Trader Joe's Bohemian Lager - Trader Joe's Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.03/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Much closer to tangerine than gold, with corn silk hued highlights and a light shower of downward drifting yeast. The bone colored crown is bubbly on top and just sticky enough to leave a bit of itself on the sides of the glass.

Name aside, are we sure this is a Czech pilsener? The nose is more lightly corny pale lager with very little hoppiness. 18 IBUs (when fresh) indicate that hops aren't the main focus by a long shot.

Not a bad little pale lager. This is a decent choice if you have the right mindset going in. It's balanced, it's easily drinkable (read: inoffensive), and it should pair up well with most foods. Not great solo, but then what do you expect for a buck?

Untoasted bready grains are the flavor focal point... and I'm still getting a faint corniness that isn't unpleasant. Lightly sweet is nicely offset by lightly bitter. The hops are close to grassy, but don't scream SAAZ! with every sip. No real high points and no real low points equates to... average.

The mouthfeel does what it needs to do. A tendency toward wateriness on the back end almost dragged the score down one notch, but the bubbles have precisely the right amount of lightly sparkly energy.

Trader Joe's beer is surprisingly good, all things considered. Bohemian Lager, while not one of their best, isn't a bad choice for warm weather cookouts. Beats the hell out of what you're likely to see in the vast majority of backyards this summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 11:17:13 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

again a few more of these and thankfully i am done, cold day, snowed in, lots of ehh beer from mixed six packs and away we go. served in a pint glass on 1.11.11.

very light golden pour with loads of carbonation and a little head of white that seems to stick on top for just the slighest bit of time. aroma is light biscuit, hints of grain, touches of light banana an spice. taste is about the same but seems to be just a touch off for me. not the way it is supposed to work for sure. light finish leaves almost no aftertaste and it is over before it began.

overall it was not really a repeatable beer at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2011 02:32:48 | More by mikesgroove

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.78/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a lovely, clear golden body with a small, wispy white head.

Smell: Altogether weak nose with just a few hints of grains and dried grasses.

Taste: Light grainy flavor with a slight sweetness. A bit of grass. Mild hint of bitterness as you need the abrupt finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A pilsner specifically bred to be tame and docile. What a shame. But considering the price, I suppose you're paying for what you get (not much).

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2008 16:15:45 | More by ChainGangGuy

UCLABrewN84

California

3.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best by 5/9/12.

Pours a slightly hazy light orange with a 1 inch foamy bone colored head that settles to a small cap. Broken rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt/grain, slight honey, and a grape juice fruity aroma. Taste is of malt/grain, slight corn, and the fruity flavor. There is a very mild bitterness that quickly fades after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer. Nothing too offensive but not worth getting again.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 20:03:08 | More by UCLABrewN84

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

For the price you certainly can't complain, and for the most part all of the Trader Joe's beers are top notch! This one pours a clear, deep-golden body beneath a frothy head of white that holds really well and leaves some very nice 'broken' walls of lace about the glass. The nose is clean and malty/grainy (just slightly toasty), with a hint of sweetness and some lightly spicy and leafy & floral hops sprinkled here and there. The same is pretty much true for the flavor, with the addition of a stiff bitterness to back the firm maltiness. It's well rounded, and very nicely balanced. Overall, I found it remarkably drinkable, and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2009 22:36:10 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

The pour results in a clear pale straw topped by a finger of white foam. The nose comprises very light florals. ...That's it. I made sure my nose is still working (whatever fabric softener I use smells nice...), and still nothing much here. Okay. The taste holds notes of flowers, very light honey, watered-down caramel, wheat, and corn. There's a fake-feeling sweetness to everything. The body is light, with a light moderate carbonation and a wet feel. Overall, an okay pils at best, just a bit to sweet and artificial (if that makes sense) for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 01:46:59 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

2.88/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Purchased in St. Louis Park, MN Trader Joe's by some thoughtful customers of mine, who hand delivered them. How sweet.

Clear, pale yellow look, bright white foam, swiftly settling.

Aroma is largely empty, slightly vegetal, but clean, there's a good word.

Brisk carbonation at the fore, tidy hoppy bite, then, again, Cleansville. But not in such a good way, but in the abscense of flavor. Not bad in any means, maybe a touch too lemony in the taste, and the finish, but not awful. But, not being bad isn't good enough.

If this were really cheap, maybe there could be some justification, but I personally would not choose to drink this again. Too lifeless and flavorless. Blah.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2006 09:15:55 | More by feloniousmonk

metter98

New York

3.03/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: The beer is clear yellow in color and has a very light amount of carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: The smell has aromas of grassy hops along with notes of buttery corn.
T: The taste has flavors of bready and grainy malts along with notes of butter and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and clean on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink but seems to have an off taste compared to others in the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 19:39:09 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.18/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a full gold color. This beer is brilliantly clear and has a thin pale head. The aroma is a mix of clean grain and spicy, perhaps herbal hops. I get notes grass, and sweet malt. The beer is fairly dry up front, it then moves to a surprisingly bracing bitterness, but then finishes with a less than inspiring note that is thin and somewhat reminiscent of a cheap lager. Overall this beer just does not have enough going on. It is clean and crisp, but is lacking any depth of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2005 03:53:56 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.18/5  rDev +34.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an efferevescent deep golden with 2 fingers of white head. Good/great lacing & very good head retention

S: Perfumy with corny & honey malt notes

T: Honey malts, herbal & lemony hops up front. Breadyness + grainyness as this warms. Finishes with lemony hops, dryness& crispness

MF: Medium bodied, low carbonation, + great balance

Drinks very easy & this a nice american take on the style, especially for $5 a sixer!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2007 04:18:21 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours a slightly darker shade than pale yellow. Finger of white head, good retention, very minor lace.

S: Grassy, hay-like noble hops/Saaz.

T: Bready sourdough malt and some biscuit. Hops are there but lighter than I like in a Czech Pils, label says 18 IBUS, low for the style. Perhaps I expected a little more. Flavour is relatively bland, but clean/no off-flavours.

M: Very light-bodied, the beer disappears in the finish, fizzy.

D: A pretty average effort. But this is considerably better than BMC at the same price.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 21:53:12 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a stange glass. A half inch of white foam resulted, with a golden yellow body. There were visible carbonation trails rising rapidly through it, and a feeble skim of foam was left after a few minutes. Slightly skunky noble hop aroma, herbal and grassy but pretty toned down. Some crackery malt flavor, it finishes dry and crisp with a slight hop bite. There was a little corn husk element too, and gassy carbonation. Sort of average, but not bad if it's free or cheap (this single was $1). A nonintellectual cookout brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2009 22:39:38 | More by emerge077

Jason

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz brown bottle with a batch # and freshness date on the back label along with a blurb about the beer.

A- Two fingers of froth dissipate to a thin white lace with a bit of retention.

S- Very faint spicy and herbal hop, clean and sweet pale malt ... a touch biscuity.

T&M- Healthy crispness with a moderate body. Mild toasted biscuit malt character, mealy and hay-like. Butter? Sulfur? Just enough hop bitterness from the semi-dry palate, a touch spicy with an herbal background.

D- Pretty pedestrian for a Czech Pils. Not half bad, you get what you pay for @ $5.29 a six-pack. If I was shopping at Trader Joe's I'd get it again ... but I would not go to TJ just for this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2006 03:39:01 | More by Jason

Zorro

California

3.03/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clear golden beer with just a bit of head.

Smell is clean with a bit of grain malt and hops in the scent.

Taste is on the dry side with a fairly sharp hop bitterness. Mostly the flavor is light with a crisp hop bite to it. It is a rather basic Pilsner.

Mouthfeel is OK.

A basic drinkable Pilsner, nothing to go out of your way to get. It exists as an OK beer that doesn't cost too much.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2005 22:52:35 | More by Zorro

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear gold appearance. Average beer aroma, nothing setting it apart or to style.

Taste, straight forward, not bad, not adventurous. Prickly carbonation in place of hops, kinda true to style. Just doesn't taste like a whole lot, for better and for worse. This is the purgatory between BMC and craft brew. Hook this up for a friend who is looking to get initiated into something beyond diet beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2010 15:56:29 | More by Beerandraiderfan

DoubleJ

California

1.23/5  rDev -60.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Going the Trader Joe's way with this 12 ounce bottle. On to the beer:

Slightly hazy yellow straw in color with no shortage of bubbles running through it. The head forms small and has a fuzzy texture. The smell....this is hard. Soaked bran cereal comes to mind, but really, the intensity of the nose in general is low.

When the first sip makes me involuntarily grimace, the outlook looks grim. Did somebody steal the barley from this beer? There's seems to be no sweetness at all. It's a seltzery, bitter mess that's painfull to drink and has an appalling bitter aftertaste. Fizzy bodied, weak, and unrefreshing in contrast to what the bottle label markets. That's five sips down, and that's all I can get myself to drink. The rest is going to visit the backyard lawn.

I was hoping that this would be a rip-off of something like Pilsner Urquell, but instead it looks Trader Joe's tried to rip-off the taste of Michelob Ultra. That's not good.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 06:09:05 | More by DoubleJ

DrJay

Massachusetts

2.25/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Clear deep gold with a short, bright white cap that faded to a collar but really stuck around afte that. Clumpy, spotty lacing. Smells like cooked corn with a little malt thrown in, maybe a little overdone popcorn. Low bitterness wit more cooked corn, popcorn, and slight grassiness. Low to medium bodied with lowish carbonation, on the dry side wit a bit of spiciness in the finish. I'm not impressed by my first Trader Joe's beer, mainly due to the corn character running through it.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 23:00:28 | More by DrJay

kojevergas

California

2.1/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12 fl oz/355 ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Acquired at a nearby Trader Joe's for cheap. Expectations are average; Trader Joe's beers tend to be surprisingly flavorful. Best before: 05/09/2012.

Served refrigerator cold.

A: Pours a one finger head of slight cream, fair thickness, and average (~2 minute) retention. Colour is a clear somewhat dark yellow. No yeast particles are visible.

Sm: Somewhat nutty, actually. Spiced malts. Stale cream. Smells like a Spanish lager: Vol Damm or the like. A mild to moderate strength aroma.

T: Somewhat nutty, with dirty malts forming the foundation. Some strange spice. Stale cream. No real layering. It's exactly like the garbage Spanish lagers I tried in Ibiza. Not at all subtle nor complex. I don't care for it. Poorly constructed for a Czech Pilsner. No yeast or alcohol comes through. The finish is awful.

Mf: Smooth and wet. A bit too thick. Adequately carbonated.

Dr: Drinkable but boring and unremarkable. I wouldn't have this again. Pretty forgettable and crappy. Low quality. It's priced alright, but rather garbage.

D

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 08:07:06 | More by kojevergas

mactrail

California

3.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Slight warm tone to the basic lager taste. It does have a nice hint of hops that gives a slight zing to the aftertaste. Color is a touch more to the amber than straight golden, as with the flavor. Carbonation is a little coarse where a real Pilsener would be creamier. Not too much going on but there is nothing wrong with this beer. The touch of hops redeems it a little after each sip.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 05:03:44 | More by mactrail

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A strong and clear pilsner yellow. Very par but good with good bubbling to make for lack of lacing. Plenty of baseball field smells liek dirt and fresh cut grass, The grass feel doesn't lose steam after each sip. but then some lagery crystal malts hit the old tongue stickler. I was surprised by the slight nuances of special flavor compared to other pilsners I've had. Very clean lokk and refreshing taste at the end of the day.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2006 04:58:51 | More by scruffwhor

TheLongBeachBum

California

2.88/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Presentation: 355ml (12 fluid ounce) standard looking brown glass bottle. The letters ‘T’ and ‘J’ sit aside a sheaf on an appropriately color coded yellow crown cap. Main label and neck label has the words ‘Bohemian Lager’. Described below as a ‘Crisp Refreshing Lager’. The reverse label has the Batch Number as '08:24 12/23/04 592', plus the following Beer Stats: 5% alcohol by volume. 18 Bitterness units. Fermented using lager yeast.

Appearance: Excellent looks I have to say. Pours with a nice big frothy white head with lots of creamy lacing. Archetypal golden Pilsner body, yet this one has only a few lone rising streamers but it is perfectly lucid. When gently tipped it exhibited below average carbonation levels I thought. Head longevity is decent enough for the 12 ounce bottle; it never popped below ¼” thick. Lacing is quite impressive.

Nose: Crispy biscuit malts, lots of grain and a very light sweaty hop character. The grainy malts get stronger as the beer warms.

Taste: Grainy powdery lightly toasted malt feel, strange sweetness that I cannot place. Finishes with a soft and delicate bitterness that has a cut-grass feel. Standard lager profile that is very heavy on the grainy malts and very low in the bitterness department, though as the label states this is only 18 IBU’s so that should not be a surprise.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation gives this Lager minimal conditioning and a subsequent ‘lacking’ feel on the tongue. Bodyfeel is much lower than expected, resulting in a thin feeling watery libation.

Drinkability: Pretty quaffable, clean tasting but the grainy feel is a little too much for me in the long run.

Overall: A classic “3.0”. Satisfactory, I most certainly was not expecting anything to WoW me here, so I am neither disappointed, nor impressed. Moreover, I finished this with a “thought so” feel. I only picked up the two bottles as part of a mixed six-pack of the four new TJ brews. As ever, it is well priced and as such I think that this would make a really good party or BBQ beer for those guests that you wish to weed off the big three with something different…but beyond that it has limited appeal I feel.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2005 02:55:43 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Tone

Missouri

2.3/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a clear golden color with little head. What little head there was quickly dissipated and there was no lacing. Smells of a clean lager with some stale grass. A sharp sour taste that doesn't get lighter. A crisp mouth feel that again tastes of grass. Though, this is better than there Vienna style lager it is still not worth recommending.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 02:21:45 | More by Tone

kylehay2004

Florida

3.15/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: single finger head on a clear golden with a slight amber hue with nice lacing.

S: mostly malt, fairly strong, some breads

T: very malty with nice rye notes and a subtle sweet lemon custard like finish. Not very balanced but not bad.

M: light to medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: this one is easy to drink. The flavor jumps around a little but still fairly flavorful for a czech pilsener.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 00:37:42 | More by kylehay2004

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.43/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle pours a clear gold color with an ample cap of white head. Decent retention and lacing.

Nose is honeyed grains and maybe some buttered popcorn. Hops are not really in evidence unfortunately.

Taste is not half bad, mostly grainy with a little biscuit. Light hopping is there, but only if you look hard for it. Malts are a little sweet, this one really drinks more like a helles lager as opposed to a Czech pilsner. Mouthfeel is average for the style and goes down super easy. For the price this is pretty hard to beat, cheaper than a sixer of Bud - yes please, all day.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 23:36:36 | More by twiggamortis420

blackie

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Pours into my pilsner glass with a fluffy 1" white head. Decent retention after the initial recession with light lacing left behind. The beer is a clear, pale golden in color.

smell: Bready pale grain over a light, wet-grass hop aroma. Not much else.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is medium or just under...a touch low for me. The body is somewhere between light and medium.

taste: Bland pale grains upfront give a medium-light sweetness. There's a moderate hop flavor that could stand to be a little more crisp and spicy. Not bad and pretty well balanced, but it needs some "snap." Metallic note in the background. Light bitterness in the finish dries the palate only slightly.

drinkability: not bad, especially for the price

bottled 1/05/07

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2007 00:49:02 | More by blackie