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John C. Tull's picture

pFriem Pilsner

December, 2016
Judges Rating: 
95
Aroma: 
22 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
38 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
10 / 10
Overall Impression: 
19 / 20

The aroma of this beer is quite clean with notes of grainy malt and noble hops (herbal and earthy). The color is a light straw, exceptionally bright, with a white head that persists as a thin layer over most of the surface. The flavor is led with a grainy malt that is somewhat cracker-like;  herbal noble hop flavors take over and carry through the finish. Bitterness from the hops is assertive relative to the simple malt profile and very clean fermentation. The mouthfeel is medium light, and the carbonation lends a touch of astringency that somewhat accentuates the hop bitterness in the finish. Overall, this is a very good German Pilsner without any oxidation concerns that plague so many imported examples of the style. The beer delivers a clean and crisp flavor, appropriately assertive bitterness, and good noble hops and pilsner malt flavors and aromas that one hopes to find in a German Pilsner. The fresh character of this example is worth seeking out if you desire a high quality example of the style and hanker for a good session beer with European flair.