Viking Brewing Sylvan Springs Bohemian Pilsner

Brewed by Viking Brewing Company
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Dallas, Wisconsin USA

12oz bottle
Pours slightly hazy straw gold with medium white head that quickly dissipates. Grassy, hoppy and surprisingly fruity nose for a Saaz-only-hopped beer. Flavor is straight-forward pilsner: Clean, medium bitter, moderately hop-spicy, hint of fruitiness (though not as much as the nose suggests) and a touch of malt sweetness to rein it in. Flavor unfortunately a bit weak. Lively, tingly mouthfeel. Not great, not bad, could have scored a few tenths higher with more aroma and flavor intensity. But at least it’s a Viking beer with carbonation and no infection. Maybe they’re back on the right track?

slightly more hazy, and paler than the blonde northern pilsner. somewhat cardboardy with light notes of diacetyl, which i don’t think are unpleasant. flavor is nice and Saazy! flowery and spicy and not too shabby...the bitter finish lasts a couple seconds...again, not bad.

12 oz bottle, from Blue Max in Burnsville, MN (Dec 2005). Served 5 minutes out of the fridge, in a Christoffel glass. Thick, luscious lasting head atop a light amber, bubbly body that is a touch oily but quite lustrous....hmmm, alas this sample comes off rather skunky and reminiscent of green-bottle Heineken in the nose (this is brown-bottled but there is no date)...digging a little deeper and letting it breath a bit, there is some grassy hoppiness and a bit of cooked malt coming through, but not enough to save it....body is much cleaner and fresher tasting, though a touch of metal at the finish doesn’t help....lightly hoppy, grassy character, a touch of thyme or oregano bitterness, a twinge of honey sweetness...the body is reasonably crisp, dries out towards the end, carbonation a bit low for a pils....all in all, a really fresh bottle or tap sample would be needed to convince me that this might be worth drinking. This bottle wasn’t.

12 oz bottle. Medium-golden pour with a light layer of white head. Some lacing. Big dose of floral hoppage and pale malts formed a soft and pleasant nose. Aromas carried through to the flavor, and added some citrus fruit and apples at the finish. Little bready yeast in there. Smooth on the palate, and went down quite easily. Well done, but not exceptional on any front.

Light orange/amber color. Starts off with a smooth hop character, fresh leaves and sticky resin. Hops fade in the aftertaste, revealing a lighter taste of citrus peel, apple, and pancake malts. Very nice brew!

From a bomber. Body pours a dark gold with some thin head remaining on top. The aroma is cooked green apples and cooked carrots. This is a surprisingly delicate and delightful nose. The taste is full and bready with notes of celery. I can just barely detect the green apple that others noted, but it only makes this beer more interesting. There is that typical spice at the end of each drink. This is fairly well done.

Golden body. Pale malt aroma with juicy noble hops. Agreeable dry flavor - pale malt with grain husk, green noble hops. Crisp finish, but too dry in the grain bill.

Its looking like people are rating Viking low, but I don’t understand why... their beer is tasty and original. Sampled at the 3rd Annual "Between the Bluffs" Beer and Cheese Festival in La Crosse, WI. Appearance is bronze with a thin non-existent head. Aroma is light with a grassy hoppiness. Mild malts. Flavor is malty, grass hop. Palate is refreshing and light yet full. Very appealing. Overall, this is a damn good Bohemian Pilsener. This is at the top of its class. I don’t understand how your ratings could be so low...