Exclusive is an American Pilsner. It has a clean snappy malt base and a bodacious hop character. It was last brewed way back in 2007 and we've brought it back a few times due to popular demand. It was brewed with American Pils and Cara-pils malt, Czech Pils yeast, and a whole bunch of Palisade hops. In fact we used nearly 2# of Palisade hops per barrel including dry hops! Quadruple hopped, this is truly what an American Pilsner should be. Crisp, hoppy, and easy to drink this is a perfect companion to some of our fried calamari.

35 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by Jason from Massachusetts

Jan 17, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

Dec 17, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by themotherculture from Pennsylvania

Jan 13, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ROGUE16 from Delaware

Nov 17, 2011
Photo of thain709
Reviewed by thain709 from Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
On-tap at the brewpub

A - Served with a hazy, muted, golden body...one finger of white head formed and fell to a thin, but full cap, of retention...decent lacing left behind

S - Earthy hops with an addition of some bready malts...not much else going on

T - The flavors are very pils-like...it starts off with the bready malts up front...there is an earthiness that lingers throughout the whole beer...the middle-end of the beer provides a big dose of lemon...I can't tell if it's coming from the hops or if it's actually an ingredient...the hops do come back at the end and provide a bitterness

M - Light bodied...crisp and refreshing...has a nice mild bitterness with the addition of lemon rind

O - This was described as a pils at the brewpub...it's pretty much a hopped up version with a lot of lemon...I liked the lemon in this one more than Hellhound...this was very easy to drink as I almost took home a growler
Jul 25, 2011
Photo of THECPJ
Reviewed by THECPJ from Delaware

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Reviewed from notes: On tap at the brewpub.

appearance: hazy golden yellow with a 1 finger white head

smell: grass, hops, malts

taste: crisp, hops, malts,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: a very hoppy pilsner. which is fine with me since I love hops. But it's like other Dogfish Head beers where they are always pushing the limits on different styles.

Cheers,
The CPJ
Jul 22, 2011
Photo of mdaschaf
Reviewed by mdaschaf from Indiana

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap at the DFH brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Review from notes.

A: Rawton was a light straw/yellow color with a foamy 1.5 finger head with pretty good retention. Some foam last until about halfway through finishing. Decent lacing.

S: Light hop aroma, earthy and grassy, with a hint if citrus - hard to distinguish which fruit. Pretty heavy bread malt aromas.

T: Light floral and citrus again, some lemon and grainy malt. The backend is heavy doughy malt with a slightly sweet finish.

M: Light to medium bodied with a good level of carbonation. Crisp and very refreshing, an easy drinking lager.

O: A solid beer that I will probably order again when it is on tap. A nice beer to have when I am not in the mood for the normal DFH beers.
Jun 22, 2011
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Growler shared with Thorpe.

Beer is yellow to golden in color and really hazy. Head is big and white, made up of small and large bubbles, low carbonation.

Beer smells hoppy and yeasty, citrus mostly, smells good.

What kind of beer is this again? It's a little (and by a little I mean a lot) too bitter for the American Pale Lager category but I guess DFH was just making a hoppy lager. The lead off is misleading, at least from the smells opint of view, it is nearly absent, the back half of the beer is citrus hops, grapefruit and about 70 IBUs of bitterness. Like I said, it as bitter. It was good though, I'd for sure have it again and hope to soon.
Jan 21, 2011
Photo of Thorpe429
Reviewed by Thorpe429 from Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Growler courtesy of mday. Served in a tulip.

Pours a very hazy yellowish-golden color with a big fluffy white head and a good amount of lacing. Very hazy throughout. Kind of strange for the style, but I'm guessing Dogfish didn't really intend this to be just an American Pale Lager, so I'm going to go with it looks good. The nose is pretty nice with some bright citrus aroma and a bit of mild bready sweetness. Good hops. The taste lets back a bit from that but the combination of citrus and bitterness is quite nice. A good tone of bitterness throughout. Body is fairly light and this is quite drinkable. Solid beer.
Jan 20, 2011
Photo of tmoneyba
Reviewed by tmoneyba from Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured clear yellow amber color with an average fizzy white head that mostly lasted with good lacing.

Medium sour citrus hoppy aroma.

Medium body.

Heavy bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration.

I would recommend this to a freind as one of the best for style.
Jan 25, 2009
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a foggy yellow gold with a thinner white head. Flavor is crisp with a citric edge to it and a bit of a bite. Kind of a minor burning hop thing on the back side as well. Feel has a bit of a biting carbonation and the liquid is smooth. It's very easy to drink, despite the bite on several fronts.
May 20, 2008
Photo of gregc
Reviewed by gregc from New York

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Growler from new beer in manhattan.

Beer pours a hazy yellow color, small head that fades away quickly.

Nose is hops, grapefruit and some malt.

Flavor is exactly the same, hops , grapefruit and malt...but i found this beer to be a little "watery", and very light on the palate.
Overall i liked the beer, very drinkable and refreshing.
May 08, 2008
Photo of SugarBunny
Reviewed by SugarBunny from Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
While many of its characteristics were what I expected of a Pilsner (crispness, color, nose, etc), I was surprised (pleasantly) by the hoppiness.

I am not a big drinker of very hoppy beers. While I enjoy them from time to time, I don't usually gravitate toward them, which makes experiencing this pilsner a little out of the ordinary for me.

In comparing this pilsner with the Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner, I would say that this beer is far better balanced. The hops, which are pronounced (in keeping with the DFH style), do not throw off the feel that it is a pilsner, and not simply another iteration of DFH's IPA series. The nose on it is great, also, which for me is a must in a good beer.
Feb 06, 2008
Photo of JohnGalt1
Reviewed by JohnGalt1 from Idaho

3.56/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This bottle was delivered to my door by PEBKAC ... Thanks Adam!!! Poured into my Kasteel tulip... I am calling this one a "growler" because it was filled from a keg.

Good 3/4" head .. atop a clear lite golden honey colored brew.... suprising lacing.

The nose is alll hops at the beginning .... spicy and earthy ... pale malts and a touch of toasted malt.... at the end is a lively citrus note... very clean.. no yeast aromas.

Weird flavor (but not offending by any means)... Definately American, but does not strike me as pils... Much like a lite pale ale.. clean pale malts with a toasty element.. again no yeast presence... I like this one, because it is different... It is not a Sierra Nevada nor a Pilsner Urquell.. a definate amped up demolition of both... I also would not call this an "imperial" pilsner ... simply American.

I have to give Adam props again .... as a "gift", he sent me 14 bottles of beer!! Included were 2 of "Johnny Rawton".. one for now, another to share with a friend. Thanks again.. Adam is a cool cat that I would love to trade with again.
Dec 31, 2007
Photo of marcpal
Reviewed by marcpal from New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Rehoboth Beach brewpub.

A: Served in pint glass with clear and substantial carbonation. Head was small for a pilsner but the lacing was tight.

S: Hops presene. A bit biscuity as well.

T: Crisp tasting like a pilsner should be with a real snap of hops right up front and in the back. The bitterness was delicious on this one.

M: Crisp and bubbly carbonation- refreshing with the kick of hops, quite the combination.

D: High, light and easy to put down. The hops were a good topper but this is one you would like to have on a warm summer day to put many down.
Dec 30, 2007
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I was surprised to see this on tap at American Flatbread. It's Johnny Rawton PILS though and not the lager.

Pours a golden orange/pale color with a very thin head. Aroma is chewy, malty with some biscuity notes and a whiff of alcohol (imperial pilsner after all). Taste is malty and alcoholic mostly. Chewy and has a warm aftertaste. Kind of a pils to the extreme. Bartender said it's 6.2% but feels more like 9%. Decent beer though!
Dec 11, 2007
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Enjoyed on tap at the Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach.
Served as a pale golden colored beer with moderate white puffy head.
Smell is sweet and crisp witha noticeable hop presence.
Taste is light and refreshing, but the hops are much more restrained that I expected.
Finishes with alight malt character, But the hops just do not impress me.
A nice drinkable beer, But not anything great.
Dec 09, 2007
Photo of viperpiper522
Reviewed by viperpiper522 from Maryland

4.17/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A- A bright yellow with a half finger white head. It was a little cloudy because of all those hops. Decent lacing. My only qualm was the clarity.

S- Excellent hops aroma bursts through with a grainy pils note in the back.

T- Great hops bang with some good malt character upfront, and finishes with a smooth hop bitter. Finishes dry like a pilsner should.

M- Clean palate and it defintly has that pils texture.

D- Could hit a lot of these during the summer.
Dec 02, 2007
Photo of beerphan
Reviewed by beerphan from Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
on-tap @ MadMex, Cranberry -> pint

Pours a golden yellowed orange with a slight haze and a nice thick white head. Lacing appears in faded light sheets. Carbonation appears medium.

Nose: Spicey hops, some light bready malts

Crisp and refreshing as a pilsner should be. Wow, packed with hop flavor and a nice crisp finishing bitterness. Good clean light malt presense, but this is about the hops. Not sure what hops were used but I really enjoyed the twist on the pilsner style.

Glad for the chance to try this rare beer. Thanks to Mad Mex, Cranberry for putting such a beer on tap!
Nov 17, 2007
Photo of blakesell
Reviewed by blakesell from Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Discovered on tap at The Trolley Stop in Dayton.

Poured into a standard pint glass.

Appearance- Pours a light clear yellow with very little head. No lacing, carbonation rising from small bubbles from the bottom.

Smell- Pleasant hop aroma, spicey and light. 2-row and vienna on the grain.

Taste- Full carbonation and heavy hops, I would expect no less from Dogfish. Beer still holds a good malty character.

Mouthfeel- Light-bodied, fully carbonated and refreshing. This is one easy drinking hopped up pilsner.

Drinkability- It's almost like a glass of iced tea on a hot day, but of course we go for more powerful stuff on hot days now don't we? This is why we drink the Dogfish. I could easily drink a pitcher of this. A great and quite limited beer.
Nov 07, 2007
Johnny Rawton Pils from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 28 ratings