Göller Original by Brauerei Göller in Zeil am Main, Germany, is being evaluated as a BJCP Category 5D German Pils as per the 2021 BJCP style guidelines. This style is a classic with a distinct bright, crisp and clean character delivered by the pils malt in combination with assertive noble hop rates. This is an example of a beer that would in all likelihood be a much better experience when consumed at the brewery rather than when packaged and distributed overseas. Unfortunately, this example might have suffered on its journey from the brewery. 

The aroma is mild, with a subtle noble hop character and a touch of sweet malt above the slight sulfury note coming from the pils malt. There is a noticeable metallic character and a little cardboardy oxidation in the aroma as well. The brew is a somewhat hazy (for a German Pils) light golden color with a moderate white medium-bubbled head with fair retention.   

The flavor mirrors the aroma quite well. There is a distinct malty sweetness to the beer, with a moderate hop bitterness. However, there is also an oxidation character present that makes the malt character rather flat instead of bright, and the hop bitterness seems a bit coarse and not well married to the malt flavor. Hop flavor is quite low for the style. The sweet malt flavor tends to build into the finish, delivering a somewhat flabby character. The carbonation is moderate, and the body is a light-medium. 

Overall, this appears to be an example of a beer that suffers from oxidation, muting many of the attractive characters normally seen in a German Pilsner. You can tell that German Pils elements are there – they’ve just been muted and masked. It is difficult to say whether the beer’s packaging in a swing top might have allowed some of the beer degradation due to oxidation to occur. Undoubtedly, this beer, when fresh, would perform much better.