Peter's Brand Pilsner Beer - Union Export Brewery

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +37.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an absolutely crystal-clear deep-golden body that reveals hundreds of average-sized bubbled rising steadily beneath a long-lasting head of creamy bright-white foam that holds quite well and leaves excellent lacing about the glass. The aroma offers a soft grainy maltiness and a mildly skunked herbal hoppiness. The body is medium with a fine-bubbled carbonation that's crisp on the tongue. The flavor delivers exactly what the nose promises with its sweetish grainy malt base and grassy, herbal and floral hops perfectly balanced by a solid bitterness. (It's less bitter than Heineken, and most German pilseners as well). It finishes dry and refreshing with a lingering swirl of hops that begs you to have another swallow. Very well done; and exceptional at the low price point it's sold at!

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2004 22:03:02 | More by NeroFiddled

BeerResearcher

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +36.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This "Dutch" Pilsener pours a shiny gold with a pure white head and some sticky lace. A faint malt aroma melds with cut hay and a hint of mint. The malt is somewhat grassy, herbal, and again, minty. The hops are fairly metallic and a bit citrusy. The flavors are separate at first but blend and balance as the malt sweetness develops. This isn't a bad session-type beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2003 14:00:13 | More by BeerResearcher

Jason

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

At $4.29 a six-pack this is the generic import pilsner of choice. Perfect for a hot summer day or light drinking.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2002 00:15:49 | More by Jason

goschool

California

3.48/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The color is golden, the head faded quickly. The malts are grainy, the hops are grassy. This stuff has a bit more malts than most pilsners. Its mouthfeel is medium bodied with a thin finish. Think of this beer as Heineken with a little more taste and no skunk.

Serving type: can

06-11-2006 06:48:28 | More by goschool

RobH

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz green bottle.

Euro Pilsners are not my beer style of choice, so I approached this one with skepticism and my expectations were exceeded.

German and Czech Pilsners have a certain hop bitter aroma that's not my thing, and this one had the aroma but the taste seemed to turn sweeter in the finish rather than more bitter. That's a plus.

This is an easy drinker. I poured mine hard into a stange glass and it created a niced white head that lasted and left lacing on the glass.

Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2008 23:30:24 | More by RobH

slammo

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I wanted to get excited about this one based on price and packaging in the can. It turns out to be a decent if not memorable euro import the likes of so many others.

Appearance is adequate yet unassuming. The smell is also average mowed grass with nothing exceptional to note.

Taste is refreshing with a nice balance of malt and hop. Believe me, it is a huge improvement over any American macro brew and I don't want to knock it too much. There are better beers out there and there are worse. It sure beats a Bud IMO.

Serving type: can

07-04-2011 18:13:02 | More by slammo

MadeInOregon

California

3.45/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Have seen this at Trader Joe's for a long time and finally decided to give it a go...

APPEARANCE: Crystal-clear light bronze to a faint gold color. Small, puffy white head recedes to nothing with absolutely no lacing. Not terrible, not great.

SMELL: Lowest point of this beer. Aroma is an unpleasant grassy hay and urine smell mixed with a faint amount of corn, alcohol, and hops. The smell is actually quite faint overall but what is there is not very nice and is unfortunately similar to many macro adjunct lagers (even though this is not an adjunct).

TASTE: Metallic, grainy (wheat), malt, with a nice amount of hops rearing its head but never gaining much strength. Finishes slightly spicy with an aftertaste consisting of a weird mix of bubblegum, candied fruit, wheat and mild hops. Main flavor coming through with each sip is metal + malt + mild hops. Overall, this is a sweet beer.

FEEL: Thin, but smooth. Certainly thicker than an American macro. This beer has a surprisingly good balance of density and effervescence. It ends with a slightly dry, sticky quality but remains very easy-drinking and thirst-quenching.

CONCLUSION: Definitely worth the uber low $5.49 for a 6-pack of 500ml cans! There are a few odd flavors and the smell is borderline gross in my opinion, but this really is not a bad beer at all. In fact, I'd say it's better than most beers in the low-priced lager genre--especially of the American variety.

Serving type: can

05-26-2012 00:40:31 | More by MadeInOregon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

Why can't every store be like Trader Joe's, with really low prices and the ability to break any sixer? I mean, that's how this can came into my presence. It pours a clear pale golden straw topped by a finger or so of white foam. The nose comprises wheat, grass, and flowers. The taste has a slightly citric bent, but the rest of these elements come back in spades. Somehow, the citrus and the flowers meld very nicely, creating a pleasant flavor. The body is pretty light, with a moderate carbonation and a smoothly fluid feel. Overall, a nice little pils. Nowhere near the best, but an eminently drinkable brew, indeed.

Serving type: can

06-09-2011 04:51:15 | More by TMoney2591

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.4/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Bright, clear gold color. Poured a 3 finger foamy white head that dissipated to an even skim. Decanted continually; very active. Laced in wide broken rings.

S: Light crackery malt. Green apple and grass. Faint skunky aroma.

T: Light, slightly sweet malt. Transitions quickly to a light, lingering hop character. Crisp and slightly dry.

M: Light body. Ample carbonation. Active on the palate; very crisp. Light lingering bitter that turns dry.

O: Some malt and hop character in a light, drinkable beer. But for the slight skunky smell, far better than many are giving it credit for.

Serving type: can

08-18-2011 19:10:09 | More by Haybeerman

droomyster

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev +19%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours from an oversize can a clear yellowish gold with a small white head. Aromas are predominately grainy and uninteresting but the taste incorporates a nice grassy hoppiness that balances it out. The carbonation gives it an electric feeling and lends an extreme crispness that makes up for the simplicity of its taste and make it quite drinkable.

Serving type: can

02-22-2010 04:33:34 | More by droomyster

tconboy

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light orange gold with slight carbonation, and a moderate head that fades to a light film. Smells of fresh lively pilsner beer - grainy and a light straw. Tastes light, grainy, fresh, clean, smooth - but definitely a light taste. Less than average carbonation compared to similar beers, smooth drinkable pilsner. Will probably be the last time I have this, but overall I don't have too many complaints

Serving type: can

01-10-2010 02:47:49 | More by tconboy

OStrungT

California

3.23/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer pours a light straw yellow, with a thin white head. The head fades fast, leaving very few laces.

This beer has a slight citrus hop aroma. It has a slight skunk aroma, but that might be due to the fact that it is bottled in a green bottle.

This beer tastes more malty than I would have though. It has a light caramel sweet flavor. The floral, citrus hops are present, but mild. The skunkyness that was present in the aroma is not present in the flavor. It tastes better than I expected.

This beer is crisl and light. It goes down smooth, leaving a floral aftertaste.

This beer might make a good session beer. It is not aggressive, and it is probably relatively low in alcohol. I doubt I will have it again, but it was good to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2006 00:57:58 | More by OStrungT

MaltyGoodness

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle

Pours a crystal clear pale straw color with a small white had that fades. Mild lacing on the glass.

Rather zesy hop aroma with a mild "skunkiness" that I've come to expect and rather enjoy in an import pils. Crisp.

Light maltiness, not as crisp as the aroma leads on. Hop flavor is also more subdued than the smell would have you believe. Finishes with a mild bitterness that lingers a bit.

Light body, medium carbonation.

Overall, an average import pils. Easily drinkable, this would be a refreshing beer to slug down on a hot day. But, there certainly better pils to be had. If only the taste held up to the smell, this would be tip-top....

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2007 23:00:33 | More by MaltyGoodness

bditty187

Nebraska

3.2/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Golden hue with a very limited and underdeveloped head, no retention and no lace. The nose wasn't exactly skunky but more like old, wet grains and musty cream. It is tolerable... fairly neutral actually. The palate was very light, simple with a creamy-hay and spice mixture; it was respectable. I wouldn't go out of my way to drink this again, but I did like it (to some degree). Hell, give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2002 16:06:31 | More by bditty187

McStagger

California

3.18/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another TJ specialty.

A: Pours a dark straw color. Clarity is excellent. Three fingers of white head. Medium dissipation, Pretty decent lacing. Carbonation is moderate, with large bubbles dancing to the surface at a fairly decent pace.

S: Tart, citric hoppiness, grassiness, graininess (barley and adjunct). Just kinda beerish.

T: Crisp, clean, refreshing. Nice dry finish. Starts off with very little malty sweetness. The mid palate is slightly doughy and bready, with a finish of moderate citric hops and a tad bit of the spicy hops. Some alcohol notes came through. No aftertaste. Very dry.

M: Goes down smoothly. Not overly carbonated, but nothing too viscous either. The carbonation seems pretty spot on.

O: Simple and easy. Definitely lawn mowing beer.

Serving type: can

10-13-2011 08:03:01 | More by McStagger

Boneheadmx

California

3.15/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured out to a light straw with a one-finger head that subsided slowly. Nothing special here.

The smell is of light floral hops, and a bit of malt. Very faint. Detected a bit of skunk too.

For a Pils, this beer is maltier, which I find pleasing. Nice and bready, not bad at all.

The mouthfeel is OK, but it's really nothing special. A bit too much carbonation for my taste.

This is a very drinkable beer, however.

A refreshing, tasty beer. Not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2008 05:36:48 | More by Boneheadmx

Reidrover

Oregon

3.13/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ok cheap pick of the day from Trader Joe's..extremelly cheap looking can design.
Actual;ly looks ok when poured into my glass..typical golden pils colour with a good sized almost creamy white head.
the aroma is ok..typical and thankfully not skunked at all
A nice just above average taste for a lager..some nice hoppiness and a taste of malt..its dry in the finish.
pretty average on the tongue.
A quite drinkabl;e lager..I must admit I was surprised..a good cheap beer for parties and BBQs.

Serving type: can

07-11-2003 22:33:58 | More by Reidrover

allengarvin

Texas

3.13/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours out a crystal-clear dull-gold color. Nice head and lacing. Sweet, grainy malt nose. Sweet malt, likewise, is the dominant flavor, with but a small touch of bitterness and no discernable hop flavor. Finishes clean and neutral. Light bodied.

Very pedestrian pils. Not recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2006 03:38:31 | More by allengarvin

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12oz green bottle with the words "Dutch" and "Holland" appearing everywhere! Six-packs are wrapped in plastic rather than the traditional cardboard carriers.

Appearance: Crystal clear golden liquid with a minimal white lace head.

Smell: Light malt, apple skin and that skunk smell known world wide as "the green bottle lager/pilsner smell."

Taste: A bit crisp with a light malt and adjunct flavour. Touch of hop flavour and bitterness pulls through at the end, just as this brew starts to dry up in the mouth.

Notes: At $4.29 a six-pack this is the generic import pilsner of choice. Perfect for a hot summer day or light drinking.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-1998 00:00:01 | More by BeerAdvocate

Pegasus

Texas

3.1/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Medium golden color with a creamy, half-inch snow-white head, lots of irregular lace rings; massive streams of bubbles continually renew the head. Aroma has a very pronounced skunk quality, perhaps the strongest I have ever experienced. When I uncapped the bottle, my cat took a whiff and rapidly backed away. Some white bread aromas can be detected beneath the skunk odor. Taste begins with a sweet malt flavor and a sting of carbonation, at the tail end of the taste some oily hop bitterness appears. Finish is crisp and dry. A visually striking beer, if its taste were equal to its appearance, it would be a world class Pilsener.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 19:46:18 | More by Pegasus

Redrover

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

One pint can poured into my SA perfect pint glass. The beer is a crystal clear yellow with a fairly dense bone white head.

The aroma is of grains, grass and a bit of floral hops.

The taste is also grainy with some mild astringency. The hops also add some minor floral notes. Not a ton going on, it is not bad, but just kind of there.

The beer does have excellent carbonation and decent mouth feel .

Not sure I would ever reach for it again, but it probably worth the modest one dollar investment from Trader Joes.

Serving type: can

05-08-2010 01:01:52 | More by Redrover

Gagnonsux

Texas

3.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Peter's Brand has the typical golden straw color of a lot of the mass-produced beers from Holland. Head is average-sized and somewhat sticky and carbonation is above average. The aroma is initially a belt of skunkiness, which is followed by the smell of sweet grains. The taste is of sweet grains with just a bit of skunk flavor that mixes in primarily because of smell. This is tasty enough, about on par for macro beers from Holland, and works well for the low price.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2005 02:42:49 | More by Gagnonsux

mwagner1018

Minnesota

3.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Light golden brass color, very light white head, leaves minimal lacing, loads of carbonation, large rising through glass.

S- Grainy, light malt, mild spiced bread.

T- Similar notes to nose, crisp, moderately clean, slight off taste on the finish, that doesn't represent as the traditional noble hops.

M- Highly carbonated, fresh, clean, light in texture.

D- On a hot summer day, very drinkable, for a good beer session, certainly leaves me wanting more, no complexity, doesn't deliver the refreshing hop quality of a traditional noble hopped pils, lacking complexity.

Serving type: can

04-29-2010 01:23:46 | More by mwagner1018

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.03/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz green bottle with a date code of L0416 12:33 whatever that is. Almost no lacing or head retention

Pours an effervescent honey gold with 2+ fingers of fluffed up white head.

S: A little floral hops & sopayness

T: Swet malt & some floral hops. Soapy hop taste follows along with some diathechyl/butterscotch & grainyness. Finishes dry, a litle fruitry & grainyness

MF: Almost medium bodied with moderate carbonation & okay balance, a little grittyness from the grainyness

This just an average drinker, wasn't expecting much & that's about what I got, a ho-hum pils. Beter than BMC but nothing to rwrite home about

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2007 02:49:25 | More by russpowell

FacistCannonBall

California

3.03/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured it from a sixteen ounce can into a tall pilsner glass. The smell is not far off from most other pilsners I've tried; there is something distinctive about the smell of a pilsner beer. It had a decent size white colored head that left lacing down the glass, as I finished the beer. It was a light golden color similar to some other Dutch and German beers. The taste had that funk (lack of a better word) that you find with pilsners and really no other beers. Yet, it is not a strongly flavored beer and seemed to fade quickly. All in all, not a bad beer, though definitely not a great beer either. It represents a pretty good value for an everyday refreshing drinker at $5:50 a sixer of 16 oz. cans.

Serving type: can

06-13-2008 06:40:54 | More by FacistCannonBall