Mikkeller Rauch Pils - Mikkeller ApS

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Max's.

The beer is golden hued with a small white head. The aroma brings citrus, smoke, grain. Smells nice. The taste follows suit, with everything coming together nicely. The smoke character is assertive but not overbearing. Light in body and easy to drink. A hybrid rauchbier / pilsner, this was tasty and enjoyable. I am a fan of both styles, and would drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2012 20:24:18 | More by Huhzubendah

kojevergas

California

3.76/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First off, I love the label art. That's good humour; it shows a lad on hands and knees with a rag to his mouth - purportedly he's evading smoke in his home. Fantastic! 4.60% ABV confirmed. "Smoked Pilsner Beer." "Product of Belgium." Imported by the Shelton Bastards; who knows how long it's sat out. Acquired at K&L Wine in Hollywood. 11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard unbranded pressure cap served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average; this sounds like a terrible idea for a beer, but I trust Mikkel. He's my favourite brewer in the world.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

A: Pours a 5+ finger beige colour head of decent cream and thickness, and good (8+ minute) retention. Little thin yeast as the head slowly recedes. Body colour is a predictable pale yellow. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Translucent and transparent. Generally appealing for a pilsner. Not real vibrant, but I wouldn't call it dull. Average.

Sm: Light light smokey/bacon notes. Pale malts. Light generic floral hopping. An average strength aroma. Not a lot going on here. I don't get any alcohol or yeast off the aroma. Still excited to try it.

T: The smokey notes here are as light as can be; just a touch of smoke and bacon. Pale malts form the refreshing simple body. Light clean barley. Simply built, but the balance is impressive. I doubted smokey notes and a pilsner build could be brought together successfully, but damn - Mikkel's done it. Light floral hops. It's mighty tasty. Very clean and pleasant, but with the added complexity and subtlety of the smokey notes. Really well executed. This could have been a train wreck - I mean, a smoked pilsner? - but once again Mikkel's innovation triumphs. Bravo, sir. This is tasty stuff.

Mf: Smooth, refreshing, wet. Carbonation is perfect. Great body. Good thickness. Perfect presence on the palate.

Dr: One of the tastiest pilsners I've had in a long time, and definitely the most innovative. I love that Mikkel had the balls to pull this off. Few brewers would attempt this, and still fewer would succeed. How they make smokiness so subtle is beyond me. Brilliant. Bravo, Mikkel. I'd buy this by the six pack at the right price. Shockingly good. Hides its ABV well. Sessionable, flavorful stuff. Surprisingly complex for a pilsner. Very drinkable.

Borderline B/B+

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 06:02:20 | More by kojevergas

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

fantastic, you never see smoky malt like this in a lighter beer. its always some massive thing, but this delicate and delicious pils is very impressive. it pours a slightly burn golden color with some haze and a finger or so of off white head. the nose is quite smoky for its color, some vanilla sweetness too, which comes out of nowhere, as well as some nice Czech malts. the flavor is all of the above, with the vanilla element being a real surprise, kind of uniting the dry malt with the rich smoke in a cleverly nuanced way. grainy but refined, bold but subtle, great bitter hoppy finish is also a shocker, and the yeast imparts some nice doughy whole grain flavors too. this is complex and yummy, which is now the mikkeller standard. fine carbonation puffs it up a little, and the body is still on the south side of medium. everything about this is fantastic, and I wish I had a 750ml instead of an 11.2oz. its top quality, the smoke in a lighter beers is genius. the label art is also high headed and hilarious.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:59:38 | More by StonedTrippin

ngeunit1

California

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head. Fades normal.

S - Smoke, pilsner and sweet grainy malts, dried meats, a bit of vanilla and lager yeast.

T - Smoke, smoked meats, pilsner and sweet grainy malts, lemon zest, mild noble hops, vanilla, and a bit of lager yeast.

M - Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Smooth with a smokey finish.

D - Good mix of smoke and pilsner flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 07:55:37 | More by ngeunit1

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.99/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

330ml bottle. Nice stop, drop and wet mask imagery depicted on the typical cartoonish label.

This beer pours a hazy pale golden amber hue, with three fingers of puffy, billowing tarnished white head, which leaves a broadly spanning swath of splayed broccoli floret lace around the glass as it slowly fades away.

It smells of meaty, sweaty caramel malt, middling acrid smoky notes, crackery, bready biscuit malt, and somewhat bitter leafy, grassy hops. The taste is more bready, cereal-like grainy malt, a somewhat faltering gamey smokiness, and some singed dry leafy/wild grass hops.

The bubbles are decently edgy, and well supportive, the body an adequate medium weight, and kind of tacky in their attempt at smoothness. It finishes mostly dry, the crackery malt doing well to keep itself above the promised fray (real and imagined) of smoke.

A smoked beer that allows for the preservation of the underlying, well-rendered sassy Czech Pilsener, as the balance achieved here is quite commendable. Worthy enough for ash connoisseurs and newbies to the style alike.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:57:21 | More by biboergosum

avalon07

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pilsner glass. Had a yellowish color and a slightly cloudy consistency. There was a 2 1/2 inch head of creamy, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing. A good-looking beer.

S: A solid, if slightly unusual aroma of hops, malt, and a smokiness.

T: Tasted of hops (a moderate amount), a little citrus (lemon), light malt, and the aforementioned smokiness. The smoke isn't overpowering and allows the other ingredients to emerge. A tasty and well-balanced flavor.

M: A decent amount of carbonation with a mostly smooth finish. Light-bodied.

O: Adding smoke to any beer is usually going to divide people, but this beer is much more accessible than most. A drinkable brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:41:14 | More by avalon07