Herold 14° (Bohemian Bronze Lager)

Brewed by Pivovar Herold
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Breznice, Czech Republic

Draught. Faintly roasted aroma. Clear very dark chestnut colour. Good stable tan head. The flavour starts off nicely roasted, turning malty, sweet and then spicy. Flavourful and very well balanced.

(500ml bottle) Clear apple juice body with small white head. Aroma is medium sweet, apple juice, cereal, light dough. Taste is moderately sweet, apple, some spice, grass. Watery light-medium body.

A Sim rate (Bottle at JDW): Sweet and malty aroma with no lager bitterness. Birght golden colour. Very fizzy with steady, thin head and dribs and drabs of lace. Disappointing flavour after a sweet aroma. Bitter finish.

A wonderful amber/bronze colour with a large white head. A hoppy taste with a hint of fruit. Very good aftertaste with a relative sweetness.

(Bottle) Pours a clear golden body with a creamy white head. Aroma of florals, herbs, and mustiness. Flavor of grassy hops and metallic with a dry, bitter finish.

Bottle (from Pivni Galerie in Prague): Deep golden colour, thin fluffy white head, long lasting; malty and also a bit fruity nose with a tinge of bitterness and some alcoholic notes; the initial full-bodied sweetness quickly moves into a dry, sharp, bitter aftertaste; robust, but not well rounded, alcohol not well hidden......Kind of unharmonic.....

The Lure:
A russet/amber gown with gold highlights surprises somewhat, and is crowned by a throne of foam, with nice lacing abilities. Highly mineral effusions shock the nose, which fails to notice the grassy hops and caramel sweetness in the first few dives. Almost eggy, this aroma is very problematic and worrying.

The Festivities:
Round caramel and honey malts surround the wise grassy, wooden hops. No sign of the terrible metallic minerals, thankfully. Interesting bitter/sweet balance is showcased in the ample body. The big-bubbled carbonation gives me the impression that the flavors aren’t that cohesive, even if the gooseberry fruitiness tries very hard to meld the sweet malt and the serious hops. I would definitely go for their regular Svetlé 12% instead of this half polotmavé/half svetlé, even if I forget about the aroma debacle.

Transcendence:
High expectations can spoil surprises.

(bottle) Clear & deep golden colour with a medium foamy white head. Malty aroma, slightly toasted with caramel. Full malty flavour and taste with a slight touch of citrus and a lasting bitterdry hoppy finish.