The Beer Critic

Brewery Website: http://www.lefthandbrewing.com

Type of Beer: Pilsner Lager

Alcohol Content: 5.5%

Beer Review -

Appearance: Right out of the gate this beer looks refreshing with its clear, bright, gold color and fluffy, bright white head. The two-to-three finger head stuck around for quite a while before finally settling to a sticky film that left a trail of beautiful lacing down to the last sip.

Smell: The aroma is what you would expect from a well made German pilsner; sweet, clean and slightly hoppy. Some sweet bready malts come through first followed closely behind with a nice bit of grass-like hops. The smell is clean and refreshing with just enough hop spice to make things interesting.

Initial Taste: The taste mimics the smell perfectly with an upfront sweetness giving way to the earth hops. The malty sweetness is pretty light and is reminiscent of sweet bread and biscuits. The malt is balanced by an earthy/grass-like hoppiness that creates a crisp, dry finish that begs you to come back for more.

Thoughts: This beer is the product of the ever creative Left Hand Brewing Company located in Colorado that in 2007 took home the bronze metal at the North American Beer awards (pretty cool!). It’s easy to see why this refreshing pilsner is award winning. The flavor is skillfully crafted to be subtly sweet and yet refreshingly hoppy making this a light, crisp, dry beer that ranks among the best session beers I’ve had the chance to review. I will no doubt be stocking my fridge this summer with lots of Polestar (and how cool is the name?). But don’t fear, even though this is probably the perfect beer for the summer heat this masterful lager is among their “perennial” beers meaning it’s available all year round. So the next time you have a bbq or make a pot a chili or just need something to combat the seemingly never-ending heat of summer, check out Polestar. You won’t regret it. Cheers!

Brewery Website: www.oskarblues.com

Type of Beer: Czech Pilsener

Alcohol Content: 5.3%

Beer Review -

Appearance: Pours a hazy, bright yellow-gold with brilliant, white one-finger head that settles to a white film leaving behind beautiful lacing. VERY attractive pils!

Smell: Nice, clean smell. Some lemon citrus with soft yeasts and biscuit malts.

Initial Taste: Tastes like how a pilsner beer should taste. Sweet taste up front with a soft hop bite. Light malt and light hop make this a very easy to drink beer. The finish is very clean and ever so slightly bitter…begging you to drink more.

Thoughts: Another home run by those can-happy beer wizards at Oskar Blues Grill and Brewery. It’s one thing to make such delicious craft beer but to put it in a can as well? Crazyness. With Mama’s Little Yalla Pils these guys have created a pilsner (or spelled pilsener) beer in the tradition of the original pilsner from Pilsen, Czech Republic. Unlike mass market “pilsners” diluted with corn & rice, Mama’s Little Pils is made with 100% pale malt, German specialty malts, and Bavarian hops. Pilsners have always been my favorite style of beer. Pilsners are usually lightly flavored, refreshing, crisp and very easy to drink making them the perfect session beer. Oskar Blue’s pilsner delivers on these points with perfection. If you are a fan of this style of beer you are doing yourself a huge disservice by not running out and getting yourself a can of this golden deliciousness. Don’t fear the can!

Type of Beer: Pilsner

Alcohol Content: 4.40%

Beer Review -

Appearance: Pours a beautiful golden orange with pure white head. Good lacing.

Smell: Soft hoppiness with subtle bread and citrus notes.

Initial Taste: Perfect mix of crisp hops and smooth malt. Finishes with a nice dry bitterness that makes you want more.

Thoughts: This beer is special as it is the original Pilsner beer. Most lagers made in the rest of the world are based upon this delicious brew. I recommend this beer to anyone who is looking for a refreshing, crisp, session beer. Enjoy!