Rogue 12th Street Pilsner

Cloudy golden color with big white head. Aroma is more malty than anything else. Taste is sticky sweet and chewy malty. Very well balanced with a bit of a sharp hop bite.

I have to say, if all pilsners were like this, I’d probably drink more of them. Beautiful clear golden color and lovely white lasting head. Aroma of hops and malt-very floral and quite refined for an ale producer. Bitterness is well balanced and sharp-right in line for a pils. I still like the Imperial Pils better, but this was a very nice beer.

Bomber shared with OldGrowth, compliments of Radiomgb, on 2/17/06. I’ve kept this refrigerated with a brown bag over it since receiving.
Encouraging pour reveals a bright, brassy-yellow, plenty of medium-sized bubbles forming an initially large white head that diminishes slowly to cover, providing light lacing. The nose shows a crisp, strong yeastiness, though a touch of plasticy dryness (not chemical in nature, just difficult to describe). But there is plenty of grainy, dry malt adding a fair amount of hay-like aroma, with dry, lightly spicy, lightly citrusy hops. Some light mineral character dulls things, somewhat, while there is a bit of heavy doughiness on the end. The beer still has a large amount of carbonation at first, which dies off rather evenly, allowing a thick, but dry maltiness to push through and build on the palate. Hops have lost most of their flavor by this point, providing only a light herbal quality, a hint of citrus and mostly a bitterness that is lingering but never poignant. Malt complexity seems to be the most lacking here, obviously this was created as more a session pils, and being in this drinkable of a condition after two years is certainly no small feet. There is a bit of a sourish/zesty character to the doughiness, though it just reinforces the hop dryness. Not watery by any means, and if anything, too carbonated and full of body. Without the hop flavor, it dosent seem to excite the senses. Texture is strongly effervescent, with plenty of dry malt backbone giving it a full feel as it goes down. No alcohol apparency, just a little bit of a bite from the czech yeast on end.

Somewhat hazy for a pilsner, but with the classic monster sticky, sudsy, foamy head. Beautiful czechy aroma. Similarly good flavors here ... lightly cerealed, but with good hoppy base. Among the better American pilsners I’ve tried. Job well done, if maybe a bit thin. Previous negative raters: you’re dorks.

Pale, semi-hazed, yellow. Mostly lasting, thick, patchy, and sticky white head. Inviting spicy, lemony hopsack, cactus, and flower aroma. Touch of airiness, perfume, and apple acidity match the toasted pale malts and understated yeast notes. Slight fizziness on the tongue. Fluffier and more expansive than it is creamy. Starts with fresh, snappy hop flavors along with a quick dose of flowers, melon and a mild twinge of acidity. Subtly doughy, toasted pale malts and mild phenols set in toward the center and thicken up the body, which helps balance the sharp, assertive hop bitterness. Vague malt sweetness and waxlike yeastiness add some cakey elements at the back of the throat to assist the bitterness. Hops become grassier at the finish with a light note of lemon and yeast. Sweet corn starch flavors linger and contribute just enough sweetness to the flowery, airy traits. Overall, this is what I had hoped their Imperial Pils to resemble, as this has more dryness, residual malt sweetness and zestier carbonation, which better highlights the sharp hop profile. If only it had a little more malt sweetness and body, this would be stellar.