Josephs Brau PLZNR Czech-Style Lager - Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Luigi

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours out a clear straw yellow color, or you could call it light golden. The head was about two fingers high, and then settles down to a small lace but does have some sticky lacing around the glass.

The aroma reminds me of more of an adjunct lager than a Czech Pilsener. Light grass notes, sweet grain, a some malt sweetness.

The taste is not bad, it just does not match the profile of a Czech Pils. A bit of bitterness from the grassy hop and some light grain. Finishes clean and mildly bitter.

Light in body and highly carbonated, and very easy to drink.

I really think this lager should be considered an American adjunct lager. It is not a bad brew, but it just reminds me of an American adjunct lager. There is a lack of saaz hop spiciness that I always look forward from this style of lager. But for the price, I think it puts most American adjuncts to shame.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 03:45:05 | More by Luigi

dpodratsky3

Georgia

3.24/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Pretty much no head what-so-ever, foams then turns to nothing immediately, color is like apple juice, bright gold, excellent clarity

S: Has that Euro-skunk going on, not quite green bottle levels, but definitely on purpose, biscuity malt with herbal hops, pretty mild overall

T: Again a little skunk hits you right away, mostly herbal hops though, spicy finish with a little sweetness as the hops fade, hop dominant though

M: Dry, light but not watery, a little too dry to be quenching though

O: Very mediocre, expected more even from Trader Joe's brand

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 00:51:31 | More by dpodratsky3

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

2.76/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

12oz bottle poured into a pilsner glass

A clear golden yellow with about one finger of paper white foam that fell quickly but left behind some sheeting action. The nose is of cereal-like grains and crackers, with some floral and grassy hops over top. Floral hops pounce on the palate first with crackery and sweet cereal-like grains through the middle. A little bit of a vegetal character before a finish of toasted malt and grassy bitterness. Light body with moderate carbonation. This beer is a little messy, moving from flavor to flavor without any real transitions. There are much better pilsner options out there. This is largely average at best.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 00:36:48 | More by ColForbinBC

avckc

California

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

05-08-2013 23:46:56 | More by avckc

danfix99

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -22.4%

05-03-2013 00:29:24 | More by danfix99

GraduatedCashew

California

3/5  rDev -6.8%

04-25-2013 16:29:12 | More by GraduatedCashew

cre83

Washington

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

04-23-2013 02:21:14 | More by cre83

metter98

New York

3.26/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A: The beer is crystal clear yellow in color and has a slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high off white head that died down, leaving some wispy lacing on the surface and a collar of large bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of bready malts with notes of floral and grassy hops are present in the nose.
T: The taste seems to have more flavors of grassy hops that linger through the finish and overshadow notes of bready and grainy malts. It has a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels a little more than light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is rather easy to drink. It would have been nicer if there were more malts in the taste to balance off some of the hops.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 17:55:13 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A: Pours a very lightly hazy medium to dark golden yellow in color with moderate to strong amounts of visible carbonation and some orange highlights. There are also some light amounts of dark yeast particles in suspension. The beer has a quarter finger tall white head that reduces to a thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: There are moderate aromas of bready and grainy malts with light to moderate aromas of grassy hops.

T: Upfront there are light to moderate flavors of bready and grainy malts. The beer has moderate flavors of grassy hops that linger through the finish and contribute light amounts of bitterness.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: This beer seems dark for the style, at least much darker than the majority of the others in the style I have tried. The beer is not bad but not great either - probably a decent choice when you factor in the price.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 17:53:23 | More by dbrauneis

TGZ32

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

03-23-2013 01:18:43 | More by TGZ32

dcbeers

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

03-22-2013 16:03:18 | More by dcbeers

JBetz

Washington

3.5/5  rDev +8.7%

03-17-2013 16:07:18 | More by JBetz

BrianCuoz

New York

4.25/5  rDev +32%

03-13-2013 21:49:05 | More by BrianCuoz

shick1

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +8.7%

03-11-2013 16:28:27 | More by shick1

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.23/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a Celebrator pokal. Pours a light yellowish golden amber with a thin film of head that dissipates immediately to a ring around the glass. Mild aroma of bready malt and grassy hops. Flavor is mild biscuit malt with light lemon, finishing with a somewhat astringent dry grassy hops. Not a particularly pleasant flavor transition nor well balanced. Light bodied with good carbonation. Most the Joseph Brau beers have been uninspiring but pleasant to drink. This one is miss for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 00:37:10 | More by LiquidAmber

Ted

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

02-24-2013 02:01:47 | More by Ted

zaptone

California

2.75/5  rDev -14.6%

02-21-2013 05:31:36 | More by zaptone

ExaltedNecrosis

Texas

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

02-10-2013 03:56:16 | More by ExaltedNecrosis

bh123

California

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

02-01-2013 18:21:00 | More by bh123

TheMarkE

California

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

01-09-2013 04:57:16 | More by TheMarkE

barczar

Kentucky

3.13/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy deep golden with a frothy half inch cream head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Biscuity, lightly toasted, sweet caramel malt and a hint of crackery pilsner malt and floral hops form the aroma.

Flavor is floral and fairly bitter. There's a touch of vegetal character. Toasted breadcrust and caramel malt form the backbone, but they're dominated by the floral and bittering hops.

Body is a touch light, with moderate carbonation and a fair amount if astringency.

Much more bitter than expected, and with more caramel malt character. There's a metallic flavor that emerges as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 23:02:03 | More by barczar

kew

Texas

3/5  rDev -6.8%

12-15-2012 01:35:46 | More by kew

cdwil

Texas

3.25/5  rDev +0.9%

12-11-2012 14:00:30 | More by cdwil

mwar

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +16.5%

12-02-2012 18:20:41 | More by mwar

aflies

Arizona

3/5  rDev -6.8%

12-01-2012 03:30:08 | More by aflies