Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp 2014: Torpedo Pilsner Hoppy Pilsner (brewed with Firestone Walker Brewery Company in Paso Robles, California)

Brewed By: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California 
Purchased: Single 12oz bottle from the 2014 Beer Camp bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2014 (PKG 05/29/14)
Style/ABV: Belgian Pale Ale, 5.2%

Reported IBUs: 45

What is Beer Camp? It is Sierra Nevada's celebration of craft beer and the numerous breweries across America that make that craft beer. For 2014, Sierra Nevada collaborated with 12 different breweries to make 12 different beers. They also have a Beer Camp Across America Beer Festival, which will stop at seven different cities and feature many different breweries and beers.

About Sierra Nevada:

Sierra Nevada are one of the big players in craft brewing, and one of the first craft breweries to arrive on the craft beer scene. If you check out their history page, you will see that founder Ken Grossman began his quest to build a brewery in 1976. In 1980, Ken Grossman and co-founder Paul Camusi brewed their first batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. According to Wikipedia, Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best selling craft beer behind Boston Lager. Sierra Nevada is the sixth largest brewing company in the United States as well, cranking out over 750,000 barrels in 2010. For more info, check out their website.

The hoppy Torpedo Pilsner Hoppy Pilsner is a collaboration with the fine folks at Firestone Walker Brewing. My bottle reads: "Torpedo Pilsner is a hop-forward take on the crisp, classic lager. We and the folks at Firestone Walker share a passion for New Zealand hop varietals, so we loaded our legendary Hop Torpedo with the southern hemisphere's finest hops for a fruity, floral twist on the Pilsner style."

This one pours a pale yellow color, and has good depth of color throughout. This is transparent if not slightly hazy, with fat carb popping away. I kicked up 3-plus fingers of dense, sustaining, white head. There is some lacing as well.

Torpedo Pilsner Hoppy Pilsner

The aroma here is clean and sweet. I'm getting sweet Pilsner malts up the butt. It smells like an adjunct lager. There are grassy and floral hops in the mix as well. DAE lawn mow? Constrained biscuit and cracker show up, like when you are constipated and prairie-dog it deep in your colon but nothing comes out. There are also some faint, non-descript fruity notes. 

Wow. The taste is a real contrast from the aroma, with candy-like hops firing off melon and sweet lemon candied notes. This is fruity with candy berries, dusty citrus, sweet tarts, and layers of dust and dry candy hop notes on light biscuit and cracker malts. This is super sweet. The hops here are floral as well, with dusty flowers and candy in the house. Fantastic.

Now this is a fun twist on the Pilsner style. This is light-bodied and super drinkable, but the balance is shifted towards dusty, candy-like hops. Palate depth is good, and this is complex for the style. Up front: sweet malts give way to sweet tarts and candy hops; the mids roll into grassy and dusty candy hops with some biscuit/cracker; the back end lingers with lemon bitterness. Good.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this...this is a very original take on the style, and what this variety pack should be about. Food pairings here are one and only one: pizza. That's it.

Random Thought: Transcribing notes after the fact suuuucks. So does not having Internet for a week.

New Glarus Two Women Lager

Brewed By: New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Woodman's in Kenosha, WI; 2013

Style/ABV: German Pilsener, 5.0% 

Reported IBUs: ?

More New Glarus? Yup. About New Glarus:

New Glarus is the rare, gorgeous "Midwest" brewery, founded in 1993 by Deborah Carey, the first woman to found and operate a brewery in the United States. She raised the capital for the start-up as a gift to her husband, Dan Carey, who is New Glarus' brewmaster and co-owner. Dan Carey has a long history working in the brewing industry, including an apprenticeship at a brewery near Munich, Germany and a job as the Production Supervisor for Anheuser-Busch. The brewery began as an abandoned warehouse using old brewpub equipment. In 1997, Dan Carey purchased coper kettles from a brewery in Germany. In May 2006, New Glarus opened their new (current) facility on a hilltop in the village of New Glarus. The facility looks like a Bavarian village, and is gorgeous. The expansion has allowed the brewery to continue to increase their production, and expand their operations. For more information, check out their brewery page or Wikipedia. 

The Two Women Lager is probably a nod to the kind-of-ugly but kind-of-hot women Packers fans you find all over the fabulous state of Wisconsin. Two might be even better than one, or maybe not. In the beer's description, New Glarus references women brewers of days gone by as this beer's inspiration, including Sumerian women, Viking Women, and European Ale Wives, but I'm still going with that conflicting cheese head threesome. I need to reinforce sexist e-stereotypes while alienating a potential woman audience. This collaboration brew (New Glarus Brewing and Weyermann Malting) is described as being a classic "country Lager" brewed with floor malted Bohemian malt (Google that shit) and Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops. Some people would dub this beer a German Pilsner or Pilsener if you like Bohemian grammatical dick wizardry. 

New Glarus Two Women Lager

This beer pours darker than I was expecting. The body is a dark amber/caramel color, and the beer kicks up a finger or two of amber-tinted head. The body is transparent, and large carbonation bubbles stream upwards. In bright light, the beer takes on a dark gold/bronze color. Head retention is good, and there is some lacing. 

The aroma is reminiscent of a Pilsner, though I'm getting some additional hop kick and some Lager-yeast-spice. Maybe I'm just blinded by cognitive Christmas bias, but I'm getting some floral hops in here that remind me of pine, evergreen, and juniper. There's also a biscuit/grain character on the nose, and some Lager-yeast spice. Honey/sweet as well.

The taste mirrors the nose, with sweet malts, honey, and some nice evergreen/juniper hops. This is sweet, with the malts/honey almost hitting grape, apple, and saffron. The water has a little bite, and the beer is nicely attenuated.

So personal preference here...I like my Pilsners a bit more bready, dry, and less sweet. This is a rustic beer, and lives up to its "country lager" name. It's not bad, and the sweetness is not cloying. To me, it tastes about par the course. Palate depth is okay, complexity is okay. This is light-bodied with good carbonation, but for my preference it's a bit sweet. You get sweet malts up front with a crisp hop bite and some fruits; that rolls into some grain and more sweet malts, there's a kiss of hops/fruit; the back end trails off with some hops and sweet malts, and it finishes sweet and dry.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. Like the women of Wisconsin, there's an allure, but it's buried beneath a cheese head hat and an extra 45 pounds. Sure, it's cheap and easy, but the aftermath is a little too sweet and sticky. Also, fuck the Packers. Food pairings: a rustic beer calls for rustic chicken and potatoes, or any countryside dish. This beer also seems like it would pair well with all the Swiss food you can get in New Glarus. I don't hate this beer, but I'd only seek it out in a mix pack, and not as a solo venture.

Random Thought: I think that just about does it for tonight. Four down...many more to go. 

Southern Tier Eurotrash Pilz

Brewed By: Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, New York
Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in Illinois; 2013

Style/ABV: Pilsner, 5.2%

Reported IBUs: ?

I've had a bad cold all week, which has prohibited me from enjoying beer. It's a shame really...I guess it's a week of recovery. Seriously though, fuck colds. Oh yeah, we are doing boring Pilsner reviews now. About Southern Tier.

Southern Tier Brewing Company is based out of Lakewood, New York. The brewery was founded in 2002 by Phineas DeMink and Allen "Skip" Yahn. Using equipment purchased from the old Saddleback Brewing Co., the company began production with the vision of reviving traditional small batch brewing to the region. By 2003, the brewery was distributing their small batch ales, and by 2005 their sales covered New York and Pennsylvania. Before the brewery had any seasonal beers, it produced a Pilsner, Mild Ale, and IPA. Due to popularity, in 2009 a 20,000 square foot facility was built to allow for the brewing of large-scale beers. Since then, Southern Tier has continued to expand, and continued to invest in better equipment to keep up with the increasing demand for their beer. You can read more about Southern Tier's history on their history page.

The season is right, and this is a seasonal release. The Eurotrash Pilz is an American-style Pilsner brewed with 2 varieties of hops, and 2 types of malts. This one is billed as a transition beer between Winter and Spring, with a January release. This beer was originally brewed to propagate yeast for Southern Tier's Farmer's Tan. 

Southern Tier Eurotrash Pilz

This is a photogenic beer...I love the pink bottle label. This one pours a nice golden-straw color, with a finger or two of fluffy, white head. Head retention is nice. In bright light, you can see that this beer is pretty clearly transparent, and there's a lot of big carbonation bubbles streaming upwards. Good looking stuff. 

The aroma is nice, with light Pils grain, honey, graham cracker/cereal, light pizza dough, light mineral crispness, and some grassy/floral hops.

This is a tasty beer, with a little mineral/sulfur bite, big biscuit/cracker, light pizza dough, and some nice hop bitterness. The hop profile is floral and grassy. The whole thing is very clean, with lingering bitterness and a hint of mineral bite. There's a touch of honey.

I'd call this stupid drinkable, with a light to medium-light mouthfeel. The beer is supported by high carbonation, and finishes lightly bitter, clean, and dry. Palate depth is good, complexity is good. You get hops/mineral up front, followed by big biscuit/cracker/dough, some grain/pils malt; that rolls into honey, sweet malt, more biscuit; the back end has grassy hops, a hint of lemon, and dries out. Nice stuff.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this...it's a little sweet, but overall, it's quite drinkable and has a nice hoppy/dry finish. It's not going to blow you away, but pair this beer with pizza and you will be in heaven. You can also munch on some nuts with it like I was doing during the hockey game last night. I think a sixer of this is like 10 bucks, which isn't bad compared to some of the comparable macro swill you can find. Also, 5.2% is on the higher end for a Pilsner. All-in-all, I would recommend.

Random Thought: So the crosstown classic is this week (Cubs vs. Sox), and I'm surprised to hear people talking about it at work. I know this series and rivalry is usually something to look forward to, but honestly? Both teams suck ass this year. Both teams are a train wreck. There is nothing to care about regarding this series. Drunk Cubs fans vs. bitter Sox fans...who cares. On the other hand, it looks like hockey might hold us over til near football season. 

Half Acre Pony Pilsner

Brewed By: Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 16oz CAN from a 4-pack bought at Half Acre in Chicago, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Pilsner, 5.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

You know what's awesome about having Half Acre in Chicago? It's that I get to buy their Pony Pilsner and drink a beer that is substantially better than BudMillerCoorsYuengling. Yup, I said it. About Half Acre:

The Half Acre Beer Company was founded in October 2006, which is young for craft beer in general, but great for the local Chicago scene. The founders of Half Acre started out by working with the Sand Creek Brewery in Black River Falls in Wisconsin. They eventually developed their Half Acre Lager, and began distributing and selling it in Chicago during the August of 2007. The beer was successful enough that Half Acre was able to buy out a space in the Bucktown area of Chicago. With continuing sales, Half Acre was eventually able to purchase equipment from Ska Brewing Co. and moved to their current location on Lincoln Avenue on the north side of Chicago. Half Acre has been brewing at their Chicago location since 2009, and seems to be really expanding in both amount of distribution and popularity. Check out the full story HERE, and check out their website for a low-down on all their beers and info. 

If you roll over to the Pony Pilsner Page, you can see that this beer is a take on the classic German Pilsner. This beer uses German hops to provide a "crisp awakening" for your summer needs. Clocking in at 5.8%, this is a drinkable, tasty beer.

Half Acre Pony Pilsner

This one pours a lemony-straw-yellow color, with a lively and spritzy bright white head. I kicked up two finger's worth of head, and there's some nice lacing. A thin coating of head is hanging around. 

The aroma on this is super floral, with big lemons, lemon zest, biscuit/cracker, grass, and bready/cereal malts. 

This is light, crisp, smooth, and refreshing. It has nice cutting carbonation, huge cracker/grain/cereal/biscuit, bitter lemon, floral, and earthy/UK-style hops, and a nice mineral edge. 

There's not a lot to talk about here, but for the style, this has a light mouthfeel, nice carbonation, and a wonderfully dry finish. The palate depth and complexity are good for the style, and there is really nice dryness in the back. The bitter finish is lovely too. At 5.8%, this one goes down easy and is super smooth drinking.

Rating: Divine Brew

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. This is a great American interpretation of a German Pilsner. One of the better ones...one of the ones that is readily available in the Chicago-land area. This is actually one of my favorite beers from Half Acre, and this beer pairs well with pizza, burgers, pasta, wings, and whatever else you can throw at it. It's also super cheap...and comes in awesome 16oz cans. What could you possibly hate about this beer? It does everything it's supposed to, and it does it with style.

Random Thought: People always complain about the lack of drinkable, lighter-style beers being made by American breweries. Well, here is one. Sure, this beer packs about 20 times the hop flavor as Budweiser or Yuengling, but you know what? It's not that hoppy. The main character is the biscuit/cracker malt, and it's awesome. Pair this beer with pizza and tell me you aren't in heaven. Do it.

Radeberger Pilsner

Brewed By: Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei (Oetker Group) in Radeberg, Germany 

Purchased: 1 Pint 0.9oz bottle (16.9oz) from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2012

Style/ABV: German Pilsner, 4.8%

Today we are cracking open a German Pilsner from Radeberger. The Radeberger website is fucking horrendous. It rapes you with a terrible flash intro, and I don't know what happens next and I don't care to find out. Strike one for their shitty website. According to Wikipedia, Radeberger started back in 1872 under Zum Bergkeller, where he founded the brewer in the town of Radeberg. Radeberger ranges number 9 among Germany's best selling breweries. Radeberger was the first brewery in Germany to brew their beer exclusively in the Pilsner style. In 2004, the Oetker Gruppe purchased the company and made Radeberger private. According to Wikipedia, Radeberger appears to be the favorite beer of Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men. That last tidbit of trivia is more useful than the Radeberger website, which is saying a lot.

If you roll over to the German Beer Institute, you can get the breakdown of the Pils style, but there's not much to it:

"Pils is arguably the most successful beer style in the world. Nine out of ten beers drunk in the worldtoday are made according to the Pilsner style or a style directly derived from it. Pils is a very blond, brilliantly clear, moderately effervescent lager, modeled largely after a beer style invented in 1842 in the Czech city of Pilsen. Pils is often strongly hopped with an assertive up-front bitterness bite. It emerged in the north of Germany. Perhaps the classic representation of the style is Jever Pils, a beer from a small town by the same name. Jever Pils is being imported into the United Sates and is available in many parts of the country."

I'll maybe go into the history some other time, but the writeup the German Beer Institute provides is very good. If you check out the BJCP guidelines for the German Pilsner (2A. German Pilsner (Pils)), you'll see they describe this as a beer with a light, grain, Pils malt character, with some hints of flowery spice, or noble hops. This should be a clean beer with no fruity esters or diacetyl. Let's glass this beer up and see if it's any better than their website.

Radeberger Pilsner

The beer pours with a nice 3-finger's worth of white head. The head is surprisingly fluffy and foamy, and it's hanging around. The beer has a pale golden color (not captured very accurately by my picture), and you can see quite a bit of carbonation rising upwards from the transparent body. In bright light, the beer looks about the same....there is some lacing, and I'm fairly impressed with head retention, which is dominating the American Macro Lager style.

The aroma on this is grainy Pils malt, a hint of snappy biscuit, refreshing cleanness, a hint of honey and biscuit, and some faint and grassy Noble hops.

The taste on this is pretty nice, with a clean profile that doesn't have any terrible off flavors or skunk. Jeez, what a kind thing to say about a beer. "It doesn't taste like ass!" But seriously, this has a nice bready/biscuit/dough/cracker thing going on, with some zesty hop astringency, a lttile bit of grass, a hint of citrus, and a little bit of fruity/green apple. This has a dry, malty finish, with those Pils malts standing out nicely.

This is really clean, refreshing, drinkable stuff. At 4.8%, you can session this. Palate depth is great for the style, complexity is also solid, and the mouthfeel is medium-light. Up front is some Pils malt, grain, bread, honey; this rolls into hop astringency, grass; this rolls into more grain, Pils malt, and some more hops goodness. The finish is dry and biscuity. You do get that hard water thing, the Pils malts stand out, and some green apple runs through.

Rating: Above-Average  

I'm feeling a Decent Above-Average on this. There's not much to complain about here...or discuss for that matter. This is a solid Pilsner, and an enjoyable if not surprisingly more complex beer than I was expecting. You could pair this with potatoes and sausage, fish, Japanese food and sushi, or even peppery chicken. Good stuff.

Random Thought: Fuck you Phillip Rivers. You got the Peyton treatment.