Judge’s Review: 94 Rating – Steamworks Pilsner by Steamworks Brewing Co.

German Pils | Year-Round | Canada

By David Sapsis

Judges Rating: 94
Aroma: 23
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 38
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 18

Steamworks Pilsner by Steamworks Brewing Co. is being judged as BJCP style 5D, German Pils. The beer is served in a stange glass at 41oF.
The beer pours a bright gold with faint haze, holding a nice 2-inch frothy head that exhibits excellent stand. Outgassing is modest. The aroma is strongly bready/cracker-like, typical of pilsner malt, with a faint sweetness and floral/nectar like hop touch. No esters are evident; just a refreshing yet rich cracker-floral character that comes off squeaky clean. 
The flavor largely mimics the nose: light-toasted cracker front to a reserved bitterness (~20-25 IBU, estimated) and a brilliant nectar-floral angle that reminds me of elderflower. The late palate shows homage to tradition: a classic dry-herbal/lavender note (usually associated with Hallertauer hops) lends to a long dryness that lasts all the way to the dry and clean finish.  Absolutely delicious! 
The body is medium-light, somewhat fat due to relatively low conditioning for the style. Overall the beer is a delight of balance between pilsner-style malt and floral-herbal hop tones, where the yeast mostly stays out the way. This beer would be fantastic with a spicy meal like citrus-marinated prawns pan fried with red pepper flakes. If you like golden, hop-forward lagers, this example is definitely recommended.