La Cumbre South Peak Pilsner

Brewed by La Cumbre Brewing Company
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

Serve in Flute, Footed Pilsner

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

on tap at the brewery. Light sparkling yellow in color with an average-sized frothy white head. Very subtle aroma, just a bit hoppy and earthy. Light bodied with slick mouthfeel, soft carbonation and somewhat bitter finish. Lightly bitter. A very good pilsner.

Growler. Pours a golden yellow color with a white head. Aroma is of cereal grains, sweet malts and grassy hops. Flavor is crisp and clean with cereal grains, sweet malt and grassy hops and a little citrus. The body is light with a crisp and dry mouth feel. Overall a solid Pilsner.

Sampled March 2011; RBWG
The beer pours from the growler with a brilliantly clear, bright gold color that is crowned by a pale colored head. The aroma has as sweet grain note to it up front, but a spicy herbal note quickly adds a soft, balancing note to the nose. The malt contributes a pale cracker like character as well as touches of hay and even some honey like character that is also likely accentuated by the hops.

A firm bitterness as the beer first hits the palate leads into a soft, grainy sweetness in the middle. A herbal, slightly menthol like note mingles with the bitterness that again comes to the fore in a crisp, clean finish. The body has a nice lightness to it, without being too much so, and this is definitely nicely quaffable. A honey-like malt character becomes noticeable after a bit, but this is well tamed by the firm hop bite. Clean malt notes for the most part seem to have a touch of corn flavors to it at times.

This is so nice and quaffable, light bodied, but wiith enough texture to keep it just sticking to the palate; though the firm bitterness certainly dries out the finish considerably. This is definitely quite nice, if the corn notes were cleaned up a bit this would be an incredible example of a Pils.

Clean-clear gold in color with white head. Classic clean pils aroma and taste.

10oz @ brewery. Light straw color, brilliant clarity (despite no filtering/cold temps and time will do that) and a bone white head. The aroma is pretty much all floral hops. There seems to be a touch of lemonish fruitiness, but it is pretty restrained. Nice balance, more of a Bo pils balance than a German pils.

On tap at brewpub, sampled repeatedly ever since they opened. Recently I was enjoying this pilsner when Jeff, the incredibly friendly head brewer, told me about his research into Albuquerque’s water quality. He explained that Abq. brewers win more awards for stouts and other dark brews because the water here is great for those styles, but pilsners suffer when brewed with the same water. Despite all that, his pilsner is amazing. It has an enticing grainy aroma with hints of freshly cut grass. The taste is crisp and clean, with a surprising amount of malty depth, yet its sweetness remains tastefully restrained. Well done.

Draft at GABF. Pours a very attractive, lightly hazed gold with a fluffy white head. The nose is really great. Lots of big pils malt notes in the nose, some spicy hopping as well. Really fresh and nice. On tasting, super clean and fresh. The malt really packs a punch with a a big burst of bitterness to balance it out. Finish is dry with a nice hop bite. Fantastic Pils.

Draft. Brilliant golden-yellow color with a well-formed white head. The aroma is nice, grassy, hoppy, and balanced. The flavor is also very good for the style, with a bready pale malt base and a very grassy and somewhat intense hop profile. Medium bitterness. Crisp and fairly refreshing with a medium-high carbonation level. Great pilsner - I’m a fan of these guys so far.

draft sample. starchy, twangy and a bit plastic-like; minerallic / vitamin roughness and yeast flavor notices. medium body with light syrupiness. medium to heavy pungent bitterness. can’t say this does it for me and can’t say it comes close to bohemian pils.

Straw colour. Light saaz aroma. Old(ish) saaz and heavy pale malt character. Moderate bitterness. Might be a bit husky. Styles like a north German pils, but using saaz. Doesn’t really have Czech-level refinement.