Pike Pils by Pike Brewing Co. was judged as a German Pils under BJCP category 5D.
Big New World hop aromatics jump out of the glass. Pineapple and pine character are then joined by a little spicy and floral hop notes. The grainy pilsner malt is present at just slightly lower levels than the hops. A touch of sulfur is noted at appropriate levels for a Pils. The beer pours a brilliantly clear gold with a nice creamy white head that drops down a little too quickly to a thin ring. The New World hops show up in the flavor as well leaning a little more toward the lemony citrus varieties. Pronounced bitterness is firm and rounded. A nice toasty cracker and grainy malt blends in for a really nice counter to the hops. A touch of sulfur is noted mid-palate. Medium dry and crisp finish. More lemony and floral hops linger in the aftertaste. Medium-light body with moderately high levels of carbonation and just a touch of prickling on the tongue.
This is an Americanized German Pilsner. It reads just like a classic example of a German Pils with a big dose of New World hops replacing the noble varieties. The malt base provides just the right counter to the firm bitterness. While the noble hop character is an essential aspect of a classic German Pils, this one still seems to have a German soul. Perhaps, some will protest to the classification or my acceptance of the hop choices but I really find this beer has more in common with German beer styles than it does with American lagers. If you love a great German Pils and can accept the Americanization of a classic, you will love Pike Pils.