Sudwerk Pilsner

Brewed by Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch
Style: Classic German Pilsener
Davis, California USA

Light golden color. Aroma of grainy malts, hops and apple. Smooth and refreshing with a bitter finish. Fairly carbonated and medium bodied.

Bottle Date of 07.18.07, Sampled September 2007
Pours with a frothy, initially three-finger thick, lightly tanned, white colored head that sits atop a brilliantly clear, gold colored brew. The aroma is fairly grass-like; the hops mostly accentuate this character, but even the malt contributes to it. Other aromatic notes of lemon grass, soda crackers, crushed pale malt and a touch of something like fresh cut weeds / wild flowers are also found in the nose.

Crisp, with a nice hop bit. The beer tastes quite dry up front, but does pick up a touch of malt sweetness towards the middle. The beer finishes with a clean, biting bitterness that really cuts through the palate. Touches of herbal hop character join with a hint of lemon zest, but I definitely feel like this could use a bit more late hop additions to round the beer out a bit. This is quite in line with the German style of Pilsner though. The malt character is fairly simple and plays a supporting role here; a touch of soda cracker malt character, hints of biscuit notes and wisps of honeyed malt sweetness. This is nice and light on the palate, and with its light body is quite easy to quaff a couple.

This is a pretty decent version of a Pilsner, one which I will be happy to drink again. It just seems to not hit the level of a great Pilsner though; something is a bit lacking.

04-Jul-07 (12 oz bottle, Bottled on 28-Jul-06: Purchased 01-Jun-07 at BevMo in La Jolla, CA) This is a perfect example why I strongly advocate revisiting beers whenever possible. Previously, I seemed to think the beer was overtly sweet, but my perceptions must have been out of whack that day (or maybe they’re out of whack today?). Crisp, dry, hoppy, and moderately bitter, this is anything but a sweet pilsener. When the beer is cold, the malts present a solid base for the beer, but don’t seem especially accented in any direction, being neither strongly grainy, corny or bready. Modest breadiness begins to emerge in the finish as the beer warms up, but the hop flavor and bitterness remain at the forefront, which is pretty impressive for a pilsener that was bottled 11 months ago and likely kept at room temperature before falling into my hands. With the crisp, clean hoppy attack and finish, the unobtrusive malt backing, the medium carbonation, and the light-medium body, this beer is easy to drink and very refreshing like a pilsener ought to be. The nose is only moderately aromatic, presenting a pleasant hop aroma and some light graininess of the malt. Straw-colored and slightly hazy, with the typical half-inch white head falling away to a wide ring. A quality offering from Sudwerk, but what else is new?!

15-Mar-05 (12 oz bottle: BevMo in La Jolla, CA) A rather flavorful pilsener, bready, with a mild hop bitterness lending some balance. However, what is strikingly prominent is the sweetness. It’s sweet, almost to the point of calling it sugary, and especially when you consider the style of beer this is, the sweetness really stands out, especially in the finish. While somewhat crisp from hops, the lightly carbonated mouthfeel is soft and pleasant. This most certainly is not a dry pilsener though. Fairly sweet, malty nose has a much lighter hops aroma in the background. Medium yellow color is accompanied by a bit of haziness. Whitish head is fairly small on the pour, fades to a broken sheen, but leaves some patchy lacing behind. So while I’ve used the word "sweet" too many times for a pilsener, and this is a rather simple, one-dimensional, easy drinking beer, Sudwerk has produced yet another enjoyable beer that I would definitely recommend trying unless you like your pilseners crisp and dry. (7, 3, 6, 4, 13 = 3.3)

Pours out golden with thin 2 finger head. Grassy hop aroma with slight malt. Taste is refreshing with some dry grassy/floral hops with a malt balance. Nice beer for a warm summer day.

Very light aroma. Seems a bit fishy, but that makes no sense. LIght brassy color with a white head that tries to lace. Medium bodied, the carbonation renders it a bit chewy, and the hop is appropriate for a pilsener. The finish is lightly bitter, and not so dry as might be desireable. Pilsener it is, but Pilsener Urquell it is not. Decent brew.

Bottle. Pale yellow and clear with a white head. Toasted malty aroma with a detectable floral hoppiness. Clean.

I was first introduced to this beer a couple of years ago while staying at Marine’s Memorial hotel in San Francisco, where it was labeled Leatherneck. It’s quickly become one of my favorites! I enjoy it because it’s rather strong for a Pilsner. It has a clean, crisp, refreshing taste, and goes well with pork or beef.

Thanks to the wife for this one. Pours pale gold with smallish white head. Aroma of pale malt, grainy hops, some honey. Tastes pale malty, hoppy, with slight honey and peach flavors. Not bad at all.