Frost Flower
Free State Brewing Co.
- From:
- Free State Brewing Co.
- Kansas, United States
- Style:
- German Pilsner
Ranked #419 - ABV:
- 6.6%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #27,099 - Avg:
- 3.77 | pDev: 9.28%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 01, 2026
- Added:
- Jan 17, 2016
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Frost flowers form in early winter in exquisite patterns rising magically from the stems of plants along a forest floor not yet frozen. This Winter Pils unfolds like it's summer counterparts, clean and crisp, but more full bodied. A fleeting beauty in a bottle to warm your winter bones.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by blueshawk69 from Kansas
4/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
(review from November 2017, latest version now at 7.2%) Excellently well balanced & crisp pils with a deceptive 40ibus.Clean, light & a smooth fooler of a 6.6%er.Dances on the tastebuds & goes down fast
Jan 01, 2026
Reviewed by Mark-Leggett from Missouri
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a bottle. Straw in color with a white head and lacing. Smells of grain, lemon and a sweet hint. Flavors of bread, lemon, grass and floral. More hoppy than a traditional pilsner, but smooth and crisp and easy to drink.
Oct 16, 2021
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois
4.18/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bright gold, dense layer of creamy foam, spotty lace.
Aroma is grainy, clean and dry, mild fruit and clover.
Taste is crisp and lightly bitter with a grassy hop taste.
Pleasantly dry, light biscuit and lemon notes.
Smooth, hoppy, with a light creamy feel.
Pretty nice and flawless, no sulfur at all.
Had to have another, wish I had a case.
Dec 24, 2016Aroma is grainy, clean and dry, mild fruit and clover.
Taste is crisp and lightly bitter with a grassy hop taste.
Pleasantly dry, light biscuit and lemon notes.
Smooth, hoppy, with a light creamy feel.
Pretty nice and flawless, no sulfur at all.
Had to have another, wish I had a case.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
3.83/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Free State's beers all look great and, after the bubble show concludes, this has a classic pilsener look, with the clear golden liquid capped by a full three fingers; excellent retention
Smell: Grassy and sulfuric, with bread tones in support; hint of mint
Taste: Very bready, up front, with grassy tones building through the middle; sulfuric bitterness builds, after the swallow and the finish is filled with mint
Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A bit fuller bodied than is typical for the style and while the mint is interesting, I don't particularly care for the impact it brings
Thanks, jmueller216, for the opportunity
Dec 10, 2016Smell: Grassy and sulfuric, with bread tones in support; hint of mint
Taste: Very bready, up front, with grassy tones building through the middle; sulfuric bitterness builds, after the swallow and the finish is filled with mint
Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A bit fuller bodied than is typical for the style and while the mint is interesting, I don't particularly care for the impact it brings
Thanks, jmueller216, for the opportunity
Reviewed by BrownAleBollocks from Kansas
3.57/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear straw color with a rocky two finger white head. Aroma is a bit skunky, but fine for a pilsner. Taste is bready malt, grassy hops, and a mineral background. Mouthfeel is crisp, yet round and full body. Overall, this is an interesting pils with classic flavor, but a more full bodied mouthfeel.
Apr 02, 2016
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear, gold color. 1/4 inch head of a white color. Great retention and decent lacing. Smells of pale malt, strong sweet malt, citrus hops, hint of pine, and a hint of wheat. Fits the style of a German Pilsner. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of floral hops, pine, citrus, pale malt, hint of wheat, and slight sweet malt. Overall, a hop forward pilsner. I'm not sure what they intended with a 'winter' pilsner, but a decent drinking pilsner nevertheless.
Mar 23, 2016
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.29/5 rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.29/5 rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Beautiful looking pilsner. Bubbly with a large head of foam. It smelled a little skunky or musty. Weird because its not a green bottle. It tasted a little better than it smelled. Very grassy hop bite.
Mar 19, 2016
Reviewed by CBlack85 from South Carolina
3.66/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to russpowell for this one
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pilsener glass
This beer pours a clear golden color with a large foamy white head. The head quickly subsides and leaves a minimal amount of lacing.
The aroma is a pleasant mixture of light floral hops, bready malts, lemon, and just a bit of sweetness.
Slightly sweet, mildly bitter, maybe a hint of grassyness. A little weak on the hop presence. Very refreshing, crisp, and well balanced.
Light, crisp, a slight tingle of carbination on the tounge. I would like to see a slightly larger overall flavor profile, as there is just the slightest hint of bready malts, and it just teases with the lighthandedness of the hops.
This is a good summer beer, easy to drink, clean, and enjoyable.
Feb 08, 2016Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pilsener glass
This beer pours a clear golden color with a large foamy white head. The head quickly subsides and leaves a minimal amount of lacing.
The aroma is a pleasant mixture of light floral hops, bready malts, lemon, and just a bit of sweetness.
Slightly sweet, mildly bitter, maybe a hint of grassyness. A little weak on the hop presence. Very refreshing, crisp, and well balanced.
Light, crisp, a slight tingle of carbination on the tounge. I would like to see a slightly larger overall flavor profile, as there is just the slightest hint of bready malts, and it just teases with the lighthandedness of the hops.
This is a good summer beer, easy to drink, clean, and enjoyable.
Reviewed by JuicesFlowing from Kansas
4.24/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Free State tumbler.
Look: Clear medium golden color with beautifully rising bubba;es. Frothy, soapy white head with great retention and foamy spots of lacing.
Aroma: Bready grains and some fermented alcohol aromas, dried grasses and subtle lemon.
Taste: Sweet malts come out and coat of a nice grainy, grassy body with a clean, citric and slightly hoppy finish.
Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean. Dry.
Overall: Pretty much what I was expecting. Goes down easily and tastes fresh and clean.
Feb 06, 2016Look: Clear medium golden color with beautifully rising bubba;es. Frothy, soapy white head with great retention and foamy spots of lacing.
Aroma: Bready grains and some fermented alcohol aromas, dried grasses and subtle lemon.
Taste: Sweet malts come out and coat of a nice grainy, grassy body with a clean, citric and slightly hoppy finish.
Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean. Dry.
Overall: Pretty much what I was expecting. Goes down easily and tastes fresh and clean.
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
4.22/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
BBD of 5-1-2016
Pours golden with much carbonation & 2 fingers of ivory colored head. Nice lacing & pretty good head retention
S: Grassy, bready & bit of floral hop
T: Follows the nose up front, some soapiness. Grassy bitterness, dryness & some bready sweetness as this warms. Finishes with grassy & herbal bitterness
MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, perfectly balanced for the style
A nice example of a classic Pils, very drinkable
Jan 17, 2016Pours golden with much carbonation & 2 fingers of ivory colored head. Nice lacing & pretty good head retention
S: Grassy, bready & bit of floral hop
T: Follows the nose up front, some soapiness. Grassy bitterness, dryness & some bready sweetness as this warms. Finishes with grassy & herbal bitterness
MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, perfectly balanced for the style
A nice example of a classic Pils, very drinkable
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