Rating:

“Pioneered by Richard Emerson in 1995, New Zealand Pilsners are a Kiwi twist on a traditional Pilsner – herbal, spicy hops are replaced with Tropical, fruity NZ hops! Bouncing with citrus, passionfruit, hints of gooseberry, a touch of bready malt sweetness, this NZ Pilsner has a refreshing bitterness and a dry crisp finish!”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Pale light golden pour with a two finger crown. Good retention but only patchy lace work clinging to the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Kiwi hops are such a great option for this style. The delicate crusty malt profile practically sits back and lets the hops do all the talking. Intense “greenery” is the best way to summarize it. Packed to the brim with lime juice/zest/candy, gooseberry, green grapes, pine resin, tomato vine, white wine and unripe passion fruit. Diggin’ it!

Flavour: Pretty much a mirror image of the aroma – awash with piney, resinous and evergreen notes. The light malt body providing the platform for the hops to work off. A gentle bitterness pushes its way in around the mid palate, leading into a slightly dry, grassy and medium length finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean with mild-medium body. Vibrant Co2 and a well placed 5% ABV.

Overall: In our last review of Stoic we touched on how the new brewers have vastly improved the quality of their beers. This NZ Pilsner only reinforces that belief. Onwards and upwards.

Rating:

“Crowned the official drink by King Friedrich August III of Saxony, Radeberger, a pilsner style beer brewed near Dresden, is characterized by its dazzling and refreshing taste and has long been enjoyed by German nobility.”

Glassware: Stein.

Appearance: Slightly pale golden complexion with a light and fluffy two finger head. Good retention and oodles of lace on the glass.

Aroma: We’ve been on somewhat of a side quest recently (if y’all haven’t noticed) listing a bunch of OG beers we started our craft journey on that we were yet to review. This is another staple from back in the day. Smells like pure German goodness. Noble hops are front centre – herbs, spice, light florals and mildew. Grainy/crackery/biscuity malt profile. It’s crisp, clean and super savoury. Hasn’t changed one bit!

Flavour: Displaying a bit more malt here. Pronounced cereal grains, slight biscuity/water cracker notes upfront with the spicy and herbal Noble hop notes tucked in neatly behind. A delicate bitterness midway sets up for a fairly dry, crisp and herbal finish which offers pretty good legs for a Pilsner.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean but with decent grip on the way down. Mild-medium body and the 4.8% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: One of the best aspects of Euro beer in our opinion is that they hardly ever change. This is tasting just like it did back in the early 2000’s when we first tried it. Delish!

Rating:

“Let your taste buds take a trip. Sichuan Pineapple – ma la spiced pineapple pilsner, delivering a mind bending blend of spicy chilli, numbing Sichuan Pepper and ripe pineapple. Sweet heat, numbing warmth and juicy fresh cut pineapple aromatics, interwoven in a beautifully crisp, clean golden base. Mind blown.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Clear golden pour capped off with a fizzy two finger head which gradually peels off. It forms a collar with scarce lacing left in its wake.

Aroma: We’re suckers for any beer with chilli in it. Even more so when it’s a chilli/sweet combo as the two ingredients compliment each other so well. With sichuan being such a potent spice there are no surprises the spicy, slightly citrusy and peppery qualities are direct and balance the sweetness of the pineapple really well. It’s a fun and unique spice and one rarely seen used in beer so full points to GP on this one.

Flavour: Classy. We’d totally forgotten this was a Pilsner until the first sip. Initially we get a hint of sichuan and chilli and then the clean and crisp Pilsner malts wash over. A subtle heat from the chilli returns mid way along with a very delicate pineapple sweetness. That numbing effect from the sichuan also kicks in late before the semi sweet but ultimately crisp and spicy finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and warming (from the spice). Light-moderate body with the 5.8% ABV well hidden.

Overall: It’s certainly an enjoyable drop on this hot late-Spring arvo. A good hit of chilli heat and spice, it’s crushable, it just lacked that knockout punch for us though. Not bad.

Rating:

“Brewed with pale pilsner malt for light body and hopped with traditional German hops.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Slightly pale golden pour with a light and fluffy two finger head nestled in on top. It steadily peels off and leaves an absolute smattering of lace on the glass. Looks the goods.

Aroma: Smells the goods too. Lagers and Pilsners are one of many styles SR excel at and those maestro skills are on full display here. Semi sweet cereal malt structure with the spicy and floral Noble hops icing the cake. Impeccably balanced. Old herbs, vines, a good (small) dose of DMS, an earthy minerality and rice crackers filling it out. Absolutely superb.

Flavour: Not as perfectly refined as the aroma but still very good. The semi sweet and grainy/cereal malts plus the Noble hop qualities hit the taste buds simultaneously. Coupled with the right amount of bitterness and the crispiest of textures. Excellent carry through the mid palate and landing on an ultra clean and moreish finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, refreshing and effortless. Light-moderate body. Co2 is spot on and so too the 5% ABV.

Overall: Top shelf stuff from a top shelf brewery. These guys have firmly planted themselves in our top 10 best Euro-style brewers in Australia. With interpretations this similar to their German counterparts how could they not be?! Magnificent.

Rating:

“Staropramen Unfiltered was envisioned as a Czech version of wheat beer – distinguished by unique taste coming from a hint of coriander. Though it goes best with lighter foods like poultry and fish, the richness of flavour unleashed in each sip makes Unfiltered a perfect companion for all sorts of gastronomic explorations.”

Glassware: English pint.

Appearance: Wow! Pours like a Hazy IPA. Kinda golden orange with a heavy haze. It caps off with a thumb of snow white head which slowly peels off. Nice wavy lace clings to the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: Quite a ways different from the original filtered version. Our first thoughts are that it’s much more yeasty, the malt profile displays a lot more sweet doughy qualities and the hops, although the closest component to the filtered version, offer soft orchard fruits and a fresh herbal scent. Reminds us of fresh squeezed apple juice. Pretty much smells how it looks we guess.

Flavour: We can taste the original filtered version in it. That classic crisp and clean base seems, well, not destroyed but certainly tampered with when the yeasty, juicy sweetness and doughy malt is thrown over the top of it. Call us purists but the original is always the best. The finish is just too yeasty and funky for our liking.

Mouthfeel: Much fuller, chewier, but still super smooth. Still has a nice crispness to it. Moderate-medium body, good Co2. The 5% ABV is nicely positioned.

Overall: It’s a pretty solid no from us. It’s just not what we’re after from a Euro Lager. We’re not even sure what kind of Lager drinker would prefer this over the original. We just don’t understand it. Baffling.

Rating:

“The pleasantly smooth taste and well-rounded flavour of Staropramen rewards your palate with a soft malty flavour, before finishing off with gentle bitterness. Coming from a city of lovable sins that knows everything there is to know about great beer and enjoying life, Staropramen has many stories to tell you – stories about life well spent. Staropramen – taste the pleasure from Prague.”

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Deep golden pour with full transparency. It forms two fingers of creamy and finely beaded head which retains well. Healthy lacing weaves its way down the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: Pure Czech goodness. We can’t actually believe it has taken us this long to review this absolute beauty. We’ve been putting them back all summer without even realising. What we love the most about this Pilsner is its impeccable balance while still providing a robust malt bill of honey, white bread/doughy sweetness and a distinctly spicy and grassy hop profile. Supoib!

Flavour: Drinks exactly like it smells too – chock-full of semi sweet honey, white bread/dough, light cereal grains and rice crackers. Straight up Noble hop crispness cuts through the malts beautifully. Just that little bit of extra bitterness which makes these traditional Pilsners so much more appealing than standard Lagers. Nice easy, tidy finish to round it out.

Mouthfeel: Clean, crisp, yet providing a bit more resistance than other interpretations. Moderate-medium body. Perfectly carbed and the 5% ABV is right on the money.

Overall: Pilsner perfection. It’s a tough decision between this and Urquell which is better. Both are as good as each other it’s just Urquell is the more widely known. This is still a brilliant beer though.

Rating:

“The Hāpi Sessions 2023, a hat-trick of collaborations from three breweries at the absolute top of their game, each showcasing a different hop forward beer in a playful ‘freestyle’ interpretation of the style that put them on the map. Hāpi Sessions Vol. 12 sees LA wunderkinds Highland Park come to the Garage to breathe new life into an old style with their hop fuelled West Coast take on the classic pilsner.”

Glassware: Footed Flute.

Appearance: Bright golden pour with a slight hop haze. Two fingers of tightly beaded foam sits neatly on top and leaves a tonne of soapy lacing in its wake.

Aroma: The only thing better than a finely brewed old world Pilsner is a NZ-hopped Pilsner. Hops such as the two used in this brew (Riwaka & Motueka) along with others like Nelson Sauvin and Wai-iti are made for the style. Not only due to their Saaz ancestry but because they impart this uniquely green and luscious pine forest quality. There are also strong floral notes, green mango, passionfruit and spruce.

Flavour: So damn tasty. So crisp and clean you’d almost be fooled into believing it’s good for you! Just the mildest brush of pine/resin, unripened nectary fruits and herbals upfront. Candied lime and passionfruit through the mid which sets up the ultra fine and green finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and incredibly clean. Perfectly rounded. Light-moderate body and the 6% ABV is very well disguised.

Overall: Insanely delicious. Seriously, if we were told we could only drink one beer for the rest of our lives this would be in the toss up. It’s just all-round perfect beer. Magnificent stuff.

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Footed flute.

Appearance: Pale straw golden pour with an observable haze. It holds a finely beaded thumb of white head which retains well and laces the glass with thick suds on its way down.

Aroma: It’s certainly giving off new world vibes. The brewery gives zero specs but our olfactory’s tell us it’s a mostly NZ hop bill with maybe a helping of Galaxy or Sabro. Distinct green qualities, slightly vinous, gooseberry, tomato vines, earthy spice, florals and unripened stonefruit. Very gentle pine and coconut also coming through. Clean and grainy malt profile. Pretty decent.

Flavour: Very nice. Clean, snappy and everything is in fine formation. Getting a somewhat weedy/resinous character initially which morphs into pine and eventually green mango and dried coconut. A short cameo of old world Pilsner comes through in the form of herbs/florals before a clean and well drawn out grassy finish.

Mouthfeel: It does have a real crispness to it but it also provides a bit of weight. Almost a chewiness like an ale would. 4.6% ABV which is punching well above.

Overall: Wow, impressive stuff here from Resin. They’ve managed to cram a truckload of aroma and flavour into a style that usually requires simplicity. They’ve done well to spruce it up the way they have. Thumbs up all round.

Rating:

“Dear Fro, we remember when you tried your first Pilsner, you had clearly discovered your new favourite style of beer. Well, we have come up with this ultra refreshing, traditional style Pilsner, that we reckon you’ll love. The slightest hint of spice and snap with each sip, it’s thirst-quenching. Enjoy!”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Nice and light straw golden pour and a frothy two finger head perched on top. Good retention and nice legs running down the glass.

Aroma: Wow it’s very well polished. Super classy pilsner here…and traditional AF! It displays a lovely spiciness alongside more subtle notes of wilted herbs, florals and wet grass. There’s a distinct cereal grain to it…corn kernels, uncooked rice and barley which puts the finishing touches on this excellent aroma.

Flavour: Mirrors the aroma perfectly. It’s bringing the crisp, spicy and exquisitely balanced notes of soft florals, grass and cereal grains. It just has this superb Noble hop quality which is on par with some of the best European Pilsners. It delivers a clean, mildly bitter finish with a hint of herbal spice drawing out.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, light on and refreshing texture. Perfectly carbed and the 4.6% ABV is spot on for the style.

Overall: This is a seriously impressive Pilsner. We’ve been surprised by unknown breweries before but this would have to rate somewhere near the top. It’s just a straight up and down quality Euro Pilsner done as well as the likes of Urquell, Weihenstephaner etc.

Rating:

“A new world Pilsner exhibiting fresh stone fruit and citrus aromas over delicate and subtle malt layers. This beer finishes clean and dry with just enough bitterness to balance its light body.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Pale golden pour with close to full clarity. Good Co2 activity and holding a two finger head fairly well. Not a whole lot of lacing to speak of…some spotty and blotchy patches here and there.

Aroma: A new world interpretation for sure. It’s displaying delicate fruit sweetness and a hint of citrus – floral peach/skins, nectarine, subtle grapefruit and even a very mild touch of lychee. Reinforced by its grainy malt backbone which provides more of the conventional rice crackers, light honey and cereal. Pretty damn good actually.

Flavour: It follows on from the nose with a distinct fruity hop profile. Although subtle the fleshy sweetness of tropical stonefruits and the gentle acidity of grapefruit/lemon can be found. Getting some peppery spice which wasn’t present on the nose. It cleans up nicely as it finishes dry and grainy with good length.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and well polished. A nice little sparkle to the Co2 and the 4.8% ABV is right on point.

Overall: Liked it. We prefer new world Pilsners from more of a NZ angle but this stacks up pretty darn well. We’re pleased we came back to these guys for another crack coz they’ve got some respectable beers in their arsenal.

Rating:

“Brewed with 100% Voyager organic Pilsner malt and using only traditional German hops in the kettle to balance the malt with a crisp bitter finish. Oak aged in white wine barrels for 4 months, very lightly dry hopped and conditioned for a further 4 weeks. Lovely layers of oak, a light vinous character and mild honey. A refreshing, elegant treat.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Light golden-amber hue with a substantial haziness. It constructs two fingers of finely beaded white foam which retains nicely. Excellent lace work left behind on the glass.

Aroma: Mostly old world/Noble hop features i.e herbals, freshly cut grass, mildew and soft earthy tones. As it settles the white wine barrels start to open up and display some vinous fruits like gooseberry, white grapes and zesty lime while delicate hints of bush honey and rice crackers provide a bit of the sweet and savoury. Solid.

Flavour: Not as clear-cut as it was on the nose. It’s coming up to 7 months old so it’s certainly a little over the hill. Nonetheless, it still provides a good dose of fruity white wine and oak, restrained Noble hop characters and a sweet grainy malt profile. Quite a nice clean finish with some dryness lingering on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and light on with a bit of grip on its way down. Slightly higher than expected Co2 and a well concealed 5.5% ABV.

Overall: Not blown away by it but at its core it’s a decent Pilsner. We have a feeling the age on it isn’t doing it any favours. All in all it isn’t too bad.

Rating:

“A crushably crisp and clean Pilsner, built with only the finest ingredients. A single-malt and single-hop brew, using Organic Weyermann Pilsner Malt from Germany,, with a modest addition of Hallertau Mittelfruh hops. Bone dry and beautifully bright. Pure drinkability.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Slightly cloudy, pale light golden hue and a monstrous four finger head which gradually peels off. Healthy lace trails follow it down.

Aroma: Strikes us as more of a German Pilsner. And a bloody impressive one at that! Distinct Noble hop spiciness, mildew, florals and an almost Nelson-esque green grapes/white wine character. Definitely getting fresh herbs like parsley and coriander amongst a soft grain profile of rice crackers and corn flakes. Lovely aroma.

Flavour: Sticking to its traditional German Pilsner roots with bright floral overtones, earthy spice and fresh herbs. Subtle cereal grains, savoury rice crackers and a mild hop bitterness ensures a clean pathway to the crisp, spicy and herbaceous finish which dries out the longer it sits on the back end.

Mouthfeel: Very soft but with a crisp bitterness that develops post swallow. Mild-moderate body and a slightly higher yet nicely positioned 5.3% ABV.

Overall: That’s a damn fine Pilsner. One we didn’t know they possessed in their arsenal. The unfiltered part didn’t go unnoticed either, certainly adding an extra tannic quality to it. Classy stuff.

Rating:

“WE’RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THIS BEER. WE GIVE IT THE TIME IT DESERVES IN FERMENT RESULTING IN A CLASSIC CLEAN, CRISP & BRIGHT PILSENER.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Pale light golden body and two and a bit fingers of fluffy white head forming on top. Retention is good and blotchy lace sticks to the glass as we go.

Aroma: Ultra crisp, light and clean with a distinctly traditional nature. Wow this is actually far better than what we’d anticipated. Delicate Noble hop qualities of grass, florals and herbs mingling with the classic rice cracker/water biscuit, bread crust and mild honey from the Pilsner malts. Very mild starchy notes, grains and corn if you dig down deep. Solid.

Flavour: Hot damn these guys have got our attention now. Just like the aroma it’s super light, crisp and immaculate. Really well balanced too…tasting the bready/biscuity malts then the bitterness tacks on gracefully. Earthy, grassy and herbaceous through the mid and landing on a crisp, dry finish which lingers nicely.

Mouthfeel: We sound like a broken record but it is incredibly crisp and clean, light on, crushable. Perfect Co2 and the 4.7% ABV is bang on for the style.

Overall: Can’t remember the last time we were this blown away by a first entry to a brewery. This is a magnificent Pilsner…up there with some of the best in the country.

Rating:

“A crisp, easy drinking Pilsner with Zappa & Sabro Cryo hops adding bright notes of candied orange peel & lemon zest.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Quite dark for a Pilsner – deep golden amber pour (possibly oxidised) with a billowing three and a bit finger head. Good retention and healthy lacing following it down.

Aroma: We don’t believe it’s diacetyl-infected but the malt profile displays a tonne of honey, light caramel and buttery biscuits…all of which can be attributed to light IPA’s and Pale Ale’s on any given day. Throw in the additions of Zappa and Sabro Cryo hops and you couldn’t be blamed for thinking this was a Pale Ale. We get it’s a new world Pilsner but sheesh!

Flavour: Right now the only aspect that makes this a Pilsner is the Lager yeast. Light sulfur/vegetal notes and a hint of DMS manifest but they’re rather easily drowned out by an overarching malt sweetness and candied citrus, nectary fruits, coconut and mint. It does at least have a dry, fruity finish but it’s cut a bit short.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, chewy and a little tired. Mild-medium body with flattish carbonation. The 4.8% ABV is on par for the style.

Overall: In our opinion it’s landing somewhere between a new world Pilsner and a summery Pale Ale. We’re sure some will dig that about it but for us it was just confusing and mediocre.

Rating:

NO COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Bright and clear golden pour with a thumb of fizzy white head which slowly peels off. Not much of it sticks to the glass as it subsides though.

Aroma: Really liking the rendezvous between the old world and new world styles here. The base Pilsner malt displays that age old sweet, biscuity and straw-like note whilst hints of honey, light caramel and bread fills it out. It’s the Nelson Sauvin hops which brings this edgy new world character to the beer with ripe green fruits (kiwifruit, honeydew, white grapes), vine leaves and pine forest. Diggin it thus far.

Flavour: Follows through nicely. Tasting the sweet and bready malt on the front palate with a nice crisp hop bitterness cutting through. Somewhat fruity, a little tart, herbaceous and piney in its delivery. Delicate hints of caramel and hay/straw through the mid which lay down for a nicely drawn out leafy/herbaceous finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, lean and light on. Very clean as well. Mild-moderate body and just the right amount of effervescence. The 5.5% ABV is well concealed.

Overall: Quite a good Pilsner. Nicely balanced, crisp, refreshing and full flavoured. They can certainly add this style to their already impressive repertoire now.

Rating:

“A premium Pils of top quality that will have even the most discerning Pils connoisseurs excited with its fresh impression, the sparkle of good carbonation and the fine presence of Noble hops. This is a Franconian Pils conveying the stamp of the lightly coloured, low protein barleys and the traditionally grown aroma hops of the area around Hersbruck, a town well known to hop fans all over the world. Made with our soft spring water, the hop aromas in this beer provide the perfect frame for its fine spicy maltiness, joining forces to make a Pils of premium quality.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Gorgeous pale golden pour with a fluffy three finger head. What a sight for sore eyes! Head retention is good with fine lacing being strewn down the glass.

Aroma: Schön! Absolutely beautiful. Classic German Pils qualities of Noble hop spiciness, herbals and earth mixed in with a clean, crisp and biscuity malt profile. Just the slightest flutter of honey sweetness coming through too. Soft orchard fruits, florals, crusty white bread and a touch of freshly clipped grass. Very strong start…as expected.

Flavour: Very conventional, very peeled back interpretation of the style. Just letting the world class ingredients do the talking; delicate spice, herbals/florals, earthy and grassy hops offset by the clean, crisp and (bread) crusty malt profile. Very very subtle orchard fruits and semi sweet honey in the exquisitely polished finish.

Mouthfeel: Immaculate. Crisp and light on, just the right amount of bitterness and Co2. 4.9% ABV is bang on where we’d want it to be as well.

Overall: Even with 10 months on this bad boy it still drinks astonishingly well. It’s testament to the brewers. Man, can’t help but imagine how damn good it would be fresh. Respect.

Rating:

“We brewed this beer as an ode to one of our brew team’s favourite styles. Comprised of 100% imported Bohemian Pilsner Malt, Gantry Crane underwent a lengthy and arduous multi step mash and was generously hopped with Sladek and Saaz hops. Gantry Crane was cold fermented under pressure, naturally carbonated and had 10 weeks of cold conditioning in tank prior to packaging. This baby is absolutely purring! A beer we have been looking forward to making and drinking for a very long time.

Na Zdravi!”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Slightly pale straw gold with a fizzy three finger crown nestled comfortably on top. The head holds its shape and leaves a mess on the glass as it subsides.

Aroma: It was hard to ignore the rumblings around the quality of this beer so here we are…jumping on the hype train again. On first meet it’s very impressive though. Very similar to Pilsner Urquell (on the can and inside it ). It has that classic savoury character in spades – umami rice crackers, delicate florals and herbals, crusty white bread. A subtle skunky note, Noble hops, tinned corn and other starchy veg all providing good support.

Flavour: Quite dry, bitter and floral on the front palate. Some of that skunky-ness creeps through but the savoury rice crackers and wheat grains do also. Getting a flutter of farmyard funk developing late – hay/straw, grassy and herbal hops then somewhat of a pithy citric finish which draws out nicely.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, fairly clean and light on. Very palate-friendly as to be expected. Co2 is about spot on and so is the 5% ABV.

Overall: We always have a bit of a giggle when brands are allowed to package up products that look so similar to the original. A mate once told us that it only needs to be 30-odd % different from the original for it to pass. Anywho, it’s a quality Pilsner. Doesn’t knock Rattenhund off the No.1 spot but it definitely deserves a spot in the top 5 best Aussie Pilsners.

Rating:

“An homage to classic Italian Pilsner, traditionally brewed with Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt, then saturated with European hops: Perle, Spalt, Saphir and Tettnang. Balanced, refreshing with citrus characters and subtle herbal aromatics.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Slightly hazy, pale straw golden pour and a frothy two finger head resting atop. Excellent retention and lacing as it subsides.

Aroma: At first glance it’s very impressive. A lot like Rattenhund but that should come as no surprise as this was modelled off it. Exceptional balance between the biscuity and semi sweet Pilsner malts and the earthy, floral and herbal hops. A veeeeery faint lick of peppery spice, tangerine and wood shavings for that added complexity.

Flavour: Right off the bat the floor malted Bohemian Pilsner malt shows off it’s deliciously earthy yet subtly sweet honey and savoury rice cracker qualities. Fused through are the somewhat spicy, herbal and floral notes. Love how the hops impart a particularly disparate earthy tone as it finishes with a soft crisp bitterness and lingering herbal/grassy accents.

Mouthfeel: Very clean, crisp and refreshing. The Co2, mild-moderate body and 5.1% ABV are all dead set spot on.

Overall: An absolute cracker of a Pilsner. We’re still unsure which part of it makes it an “Italian Pilsner” though. Just slapping the Italian translation of Rattenhund on there and calling it Italian doesn’t really cut the mustard . Still a very splendid offering.

Rating:

“Australia’s #1 Pilsner! Rattenhund is the beer that no one asked us to make, but our brewers knew we all needed. It utilises a number of techniques we don’t typically implement across our beers, so it was a fun one to bring to life! Traditionally brewed using Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt, partnered with Saaz and Spalt Select hops. Rattenhund has been fermented by Bluestone Yeast’s Pilsen strain, before an eight week extended lagering. Clear, refreshing with a fluffy, lip smothering head.”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Slightly hazy straw golden pour with a fluffy two finger head forming on top. Good retention and intricate lace work as we imbibe.

Aroma: With all the high alpha new world hops emerging these days it’s very easy to forget about the OG hops. The ones that pretty much grandfather a lot of the hops we enjoy today. And one of the OG’s OG hops is Saaz and it’s featured magnificently in this Pilsner. A nice light grainy malt base features as well – crusty white bread, crackers and mixed seeds.

Flavour: All the classic Saaz qualities upfront – earthy, spicy, herbaceous and floral with the light and grainy malts providing a perfect counter balance. The middle is all about the cereal grains with the earthy tones hanging on for the ride. Fresh cut grass and herbals tailing in late and then helping set up the dry, grassy finish which lingers.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, clean and snappy. Tight Co2, mild-moderate body. The 4.8% ABV is perfectly positioned.

Overall: This is a real surprise package. Their original Pilsner (The Damned) left a little bit to be desired but it seem the brewers have been honing their Pilsner skills. The old Ratdog comes through! Solid offering.

Rating:

“The Brewers’ Rhapsody, the original Bohemian Pilsner. Back from our library of hits, this Pilsner has never missed a beat, pumped up to 11 with Bohemian Pilsner malt and Lashings of Saaz hops, you too will be in rhapsody when you feel the edges of your mouth go up after just one sip. Packed in sleek black 355ml cans the Fandango Bohemian Pilsner is an annual specialty release. This version features art by Melbourne Ale cartoonist Matt Golding with an illustration of how you feel when you are drinking this beer!!!”

Glassware: Flute.

Appearance: Deep golden pour with a slight hop haze. Excellent Co2 activity and a thumb of finely beaded foam perched on top. It drops a sheet of lacing on the glass as it ebbs.

Aroma: We sometimes forget just how good Red Hill are at brewing the European styles. This Bohemian style Pilsner presents brilliantly – solid malt structure i.e rice crackers, semi sweet honey and straw setting the stage for those gorgeous Saaz hops to do their work off of. Definitely floral, a tad herbaceous and spicy as well. Ultra clean yeast profile. Oh yeah this is good.

Flavour: Quite hop forward actually. It comes on with a quick cameo of grainy malts and straw/hay and then the hops/bitterness envelopes the palate. It hits an earthy note as it passes the mid and is further enhanced by a subtle peppery spice and a warming booze burn which only intensifies as it carries into the dry and bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean but slightly bulkier than your typical Pilsner. Mild-medium body, Co2 is spot on. The 6.5% ABV is noticeable but not overpowering.

Overall: We don’t think they’ve strayed far from their OG Pilsner recipe here. Other than a bigger hop profile and ABV it drinks pretty similar…and that’s what we like most about this. Very traditional base but with a new world kick.