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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UPDATED: JUN 19, 2010 650 ml bottle from Bev4less. Pours a translucent copper color with a big white fluffy head that has good retention and some lacing. The aroma is mild and indistinct with grains, yeast and some saaz hops. The flavor features biscuit, dough, yeast, nutty hops and mildly funky hops. The palate is a bit light but builds to a malty conclusion. The finish is short and dry. Overall: I find this pils a very refreshing choice. Much more like a good English biter than a pils--whatever the hell this it was the right beer at the right time.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber tinted yellow gold. The head is large, beige and fluffy.

Aroma: Crisp mixture of biscuity malt and euro hops. Nothing like a cheap beer, but more like a fresh, hoppy pilsner.

Taste: Biscuits with honey, big spicy hops. Alcohol is well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, slightly creamy and moderately carbonated.

Overall: Fresh, this beer is beautifully balanced, slightly sweet, and the driest hoppiest imperial pils I’ve had to date. What a great beer.

Tasted from a bomber bottle purchased at Beverages 4 Less. Pours clear light orange with an average white head that leaves a solid collar of lace after a slow recession. The nose is interesting, starting with a pretty straight-forward hops and pilsner malt, but there is also an underlying sort of plastic aroma that I also get off of some single malt scotches. The flavor has some sweetness, but is dominated by the kind of hay-like pilsner flavor and some hoppiness to round everything out. The body is medium with average carbonation and a medium hops and malt finish.

Pours a vivid clear orange-gold, nose is complex, caramel, nectarines, toffee, taste is rich, moderately sweet, best imp pils I’ve had.

Bomber. Pours peach-amber, with a surprisingly small head. Aroma has cut grass, mild citrus, and malt. Mouthfeel is soft and a touch on the fuller side. Flavor starts with grassy hop punch, mellows with caramel sweetness, then finishes quickly. A bit indescript for my tastes, though I’m finding this new-wave style of Imperial Pilsner to be disappointing in general.

Another mediocre offering. Pours clear amber with a medium sized white head that leaves good lace. Smells of sweet, sugary malts with a good dose of resiny, astringent hops. Tastes about the same. Sweet and malty with a dash of hops and a lingering sweet, cereal malt flavor. Medium body, subdued carbonation.

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

On tap at SDBrewing co. Warm honey amber looking pour with petri dish head and lace. Nose is sweet hay and flat malt/yeast. Rather pale aleish. Taste is big alcohol and sweet grass hay. Rather strong in it’s lightness. Hops and malt in back. Lotsa sweet candy thickness. Just ok.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange color with a decent lacing head. Strong, grassy aroma with some malt in the background. Slight sweet taste. Crisp. Could be stronger for an imperial pils, but still not bad.

Growler to go from the Sorrento Mesa location: Rich golden color with a medium, fading white head .Aroma is fruity (peach) and slightly grassy. Flavor starts starts lightly fruity sweet followed by some grassy hops and a long, lightly dry finish with hints of orange peel. Medium body is spicy with lively carbonation. Nice.