Karl Strauss Whistler Imperial Pilsner

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Style: Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Footed Pilsner, Lager glass, Stein

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Bottle from South Bay Drugs: Created a thick layer of frothy foamed head while the liquid was a golden straw color. Aroma was somewhat mild with a heavy presence of malts and grassy hops that actually did smell like an imperial pils. The flavor was grassy as well with a background of honey oat wheat bread and a healthy serving of hops considering this was an American made pils. There is also a background of funky yeast that was interesting to try upon the first bottle, but after drinking another bottle it played itself out. For sure I won’t be repeating this beer, but at least I gave it a second chance.

Imperial pils, it is an oxymoron. This one is sweet, like a pils version of a malt liquor.

Tap @ the brewpub, San Diego. Medium head with medium duration. Color is golden. Aroma and taste are sweet malt, notes of almonds, grass and hops.

Draft: Strong complex, crisp and clean. Nice hop presence. Food Pairing: Cheese fondue.

Bottle: pours blond with a medium sized white head and a slight haze. Aroma is bready with some dry grass, light honey, and a little citrus. Flavor is bready malt with hay and other soft tart/bitter grass notes, a little doughy yeast, and a touch of honey. Palate has a mouthfull of sweet malt mingling with some nice grassy bitters. Nice flavors, a bit heavy, but well balanced.

Aromas of yeast, dough and subtle lemon. Appearance is a deep gold with a decent foam top. Flavors of sweet yeast and oats with some caramel malts. Lightly carbonated with a light texture on the palate. Overall, this is a decent beer with fairly simple flavoring and a nice alcohol warming feeling. I’d give this a C+ rating.

Nice, but confusing. Light amber with hops on the nose. Medium bodied and it drinks like a sweet malty English ale or a bock. Great finish. I’d never guess a Pilsner if served blind.

Shared with Strykzone via Facebook Chat. This poured a hazy light orange with a long lasting foamy white head and a lot of lacing. Attractive. The nose is light malt with a hoppy citrus aroma. Medium in body and smooth in mouthfeel. Flavor is tasty, with some cirrus and flowers. Some light bitterness in the finish. A very drinking brew, and you do not know it is an imperial as the alcohol is well hidden.

Bomber from Hayduke. We shared it via facebook chat. This poured with a bit of copper but was mostly gold. It was also well carbonated. A but of fruit in the nose and some interesting hop note. The flavor was also gentle fruit with some sweetness and very light bitterness. Something Ike necter, too. This was an improvement over other impy pilsners.

fresh bottle from Texas Liquor (in Carsblad, Cal.) Very easy to drink hoppy beer. An understated bitterness that was most pleasant during a long luncheon. Mild hoppy aromas. Some citrus, medium mouthfeel, and one-quarter inch of retained head on cloudy lightly orange body. Satisfying, not heavy, sure not a double IPA and cannot be held up to that sort of hop assault.