Black Forest Brau Keller Czech Pilsner

Draft at the brewery - labeled Proto-Pils: Lemony yellow pour with a spritzy cap that settles into a thin ring. The Hallertau hops own the nose with grassy and piney influences. The body is light and lagery, with subtle hops playing off the bready, nutty malts. A simple beer that works ok - but it lacks that clean, zippy hoppiness that the really great pilsners display. A nice attempt at a tough style.

Pours a bright clear gold with half an inch of white head. Minimal head retention and just a bit of lacing. Mild lemony-hoppy aroma. Clean crisp and smooth beer that starts out with a hint of sweetness and then is topped by grassy spicy hops. Nice residual bitterness in the finish and aftertaste. Almost medium body, moderate carbonation.

This bottled brew from a bottle shop poured a large sized head of foamy finely sized white colored bubbles that were mostly lasting and left behind a transparent softly carbonated straw yellow colored body and an excellent lacing. The mild aroma was malty. The mouth feel was weakly tingly at the start mediumly tingly at the finish. The flavor contained notes of mild hops. Not one that I would buy again.

On draft at the brewpub, light to medium straw, white head that hung around the edges, good amount of lacings on the glass, lots of carbonation in the brew, some hops in the nose, the malts was faint, hops and low malt taste in the drink, hop bite with something just a little off in the finish maybe a metal taste, not sure, light to medium mouthfeel.

Sample at the brewpub: Clear yellow/gold color with a thin white head that fizzes away pretty quickly. Thin, spotty lacing as well. Saaz hops aroma with a touch of spice. Light-bodied and crisp with low amounts of hops and malt flavor. The finish comes through a little better with a nice hops presence. Overall though this is pretty forgettable.