Dogfish Head Piercing Pils

Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American-style Pilsner/Fruit Beer, 6.0% 
Reported IBUs: 35

I love Pilsners. About Dogfish Head:

Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.

The Piercing Pils has serious potential to carve a niche as a moderate-gravity, easy-drinking beer. This "Perry-Pils hybrid" is a "Czech Style Pilsner" that is brewed with white pear tea and pear juice. The juice and tea are added in the kettle during the whirlpool after the boil. This one also features Amarillo and Saaz hops. 

Dogfish Head Piercing Pils

The beer pours into a dark golden body, kicking up three fingers of thick, dense, white head. The head falls off slowly, leaving lots of lacing. The body is transparent, with moderate, mid-sized bubbles rising upwards. 

The aroma features huge floral notes, white tea, Saaz spice, Noble hop character, light citrus, peach, pears, apple slaw salad, wet rain, grass, white peach, kumquats, and big underlying biscuit/toast/cracker from the Pils malts and Pilsner base.

The taste follows the aroma appropriately, with big Saaz spice and floral notes, mild citrus from the Amarillo, and big peaches, white tea, kumquats, pears, and slaw salad from the tea. The back end of the beer drops giant Pils malts on your palate, with huge cracker and biscuit. The finish is bitter with lingering cracker/biscuit, mineral water, and lingering bitter/dry grassy hops.

This is light-bodied, refreshing, and crisp with lots of carbonation. I almost wish it was a bit lighter than 6.0%, because that's a hefty enough ABV that drinking a few of these will get you drunk. Palate depth is good, and complexity is good too: up front is big Saaz and Amarillo hops; the mids roll into peaches, pear, pear juice, white tea; the back end dials up big cracker and biscuit, lingering hop bitterness, Pils malts, and a dry Pilsner finish.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is super quaffable and would make a great Spring or Summer brew. The Saaz and Amarillo hops play off the subtle white tea flavors, and the beer works. I think the base could stand out a little more, but I'm not sure how you'd go about integrating that....I don't get the hate for this beer. It's just a well-crafted, above-average Pilsner. Food pairings: meats with peanut sauces (think chicken satay with peanut sauce), grilled chicken, sushi, white fish, pizza, white pasta, fish tacos, pork tacos. Good stuff.

Random Thought: I hate Sunday nights.

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts
Purchased: 12oz bottle from the Sam Adams Summer Styles, from Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2012
Style/ABV: Bohemian Pilsener, 4.9%

Continuing with the Sam Adams' 2012 Summer Styles mix-pack, tonight I'll be drinking their Noble Pils. Before we get started, let me give some props to Sam Adams:

Samuel Adams was founded in 1984 by Jim Koch, and currently the Boston Beer Company is the largest American-owned beer company in the United States. Sam Adams is also the largest craft brewer in America, with over a million barrels of beer being produced annually. You can check out the Sam Adam's website for more info.

Sam Adams gives plenty of information about the Noble Pils on the beer's profile page. The Noble Pils is a beer brewed with 5 Noble hops for a big hop character and fresh taste. The beer is described as deep gold, with citrus hop aromas, and big citrus, floral, and piney hop notes balanced by honeyed malts. Clocking in at 4.9% ABV and 34 IBUs, this beer packs around 170 calories per bottle. This beer uses Sam Adams' two-row pale malt and Czech pilsner malt, as well as Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz, and Hersbrucker Noble hops. Noble hops tend to be aromatic, a little more moderate or mild, slightly spicy, and earthy. 

If you roll over to the BJCP, you can get some idea of what to expect from a Bohemian Pilsener. They don't give much in the way of history though, just noting that this was a style first brewed in 1842. Fortunately, on the Noble Pils' profile page, Sam Adams gives a brief history of the style. They state that the Czech Republic has a lengthy history of brewing beer that dates back to the 12th century. In 1842, a brewer in the town of Plzen created a unique beer brewed with newly available pale malts, Czech Saaz hops, and bottom-fermenting lager yeat. The beer was a sharp contrast from the dark ales of the day, with a pale and clear color, and a refreshing profile. The beer became known as a pilsner from the name of the town where it was created. And that's pilsner history 101, I guess. At some point I'll expand upon that history...but right now, let's get on with the review. 

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

The beer pours with 3-fingers of white, thick head. The head dissolves into a nice thin coating, leaving some nice lacing on the glass. In low light this beer is a yellow/gold color, but when held to good lighting this is clearly a transparent, yellow/straw/pale beer. There is quite a bit of carbonation rising upwards in the form of small bubbles. My prognosis: effervescent.

The aroma on this is all hops...but not like "FUCK YOU! POW!" citrus hops that you get with an American Pale Ale or IPA. These are crisp, refreshing, earthy hops. I'm pulling out lemon, coriander, grass, a hint of spice (maybe black pepper?), earthy, spicy floral, and a hint of honey from the malts. There's maybe a twang of buttery-ness in the nose, but overall you get those huge (but mild) Noble hops.

The taste is a lovely follow-through, with really mild earthiness, slight spiciness, crisp, refreshing, and then a slightly grainy, buttery finish with hints of honey. I'm tasting hints of lemon peel, grass, hints of faded orange, some honey, slight buttery notes, and that pleasant mild bitterness you get from the Noble hops. 

This has moderate carbonation that supports the beer wonderfully. This is super drinkable at 4.9% ABV, and is very crisp and refreshing. Let's call this medium-light. This has great palate depth, great complexity, and a finish that is just a hint bitter, and just a hint dry, with some lingering notes of grain/butter. Up front you get carbonation, hops, a hint of black pepper; the middle is floral, spicy, and earthy hops; the finish is lingering hops with some grain and butter. Borat says, very nice.

Rating: Divine Brew

I'm feeling a light Divine Brew rating on this. I mean this is good stuff right here. Super hoppy, but very crisp, refreshing, mild, and pleasant. This is a great beer to session, and you could pair this beer with virtually any food. I'm thinking pizza, burgers, or even something like fish or chicken. This is one of Sam Adams better beers, and one of my favorites from them. I had this beer last year, and really enjoyed it, and I'm digging it this year. I'd definitely consider picking up a 6-pack of this stuff, and I hope Sam Adams keeps brewing their Noble Pils. With that said...this is a great addition to the 2012 Summer Styles. So until next time, don't drink and Czech.