Penn Kaiser Pils

Brewed by Pennsylvania Brewing Company
Style: Pilsener
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

I tried this Pils last evening at the Penn Brewery and personally found it outstanding. It’s a shame they don’t bottle this beer or even offer growlers to go...yet. The malts had noticeable hints of honey that were perfectly balanced with the aromatic hops. The aftertaste lingered pleasantly. I need more!

Poured from bottle into Pilsner glass. Pale, clear gold with some head and lacing. Expected look for a Pils, but needed more head retention. Aroma of bready malts and some noble hops. Smells fresh but a little too mild. Slightly sweet bready malts countered by a nice touch of spice bitterness. Bitterness is pretty low overall, but has a metallic bite to it. Very crisp and perfectly balanced - fantastic. Maybe this is more like a Southern German Pils (Bavaria), as I am used to the lighter, drier, more bitter Northern German Pils. Moderately high carbonation, medium body (fuller than I expect for a German Pils), somewhat dry finish. Perhaps the most drinkable Pilsner I have had, likely due to the perfect balance.

I question the wisdom of bottling a pils in foil-topped 750s, but whatever - I don’t always like beers from this brewer, but this beer is severely underrated - pours a perfectly clear gold, with a soapy, lasting lace - nice, medium sweet malt backbone in the aroma, with grassy noble hops, lemon peel - dry, crisp, potent hop bitterness up front, that gets more and more peppery as the flavor progresses - a bit of sweetness arrives in the middle, with some bready but clean/lean malty character - gets grassy and herbal as those hops increase in spiciness - very crisp, clean, and refreshing - the hop profile is, perhaps, a bit too strong, but this is a mighty fine pils - this should be available in six packs.

Growler #2 for the night. Pale golden, lightly hazy appearance and a thick, very sticky white head. Aroma is really nice. Fresh bready/doughy pils malt. A kiss of light sulfury character on the nose as well. A light floral/zesty hoppy nose as well. Nice balance of hops and malts with the flavour showing good balance as well. Soft pils malt, bready and just a little bit dusty. Lingering herbal bitterness. It’s a really nice, fresh tasting pils.

750ml bottle, uncorked. Cloudy light golden-yellow color, with a nice moderate head. Judging from the slight rust marks around the bottle cap, I’d assume this one isn’t hyper fresh. Nonetheless, it is certainly still on point. Lemony eastern-euro pils aroma. Fully agree with JJPM74, there is some apple flavor in there. It’s good, but so light and sessionable that I think it should be sold in 6-packs, not 750s. Very true to style, like most Penn beers. Light yeasty notes, very well balanced.

Bottle. Aroma of lemon, leafy and perfumy hops, earthy malt. Flavor has strong edges of bitterness around the semi-sweet, pale, lightly earthy malt. Very nice.

Bottle. Pours a clear very pale yellow with a foamy white head that leaves nice lacing. Aroma of light sweet fruits, wheat malt, and grassy hops. Flavor is much of the same--wheat malt, grassy and floral hops. Nice light fruity sweetness with a tinge of hops. Nice refreshing pilsener.

After a trip to Pittsburgh, I’m convinced that Penn is one of the premiere lager breweries in the US. Dry and crackery, citrus zing, esteric, sturdy dry malt backbone, a formidable lawnmower beer. Sturdy bittering. can’t beat this in the Penn biergarten on a sunny August afternoon.