Krombacher - Pils

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Krombacher Pils

Krombacher Brauerei

D-57215 Kreuztal

Allemagne, Germany

Est. 1803

www.krombacher .com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear golden color.

Small bit of grain smell with bright hops.

Firm white full bubbled head.

Moderate amount of carbonation.

Very good lacing on glass.

Slight tartness and grainy malts up front with bittering hops finish.

Light, refreshing mouth feel and body. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 

I have had this Pils both in the bottle and on tap. On tap, it is much more fresh and flavorful than its bottle counterpart. But that should come as no surprise. Bottle beer sometimes sits on shelves or is subject to mishandling in temperature or light conditions. That is not to say this was the case with this bottle. It was tasty, but the same day I also happened to find it on draft at my local watering hole and it seemed far more lively in the glass.

It is a nice pilsener, not truly remarkable, but a good working standard of the style. I found it a bit drier than most and a little grainy at times during the session.

San Miguel - Pale Pilsen Beer

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Pale Pilsen Beer

San Miguel Brewing Company

40 San Miguel Avenue

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila Philippines

Est. 1890 (Re-Formed 1963)

www.sanmiguelbeer.com
www.sanmiguelbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear golden color.

Grain husk malt and grassy hops smell.

White firm head that dissipates slowly leaving fairly good lace.

Lots of carbonation.

Crisp taste when cold, but loses character as it warms.

Light to medium bodied. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 

Okay, let's get it straight from the website, this is the "party beer" of the Philippines.

Its alcohol content is 4% by weight or 5% by volume. Aside from the 320 ml standard, San Miguel Pale Pilsen also comes in Grande (1000 ml) that allows you to get more in one package, or in can for a more convenient, no-breakage drinking spree. And if you want it fresh and free-flowing for all, there's San Miguel Pale Pilsen Draft Beer. It's like having a mini-brewery right at your party!

Yes, let's not forget the cans for a no-breakage drinking spree when your out pounding these down. Wouldn't want to be clumsy with those bottles. Or try a kegstand with that 'mini-brewery' draft. (Note sarcasm here, not an endorsement from The Reaper.)

All nonsense aside,  I found this to be similar to your everyday pilsener/lager style beer. It definately needs to be served cold as the husky malt grain does not hold the flavor profile well when warm. Also of note: the website, like the beer, needs a little more polish and shine. But in summary, it was an interesting beer, from a far away place and that made it fun to try.

Bitburger - Premium Pils

Dead Platoon

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Bitburger Premium Pils

Bitburger Braugruppe GmbH

D-54634 Bitburg, Germany

Est.1817

www.bitburger.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 169.0701 (5 Liters)

Postmortem Brew Review

Nice golden color.

Lemon zest, biscuit and slight fruit notes.

One finger, firm white head. Foam leaves some spotted lacing.

Slightly sweet and fruity with a nice dry taste.
Good amount of carbonation; nice nucleation.

Light and airy mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Bitburger has nearly 200 years of brewing expertise in crafting their beer according to the German Purity Law. Its dry-finished, hoppy taste has made Bitburger Premium Beer Germany’s no. 1 draught beer. And that is all you need to know about this beer, if you want to have one tremendous tasting pilsener brew.


Of course, with the above type container, you will need a few friends to polish this one off. Once you pop the stopper at the top, you will need to consume it quickly as freshness will tail off. No worries, I discovered they make tall-boy four packs of these. This is a totally fresh tasting German pilsener. Wunderbar! 

Abita - SOS (Save Our Shore)

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
SOS (Save Our Shore)
Abita Brewing Company, LLC
Abita Springs, LA USA
Est. 1986
www.abita.com
and
sos.abita.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Brilliant golden color.
Wheat; bready aroma. Bright finishing hops noticed.
Two-finger bright white head that leaves ringed lacing.
Dry, tart wheat taste. Citrus (like tangerine) touches. Slightly acerbic on finish.
Modest amount of carbonation.
Light mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
At the intersection of Mardi Gras and exaggerated gasoline prices, we find this wonderful Louisiana beer. A bright pilsener done with a twist; wheat instead of barley. An unusual 22 ounce pilsener weizen. Truly a Big Easy beer, if ever there was one.  As a side note, the finishing note of the beer and the the aftermath of the 2010 gulf oil spill, reveal a bitter finish. Poetic justice, Abita!

The idea for such a beer was created as a response to help with the community, suffering from the great oil spill from 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, along the shores of Louisiana. For every bottle sold, Abita donates seventy five cents towards, "... the rescue and restoration of the environment, industry and individuals fighting to survive this disastrous oil spill."  Nice effort on their part. They have gone above and beyond by even creating a superb web page for all to view. You can help the cause by viewing it here at http://sos.abita.com/

Beautiful bottle, web page, beer and cause. Do visit them and see what you can do to help out.

Key West Pilsner Light

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Key West Pilsner Light
The Florida Beer Company
725 Silver Palm Avenue
Melbourne, FL USA
Est. 1994
www.floridabeer.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = ?.? % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale golden yellow color.
Smell of grain. Mostly grainy malt with slight hops aroma.
Two finger white head that dissipated rapidly.
Pretty good lace on the glass.
Medium carbonation.
Small nucleated bubbles. High carbonation.
Light bodied and flavor; slightly tart, dry finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Disclaimer time.  I am not a fan of light beers. And I have been skeptical of most brews in this style for quite some time. German and Czech brewers are about the only breweries that make refreshing, tasty well balanced Pilsener Lagers, in my humble opinion. The macro breweries do a yeoman's job of creating mass quantities, but still can't match the German/Czech regional pilseners.

Key West Pilsner Light gives us their version of this style. While it was a beer that hit the spot on the day consumed, it did not measure up to the centuries old brewers of Europe.

If you are looking for a light beer, (93 calories, 2.6g carbohydrates, 1g protein and 0g fat), look no further. Hmmm. Where did the protein come from? And why does the Key West lineup from Florida Beer never list the ABV? Questions, questions!

Orlando Brewing - European Pilz

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
European Pilz
Orlando Brewing
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL USA
Est. 2002 
www.orlandobrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.15 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden yellow color.
Fresh smelling Centennial and Saaz hops aromas. Malt grain notes.
White, two finger head with ringed lacing. Good retention.
Gentle but pronounced hops taste with balanced grain malt flavor. Dry finish.
Active carbonation that tingles the tongue. 
Light bodied flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Orlando Brewing takes great pride in all their beers. It shows in their freshness and attention to details. It's no secret they use organic ingredients in all their beers and ales. It certainly makes them stand apart from the pack.

European Pilz was one such beer that was sampled at the brewery this past fall.  As a member of a group of beer bloggers, we were invited to come and learn more about the brewery. At first, I was tempted to pass over a pilsener lager in favor of some of their ales. But once the Pilz appeared during our sampling round, I was taken aback. Peering over my glasses, and then through them for a closer look, I noticed the clarity of the color. The aromas spoke more of the Centennial and Saaz notes than the malts, and they reeled me in for another sniff. The taste was clean, dry and hopped in a unique delicious way beyond any past comparison.

I discovered what fresh organic ingredients can do for a beer. This beer satisfied all my senses, turning upside down my thoughts about American pilseners. It's really done in a style all its own. So at the end of the tour, I made sure to secure a purchase of some in their tasting room.

Change you notion of pilseners and try one for yourself.

New Belgium - Blue Paddle

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Blue Paddle Pilsener Lager
New Belgium Brewing
500 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO USA
Est. 1991
www.newbelgium.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear golden yellow color.
Dry, grassy smell with citrus twinge. Some hops on nose.
Tightly bubbled, white foamy two finger head.
Spots and streaks of lacing on the glass.
Grassy flavor with slight lemon and slighter biscuit dryness.
Moderate carbonation.
Light, clean taste. Tight, dry and refreshing.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Truly a unique and refreshing pilsener beer from here in the U S of A.  This is a no brainer replacement for any other yellow beer you've tried from the big three.  There's more flavor, twists and turns of some citrus and much better finishing hops than in other yellow pils. The only thing better than this one in the bottle would be to visit them at the brewery in lovely Ft. Collins. Try one fresh off the tap.

If you are not a fan of pilseners, I urge you to try this one.  It is crafted as well as any European pilsener and you'll wonder why others lag on such clean and refreshing taste.  Well done, New Belgium!

Stoudt's Pils - German Style Pilsener

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Stoudt's Pils - German Style Pilsener
Stoudt's Brewing Company
Route 272
Adamstown, PA USA
Est.1987
www.stoudtsbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0  

Postmortem Brew Review
Fairly clear yellow with a slight hazyness on the pour.
Balanced malts and hops in the fragrance.
Tall foaming crisp white head that lasts.
Wonderful spiderweb lacing.
Tasty hops with refreshing body.
Light and easy to drink; refreshing.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Few beers are a maligned as the everyday pilsener.  When they are bad, they're awful and will test your tongues patience.  But when they are good, they can be a thing of beauty to behold.  Let me tell you, this is a beautiful pils!

I noticed the bit of haze in the pour that meant there was a lot going on in this glass.  It settled clear and with a tall crisp white head.  The preponderance of hops noticed in the nose was unexpectedly inviting and intriguing. I mean, yes, there are hops in pilsener beers, but these were oh so delacate and floral in aroma.  The taste was clean, dry and refreshing giving a soft 'twang' of hops.  This puppy has 40 IBU's under the hood!

Oohhhh I'm so sad I only picked up one bottle of these.  I would recommend pairing this with the other 5 I didn't buy. Sigh!

Victory - Prima Pils

Taps for a Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Prima Pils
Victory Brewing Company
420 Acorn Lane
Downington, PA USA
Est.1996
www.victorybeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.0 (On Tap) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear golden yellow color.
Pine hop scent; unusual for a pilsener.
One finger head disappears over a short period of time.
Citrus hops taste with good amount of carbonation.
Dry and light bodied.  Refreshing taste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Interesting situation here.  First Victory the Reaper has laid his bones on. I asked my local beer-tender for something light to start.  He also happens to have an inside track that I like my beers on the hoppy side, so he suggested this one.  One sip and I knew it was gonna be good.

Prima Pils is clear and yellow just like a pilsener should appear.  Nothing new about that.   But on the nose, there is a fair amount more hops than you'd expect from your everyday pils.  Even those that are "triple hopped".  The hops aromas in here rivals those of a pale ale.

Then there is the nibbling of hops on your palate as you sip.  So there you are!  More hops than expected and more refreshing than pale ales.  And, Prima Pils achieves refreshment as only a pilsener can.  It's amazing. It's different.  It's from Victory and I'll be back for more!

Radeberger Pilsener

Taps for a Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Radeberger Pilsner
Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei
Radeberg, Saxony Germany
Est.1872
www.radeberger.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.0 (On Tap) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Nearly clear, pale golden color.
Sweet grain smell and slight hops presence.
Two finger soft white head  lingers throughout glass to a wisp.
Light and dry, dry, dry with slight carbonation.
Good amount of bittering hops with a tart dry finish 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This pilsener is done in a lager style, bottom fermented and rings in with 33 IBU's.  That's right, as much as any average pale ale would have.  Now that you know this, lagers don't seem so bad.  And they are not, especially when they are made by the first German brewer to make pilseners in the old style.

Fresh off the tap, smooth and so easy to enjoy, Radeberger Pilsner makes a great starter or equally a great beer to finish your evening.  Maybe even your all night beer?  I will leave that up to your discretion.

Paulaner - Premium Pils

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Paulaner Premium Pils
Paulaner Brewing
Munich, Germany
Est. 1634
www.paulaner.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.9 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Bright golden yellow color.
Dry grainy malt and slight hops smell.
Crisp white tall head that lasts to the end of the glass.
Stringy lacing.
Light and refreshing; light mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Inside this bottle is a quintessential euro style Pilsener beer.  It is dry, light crisp and refreshing.  And almost a bit too dry for my bones, but never the less a tasty brew.  If you like your 'yellow' beers original to recipe and light and easy to drink, you'll look no farther to find enjoyment, right here.

Heck, they have been perfecting the art of Pilsener style for over 360 years.

Beck's Beer

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Beck's Beer
Brauerei Beck & Co
(Anheuser-Busch/InBev)
Bremen, Germany
Est. 1873
www.becksbeer.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.9 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear golden color.
Malty grains and hop aromas.
Foamy, one finger tall, white head with dissipating lacing.
Good carbonation.
Light mouth feel, best if not served ice cold.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
You will always have your naysayers about Beck's. I happen to appreciate the great Pils taste. It's best consumed if left to warm in the glass a bit to bring out the full flavor and complexity of this great Bavarian beer.

They have been around for a long time, and in Germany where they really know their beer, that says a lot. Even if they have been swallowed up by the macro-daddy of them all, InBev/Anheuser-Busch. So treat yourself to a great German Pilsener and see what you have been missing.

Warsteiner Pilsner

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Warsteiner Pilsener Beer
Warsteiner Brauerei
Warstein Germany
Est. 1753
www.warsteiner-usa.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.8% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear pale yellow.
Tremendous malty aroma with floral hints.
Light fluffy head with significant lacing.
Clean, crisp and an easy drinker.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Mmmmm...Bavarian pilseners! So aromatic, malty with the right amount of hops. This brew house has a variety to choose from on their website. No pithy puns needed here. I just want some more of these fine Warsteiner pilseners.

Carlsberg Beer

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Carlsberg Beer
Carlsberg Brewery
Copenhagen, Denmark
Est.1847 (first brewed 1904)
www.carlsberg.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear, straw yellow color.
Aromatic hop notes.
Long lasting spiderweb lacing.
Light bodied.
Curiously sweet aftertaste. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Not much on the label. No year of origin, no alcohol content. There's a standard "Government Warning" about the risks associated with drinking beer. Very unremarkable...

But don't judge this book by its cover! It is a very good beer with an unusual sweetness in the finish of each sip. I can't quite put my finger on that up-note at the end, but I like it. It's light enough not to weigh you down.

So who needs a lot of info on the bottle? After all, we're here to drink beer not to read it! However, if you do want to read all about this beer, I strongly suggest you go to their website. That's where they do all the explaining, as it's self titled, "Probably the Best Website in the World!"

Okocim

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Okocim Beer
Okocim Brewery
Browarna Str. 14
Brzesko, Poland
Est. 1845
www.okocim.pl

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light clear yellow coloration.
Light malt smell & taste.
Grassy flavor.
No lacing, fast foaming head.
Easy drinkability.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This beer is an award winner according to the label. Very similar in taste and flavor to a Bud, but oh, what a beer buzz. Nice, easy drinker. W T F is up with that small goat and the beer glass, on the bottle label?