John Harvards Czech Pilsner

Sampled on draft at the Monroeville PA location this beer poured a yellow-golden color with a large white head. The aroma was spicy saaz hops. The flavor was crisp, spicy, peppery and floral with a moderately sweet malt base. A very nice saaz hop presence.

Poured pretty much flat gold. It had lightnotes of euro malt and a more yeasty complexion on the palate. The finish was crisp and clean.

Draught pint at the Wayne, PA location on 10/06/06.
Rather clear, weak-copper with some light hay and pale-gold tints. Quite a bit of carbonation teeming upwards at first to create a small, white head that is poorly retained and laces in small, irregular patches.
Hops are certainly noticeable in the nose, as they should be, but they seem a touch dry/dusty and not at all as vibrant, grassy and crisp as they should be. Not to say I find any problems with the aroma, no brewing flaws that I can tell. The malt is rather weak, seemingly bogged down a touch by a fair amount of water. Light yeast minerals of nectarines, apples and calcium(?) fiddle about on the finish, but are reserved to the background. A lot of baked hay is what I keep getting, though the yeast notes seem appropriate, if someone underwhelming in their bite.
Too much water/malt ratio is immediately apparent in the mouthfeel and consequently, the flavor, which has a highly attenuated, dry, slightly bready (sourdough or baguette) flavor. More hay and old grassiness from the hops, with an afterthought of bitterness. Too much wateriness and too little flavor to deliver enough of a crispness on the finish. Yeast notes are present, but simply add light, muddled mineral and soft fruit flavors, without any distinct lager yeast bite. As harsh as I sound, it wasn’t all that bad, and I reiterate that there were no brewing flaws. Just not enough malt and not enough flavoring and aroma hops. Wet mouthfeel, somewhat bubbly/prickly carbonation at first, which loosens heavily after warming, contributing to more wateriness. No alcohol noted.

An excellent pils. Slightly sweet and hoppy beer. Easy drinking and a solid option at John Harvard’s if you’re not a fan of darker beers.

Draft at Wayne, PA location. Gold pour, with aroma of malt, some hopcit. Tastes malty, with hopcit, slight fruit at the finish. Medium to light on the palate.

Deepish gold colour. Unassuming aroma, with some pale malt. Slightly perfumed, cosmetic flavour but, in reality, not much happening here. Inoffensive stuff, marginally better than the All American Light Lager. On tap at John Harvard’s, Washington DC.

(DC) Clear pale, golden yellow with a small white head. Aroma: apple, sweet light malts, old hops, mild pear notes, light bread. Taste: Pear, sweet/sour malts, corn, peach, handsoap, mild bread. Watery body.

(DC) Sparkling apple juice body with white head. Aroma is mild -- medium sweet, bread. Taste is medium sweet, grassy, lemon, bread. Water medium body, some acidity, not very crisp.