Free State Fireside Imperial Pils

growler - thanks bvc!! clear gold with light carbonation and trace white head; stale malt, grainy and nutty; lemon and grass in the flavors too; slightly metallic on the finish; eh

Had on tap at the brewpub while visiting the university. More hoppy than impy - disappointing, but drinkable and tasty.

Tap @ the brewpub. Pours a completely clear dark golden color with a small but strong head. Aroma has a bit of that pilsner crispness but the alcohol overtakes it. It also has some heavy citrus hop notes. Taste has some more grassy hops coming through and a heavier pils crispiness. But otherwise, for an "Imperial" its pretty easy drinking.

On tap at Free State during the 20th anniversary. Pours a crystal clear, pale yellow body with some rising carbonation. Big, fluffy, cloud white head that dissipates slowly and remains very lacy. Nice looking pils. Aroma is pretty bland. Some pale maltiness, a hint of straw hops, and a bit of a sugary sweet backing. Flavor is very sweet and malty. Very light amount of straw hops throughout as well as in the aftertaste. Some caramel in there too. Palate is light to medium and a little chewy. Overall, I’ve never really been a huge fan of the imperial pils. I think a pils is meant to be light, crisp, and refreshing. The imperial-ness seems to take away from the style. I guess what I’m saying is that this is a solid beer, but the style isn’t one of my favorites. I definitely appreciate the brewpub’s attempt, however.

Draft at the brewery. Gently sweet, pale malt aroma, some mildly spicy, grassy and even a bit vegetal hop character, some faint pepper in the background. Clear light-medium golden color, head is white and sparse but leaves some nice lacing. Flavor parts is nearly equal parts sweet and bitter, with sugary, nearly malt-liquorish maltiness (much cleaner and more organic, though, of course, than your standards of that breed) meeting leafy, spicy, herbal hops in no insignificant amount, finish seems to be unable to hide a brief flourish of alcohol. Truly comes off as an amped-up Pils, but not in an unrefined manner, although it does seem to have an aura of danger about it, heh.

Growler, special thanks to my Lawrence, KS source Karrianne, our wayward son. Lighter in color than I was expecting from the description, but even more golden than your traditional pils -- if that’s possible. Great mouthfeel and a nice dose of malt on the tongue. Turns out to be a clean, satisfying session beer. If I have to have a pils (not my favorite style) this one works.

Growler. Thanks, BVC, Theisti, the academy, et al. Beautiful dark honey gold. Thin white head. Odd old wet grass nose. Light, cottony, watery body. Slightly sour old rotting grass on the mid-palate. Mild resiny finish.

Growler shared by theisti. Thanks for sharing this one with me, Tim. Pours a bright, clear gold with a small, creamy, off-white head and wispy lace. The nose is of bready/toasty pilsner malt with piny hops in support. Medium-bodied and slick with a tight, bitter finish. Round, bready malt with a tight, bitter, "green"/piny hop finish. Interesting stuff. It’s the most pilsner-like of all the "imperial pilsners" that I’ve sampled, but I think I would rather just drink a low-gravity version of the real thing.