Judge’s Review: 94 Rating – Haładuda Specjal by Otherlands Beer

German Pils | Year-Round | USA

By Brad Darnell

Judges Rating: 94.00
Aroma: 22.00
Appearance: 6.00
Flavor: 38.00
Mouthfeel: 9.00
Overall Impression: 19.00

Haładuda Specjal by Otherlands Beer was judged according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines as Category 5D, German Pilsner, as it closely mimics the characteristics of that style other than the unfiltered nature.
My beer arrives carefully poured in a tall Pilsner glass and is a hazy harvest straw golden color with a thick, rocky off-white head on top, one that persists a while and leaves behind some sticky lacing. Medium sweet grain and biscuit malt are present. A medium, floral hop nose share the initial aromas with a light flinty, minerally character. My first mouthful yields a medium, bright, floral and herbal hop character with medium-low grainy malt and soft mineral character. The hop bitterness is medium-low, but strong enough that the hops win the malt/hop balance debate. The beer finishes quite dry with a lingering floral hop bitterness. Medium-light bodied with medium carbonation and no warmth or astringency.
Back to the aroma, there is some low sulfur character that adds complexity. Overall, the beer is crisp with pleasant hoppiness and rustic charm. While it has a freshness, it does not display the youth indicative of short maturation. Being unfiltered is not an issue in this beer, but in a purely stylistic sense, that is not stylistically accurate. However, I don’t mind, and I think it adds to the beer’s rustic appeal. Bring on the Polish sausages to pair with this!