Gordon Biersch Czech Style Pilsner - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"this is our most hoppy beer" hahaha. okay. whatever. it isnt hoppy at all, but it tastes pretty good. the pour is clear and golden to yellow, with a gorgeous white head more than three inches high, foamy and lasting. more lacing and retention than usually seen from such a light beer. the nose is crisp as anything. sure to be satisfying in both winters coldest months and summers hottest. there is a lot of light pils malt, but its very fresh and seedy, from the field. the flavor is balanced, with some sort of goldings hops on the back end, but it isnt bitter, just sort of tames the sweetness of otherwise doughy malts. finish is super fast, dryer than it should be, but very very drinkable. the body is light, but not watery, and the carbonation is near spot on. bubbly enough but not laughably upbeat. this is much much much much better than i expected it to be when it was given to me by the head brewer of the syracus facility, who is a legend by the way. overall a nice americanized version of a central european classic. ill drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2012 04:55:20 | More by StonedTrippin

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Gordon Biersch restaurant at Reagan Airport. Served in a Hefeweizen-style glass.

Appearance: Golden yellow, thin white head, some strands and islands of lacing noted.

Smell: Crisp, herbal, floral, apple, German noble hops.

Taste: Clean malt, crisp, hint of apple, German noble hops at the end. Simple, nothing special.

Mouthfeel: Spicy on the tongue, good carbonation, but it stuck to the teeth a bit.

Overall / Drinkability: Went well with a meal (crab cake sandwich) and drinkable enough I could see myself having another. Not a bad - not amazing, but not bad. Not the most flavorful pilsner, but much more flavor than others I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 21:35:41 | More by damndirtyape

clemtiger8202

3.3/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Myrtle Beach location. Served in a pils glass. Was honey colored with a small white head. Smelled of pine and flowers and toast. Saaz hops are obvious when you take a sip. Bitter, spicey, maybe somewhere in there is some sweetness from malt, but I don't really detect any, just hops. Finishes very crisp and dry. Not a huge fan of czech pils, maybe is the saaz hops, but not a totally bad beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2012 18:46:18 | More by clemtiger8202

DoubleJ

California

2.98/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at the San Jose locale, on to the beer:

Orangish colored, almost leaning into copper. Solid foam sits on top of the beer, which retains solidly and leaves a little lace. The nose is a dissapointment. It offers some cider and grass, the former which leaves me scratching my head. It does get better. Cooked cereals in the taste (crap!). But seriously, it's a small improvement over the cider, and with a sharp hop bitterness and honey to distract, it's not the worst Czech-style lager I've put into my body. The body is boderline light/medium with a low level of crispness.

It's okay. Then again, the San Jose locale also had an export lager that I tasted awhile back with a similar cooked cereal problem. I hope it's an isolated problem.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2012 05:38:13 | More by DoubleJ

dontpanic5

3.6/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

I had this at the brewpub in Tysons Corner with some delicious brunch in the early afternoon. It pours golden with a white head. The smell is malty and clear. It's a crisp brew, with some amount of hops, and a dry taste. I wasn't a fan of the mouthfeel, too dry.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2012 00:09:16 | More by dontpanic5

HopHead84

California

4.08/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

4/30/2012

Draft at Gordon Biersch San Diego.

A: Burnished yellow gold with perfect clarity and a mountain of soapy white foam. Retention is outstanding and lacing is everywhere as the head slowly recedes. Impressive.

S: Spicy Saaz notes are prominent, blending with floral aromatics. The nose is herbal and grassy and clean. Light biscuit with doughy malt.

T: Grassy and lightly spicy with pervasive herbal notes. There's a firm upper moderate bitterness blending with doughy malt. The finish is crisp, dry, and clean.

M: Light body with high carbonation. Mouthfeel is dry and sticky.

Overall: A nice Bohemian Pilsner. Best beer I've had here.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2012 14:58:15 | More by HopHead84

jdense

Oregon

3.18/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Gordon Biersch Washington DC 2.19.12.

Deep gold mostly clear a bit of chill haze. Clean malt bill in the nose, floral hops. Taste mirrors nose, pretty clean but a bit sweet. Mouthfeel well on light side of medium, dry finish. OK but pretty sweet for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2012 18:15:22 | More by jdense

MTNboy

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From Kansas City Restaurant

Appearance: It has a light and transparent gold body with small carbonation bubbles throughout the body. A thin ring of head and not a whole lot of lace.

Smell: Sweet and crisp with some grassy undertones.

Taste: A little bit malt but finishes up with a refreshing little hops bite that I found to be true to this style. There also a bit pasture like quality in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Thin with a little bit of fizziness.

Overall: I would say a good summer day beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 04:26:52 | More by MTNboy

tdm168

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Gordon Biersch in the RDU airport.

Pours a yellowish gold with a small, soft white head that has good retention. The nose is wheaty and faintly grassy. The flavor is straw-like and grassy up front with a rather intense, earthy hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is smooth and crisp. There is a moderate amount of carbonation and an overall light body.

This is a rather average pilsner. Nothing to really set it apart from the crowd. Highly drinkable and unoffensive.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 09:17:19 | More by tdm168

david18

New York

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a draft of this during a layover at an airport in Washington DC. I was happy to see a Gordon Biersch at the airport as I've never had it in New York. I was also surprised to see that a company that pays so close attention to German styles would make a czech pilsner.

Appearance was very clear, nice active carbonation. Color was typical of a pilsner.

Aroma was a little bready but not much there.

Flavor was nice and refreshing. I thought it was typical of the style but I had been hoping for the more bitey flavor of a German Pilsner.

Overall I liked this beer with the caveats mentioned above.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2011 21:05:38 | More by david18

mdfb79

New York

3.1/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From 10/22/11 notes. Had on tap at the DC location.

a - Pours a hazy pale yellow color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of grain, bready malts, floral notes, and wheat. Pretty bland and not much going on here.

t - Tastes of grain and bready malts. Lightly musty notes as well. Again, pretty average and bland.

m - Light to medium and low carbonation.

o - Overall an average pilsener. Not much in the nose or the taste at all, but pretty easy to drink. Wouldn't seek it out again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 18:54:49 | More by mdfb79

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had the Czech Pilsner at the G & B in Bolingbrook, IL last evening. The color was a clear golden with white head that laced slightly. The aroma was common of Czech Pilsners grain, hops, etc. The taste was powering with grain and hops....very smooth. The grain and malt was balanced nicely with hops and the beer came off the pallet clean. Overall not to bad...the mouthfeel was smooth and easy. good session beer

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2011 14:11:10 | More by WoodBrew

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

First had: on tap at Gordon Biersch, Broomfield, CO

Poured a clear, straw-yellow with a fizzy white head. Aroma of pale/pils malts, hay, and light floral hops. Taste is light with subdued pils malts and an underlying metallic sensation, lightly hopped. Weak but balanced at least. Very light mouthfeel, somewhat unpleasant aftertaste. A drinkable beer for the unadventurous, but just not my style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2011 20:44:47 | More by Rifugium

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer arrives from the tap with quarter finger thick, lightly tanned, pale head. The beer is a clear, rich gold color with a touch of red tinges to it; in the light it is quite amazingly brilliantly clear with a deep gold color. The beer smells hay like and herbal with a touch of wild flower like character to it even. There is a hint of lemon zest here from the hops and this is accentuated by just a hint of honey like malt character.

The beer has a brisk, but not aggressive carbonation to it, this couples with a nice bitting bitterness that lingers in the finish for quite some time. Towards the middle and finish the bitterness couples with an herbaceous hop flavor that leans towards lemon zest at the front of each sip. Once again it is a bit on the warm side for the serving temperature of a typical Czech Pilsner, though this beer is made well enough that this only helps to accentuate the wholesome hop and malt flavors; still I can’t help but wish that this didn’t start out a bit colder (even 45*F would have been good), prior to warming up to this temperature (my guess is that this was served close to 60*F).

Despite the serving temperature issue, this beer is still quite nice and enjoyable. It seems that the DC installation can brew a pretty good version of this beer as I am certainly enjoying this beer. I have a feeling that I would be enjoying this quite a bit more if it had been initially served at a cooler temperature (even if I am enjoying this beer anyway).

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2011 14:27:49 | More by Gueuzedude

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at AT&T Park, in San Francisco.

My impression of Gordon Biersch has always been that they're an average brewpub chain, and indeed this pilsner has a very average look to it. (Then again, what else to expect from the world's most conventional beer style?) It is a stock yellow colour, perfectly clear complexion, with little bubbles and a fine white head that increases with agitation.

The smell too is average, with minimal hoppiness and an assertively bready maltiness that let's you know you're in for something perfectly ordinary. It smells much as most mainstream lagers do, albeit without the fouling adjuncts. Still, even minus the corn-y tint, it's no more pleasurable - just a simple, standard smelling beer that'd be recognizable to anyone.

I'm glad the brewer ensured that lots of the bready, pale malt flavour would shine through - if only he did the same for the hops. As it stands this beer is terribly undistinguished which, although not such a bad thing for the other 42,999 people at the ballpark this evening, is a bit middling for me. I was hoping for just a little bit more character with my $9.75 pint.

Still, I'll happily take this over mass-marketed swill any day. It is refreshing, agreeable even as it looses its chill and the malts are easily discerned as undiluted - heck, there's even a bit of earthy hop bitterness after all! Plus it made a quenching accompaniment to a ballpark dog, an order of garlic fries and lazy summer evening baseball - what else can be asked of it?

If you like mainstream commercial lagers, there's no way you won't enjoy this (if you're the type who sorts through reviews on Beer Advocate chances are you already know exactly how much you'll enjoy this). Bottom line: Gordon Biersch Czech Pilsner is far from the epitome of the style but it's better than many others on the market and, in a pinch, will do just fine.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2011 04:48:26 | More by biegaman

WJVII

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in pilsner glass this brew had a 2 finger clean white head with noticeable carbonation settling into a thin white cap. The aroma was doughy and had a nice what aroma with a slight hop presence. The taste was clean and crisp which is what I like and expect in a czech pilsner. The light body and clean malt taste was finished with a moderate hop flavor that was very delicious. This was a good example of the style and the better of the two brews I had at the location I visited.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 17:09:38 | More by WJVII

stckhndlr

Virginia

2.13/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Had this on tap at the restaurant in Virginia Beach, VA
(Review is from notes)

A- Golden yellow with light head and poor lacing.

S- Hops, faint fruit. almost has no smell to me.

T- Dry hops bitter on the back end, not much happening. Very bland. Faint fruit again.

M- Dry, med to thin body.

D- Nothing impressive, can't say I would drink this again. Didn't even finish it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2011 02:36:23 | More by stckhndlr

Pballa4lyfe

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- clearish yellow, little head that followed down the glass

S- hints of malt and hops

T- hints of malts and hops

M- good, low carbonation, low on the palete

D- very drinkable

overall, if your at the restaurant, this beer wasn't bad, but again wasnt the bed Pilsner in the world, but was still a descent beer choice, worth a try

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 200 East Middle Lane - Unit A, Rockville

12-21-2010 04:27:37 | More by Pballa4lyfe

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled at Gordon Biersch restaurant in Dallas, TX. Pours deep-golden hue. Aroma is of hops with some malt in the background. Body is medium, crisp. Spicy hops dominate the palate with biscuit malt provide some balance. On the whole, it is nice Pilsener.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 200 East Middle Lane - Unit A, Rockville

12-16-2010 20:09:47 | More by mikeg67

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.6/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap at the restaurant in Tysons Corners, Virginia while waiting for the most recent "Harry Potter" movie to start.

A: Poured a crystal clear, straw-colored brew with about a finger or two worth of head, with minimal lacing.

S: Yeasty, wheaty, and with a tinge of mild sweetness.... everything a nice German Pilsener should be.

T: Very similar to the nose. Medium bodied, with the taste being substantially full and juicy. The mild hop bitterness was very pleasant.

M: Thick enough for this style, nice bubbly carbonation, and no sticky residue left behind.

D: Nothing complex here, nor do I think it was meant to be. I'm glad I ordered this one and I'd definitely get this again.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 7861 L Chain Bridge Rd, McLean

11-27-2010 21:37:45 | More by Chaney

beer2day

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Light clear orange pour. 1-finger head with faint retention. Faint lace as well.

Honey sweet, bready nose.

Slightly sweet hit, but very clean and crisp pils flavor. Nice pils bit at the end.

Thin, but refreshing feel.

Not my favorite of their lineup, but passable.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 7861 L Chain Bridge Rd, McLean

08-21-2010 01:10:00 | More by beer2day

zeff80

Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a clear, golden-yellow color with a thin, white, bubbly head of foam. It left soapy sheets of lace.

S - It smelled of floral notes, grains, caramel and mild vanilla notes.

T - It tasted of sweet caramel and grains. Almost honey-like flavors. It had a spicy and grassy hop bite to match the sweetness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and dry. A light bodied pils.

D - This is a nice representation of the Czech Pils. It is spicy and sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 7861 L Chain Bridge Rd, McLean

07-15-2010 01:17:38 | More by zeff80

belgiumbud

California

2.6/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Golden color...Medium cloudiness...More body than any other Czech Pils that I have loved before but decent amount of malty sweetness with ample lace around the glassware...Finishs with a hint of hop bitterness and a generous malt back...Pretty well balanced between the malt sweetness and the hop bitterness...But not what I am used to as being a Czech Pilsner

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 7861 L Chain Bridge Rd, McLean

07-12-2010 01:59:20 | More by belgiumbud

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: A dark gold in color with a small head and some lace.

Smell: Hoppy aroma of Saaz and/or Tettnang hops. A fairly strong scent of hops is a good thing for a pilsner, and is quite inviting.

Taste: Cracker like malt character. Hops are present providing a good deal of bitterness. Spicy/Herbal hop sticks around the whole time.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, biting, viscous, well carbonated, medium bodied.

Drinkability: A solid pils with a strong hop presence. Would pair well with spicy foods.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 7861 L Chain Bridge Rd, McLean

07-05-2010 18:05:58 | More by Stinkypuss

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz tap pour into a weiss glass at Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. in the San Francisco Airport, CA. (I imagine that since they don't brew in the airport, this location would be providing them with the beer.)

A - This pilsner is insanely carbonated and clear golden yellow with a foamy white head with fantastic retention to the pile but little lace left over.

S - Despite the mild scent, what's there is decent. Nice light pale and pils malts tango with noble hops to give it a crisp nose.

T - Pale malts and noble hops take a back seat to a hard mineral water flavor. Fair resemblance of a classic pilsner but it doesn't hit the mark with flavor.

M - This refreshing pilsner is light-bodied and crisp with a sharp carbonation finish.

D - Their Czech Pilsner is pretty easily drinkable but there isn't much there. A decent offering that leans towards being pretty capable but just doesn't quite make it.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Gordon Biersch, 2 Harrison Street, San Francisco

06-08-2010 02:07:43 | More by BeerFMAndy