Old Gold

Old Gold by Grain Theory is being judged according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, Category 5D – German Pils.

The glass arrives with a nearly clear dark golden orange beer and a small bubbly white that persists as a thin and patchy topping. The initial aroma is medium-high grainy and doughy sweet malt with soft spicy Noble hop character. The flavor starts out with the medium-high grainy malt carried over from the flavor and exhibits some medium spicy hops beside the rich malt. A dry finish with lingering hops completes the initial evaluation.

Going back to the aroma, light sulfur notes emerge with some agitation as does a bit of green grassy acetaldehyde underneath, the latter of which should not be present. No additional aroma characteristics are discernable. With the additional agitation, the head resets briefly before receding again, this time faster than initially. In subsequent sips, I acknowledge the aforementioned acetaldehyde and a soft sour note, though the rich malt maintains its dominance in the flavor. This sample is medium-bodied with light carbonation that is somewhat accentuated by the spicy hop character.

This beer has a rich malt base to build upon, but it needs to stay on the yeast longer to clean up the acetaldehyde noted herein.