"A Pilsner made with ale hops, apparently. Unique"
A bottle of one litre of a 5% ABV beer, being 30 IBU things, and in total about 450 calories in the bottle, and that all makes about 3.94 standard drink units.
Brewed at Behemoth Brewing Company in the style this is of Pilsener and they are in, mysteriously, New Zealand, no town, just "NZ".
[caption id="attachment_10137" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Sun Tan coming along nice[/caption]NZ Pilsner with big NZ flavour and aroma without massive bitterness.
Crisp, sessionable. Dry hopped like an IPA.
What could go wrong with what?
Heavy fruit aroma, like peaches, passionfruit, when I flipped the lid on the bottle, and a gentle hiss.
It really is nicely carbonated and effervescent, the colour is really pale gold, ad the head didn't disappoint, and stays around a bit.
In the glass you get a much more predominant grass aroma nd much sharper sour citrus.
Then you get a confusion of tastes that somehow seem to work or make sense. Although hopped up the bitterness is fairly restrained and den's dominate this in the middle or the finish. You get a tip of tongue hop bitter followed by a clean and refreshing beer.
I find myself wanting to be kinder in my thinking in this, and I'm enjoying it as a refreshing beer that meets my immediate need there doesn't seem to be enough to entertain and engage me.The aroma portends something that isn't delivered in the same way, as if somehow they've dialled down the bitter in the bitterness that is suggested by the hop aroma.
It has an understated 'bite' that you know is familiar to Pilsener beers but it again is more to the front and soft and doesn't carry or give this a lift.
Disappointed? I'm not sure what I was expecting, it's almost like the brewer had hop for beer A and yeasts for beer B and based on science decided in that order it might work. It is drinkable and isn't quirky or confused in the palate. Mostly because there isn't a lot in it. Being really cruel I'd suggest 'thin' of body, length and finish.
I don't like not liking a beer. Beer is wonderful and a thing of great beauty sometimes. Then there is just beer that archives a function, this might be that beer, it's just a beer, no more no less. It might have odd beginnings and ingredients but unless you drink aroma first, because this is full of aroma, then you are going to get a shock because I wanted more 'bite' somewhere, and I didn't get it.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing. It really pains me to consign this to the 'average' level, but if it doesn't do it then it doesn't do it. Session beer? yes totally. Would I do a session with this? In my heart of hearts I know I'd be bored, and although as it warms the hop aroma get stronger for me this didn't translate into the taste or mouthfeel.
The double dip review
- Am I enjoying it? It is sunny, I've been out and about, this has been an enjoyable beer to start my evening and before I get to the cooking the BBQ.
- Would I have another? I don't know that, say compared to the Moa Cologne, that this would win, so no.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? You could sneak this one in, but It isn't a gateway beer for a dyed in the wool commercial beer drinker.
So I'm listening to "The Twilight Sad" who are a Scottish post-punk indie rock band. They have an album "Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave"
This is the lovely "There's a girl in the corner"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8H38U4nZag
The music is all moody and broody a bit like I'm feeling now.
PILSENER
While the definition of "pilsner" is open to much debate in the beer community, it generally refers to pale, hoppy lagers, ranging from 28IBUs and up.
[…] club beer of the week, this time it’s Behemoth “Hopped Up On Pils” I’ve had this from the keg previously, and came away underwhelmed, but I might have been uninformed. Anyway lets go […]
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