Lagunitas PILS (Czech Style Pilsner) - Lagunitas Brewing Company

scottfrie

California

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the brewery.

A: Served a darkish golden with a fuzzy white head that quickly faded into a thin scum that left wisps of lacing.
S: Light smelling with notes of sweet citrus, lemon and pale malts.
T: Sweet with a good dose of citrus, bread crust, minerals and pale malt. The aftertaste is that of crackers.
M: Medium body, clean mouthfeel, light tingly carbonation.
O: Refreshing enough and really easy to drink. Pretty standard all around.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2011 03:07:25 | More by scottfrie

avaldivia

California

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at lagunitas.

A: Light golden color with a huge head for a lager. The head fades very quickly however.

S: Light with just a bit of hop character.

T: Damn. That is a delicious, refreshing pilsner. Nice malty flavor with just a hint of hops. Absolutely enjoyable.

M: Light and crisp. This is a great summertime beer. Incredibly refreshing.

O: This is my go to lager. Affordable, easily obtainable, and wonderful. Great beer to have when warm outside.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 16:49:21 | More by avaldivia

SkunkWorks

New York

3.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Portside in Port Jefferson, NY. Served in a pint glass.

Look: light gold body, thin white head, decent retention and lacing. Looks like a pils.

Smell: hoppy citrus zest, fresh grass, and pilsner malt.

Taste: a little too sweet for a pilsner. Malty body with some grassy, citrusy hops. Its not as dry as I would've liked and the malt is too forward.

Feel: light bodied, easy drinking, crisp carbonation, refreshing on a hot day and could be something you'd session if it wasn't 6.2% ABV, which seems high for a pils.

Overall: this is okay but calling it a Czech Pilsener seems misleading. It tastes like an American pale lager, so don't buy this thinking you're getting an authentic Czech Pils. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 18:52:53 | More by SkunkWorks

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It was served to me on tap with a golden yellow tone and a decent enough head that fizzles in short order. The aroma is malty up fronmt with a biscuit-like and grainy scent as well. It came in with a moderate body and the taste also had a nice, pleasing malty pils attitude with a thin hop bitterness. Overall fairly well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2011 00:30:12 | More by puboflyons

rarbring

Sweden

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A clear yellow beverage, a white head, little lacing.

Smelling of fresh fruits, green apples and lemons. Some fresh cut grass.

Upfront a dextrose sweetnes, then aplles and pears, hay and nettles.

Medium high carbonation, small bubbles, soft and a bit sticky.

Clean and nice, possibly borderline too sweet - for me.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2011 22:37:42 | More by rarbring

LazyL

British Columbia (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A heavy carbonated pale orange with an average white head. The nose is spicy and a little skunky. The taste is true to style. The mouthfeel is dry but very drinkable. Over 6%, on tap, beach in the background. This is not my favorite style, but I'm thirsty and this goes down pretty well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2011 01:59:05 | More by LazyL

Beernf

California

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

On tap at Bar Food in Santa Monica, CA.

Lagunitas Pils is a standby beer if you are too drunk to really taste another beer for real. It has some basic characteristics that make it easy to drink, like other pilsners. Its not offensive, unless it warms up and then there is some funk to it that I am not a fan of. However, out of a tap when its nice and cold, i like drinking it. Goes well with most food, not sweets though. I guess if you are going to go for a Pilsner, its better to support a small indie brewery than to just order from the corporate beer makers eh?

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 03:32:48 | More by Beernf

damndirtyape

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Kennedy's pub in San Fran. served in a shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Golden to darker straw yellow with a white head that dies down to eventually nothing. Very mild lacing here and there initially, but eventually that goes away as well.

Smell: Crisp earthy hops blended with some malt. Smells like a pilsner should, but a bit richer in smell. There is a hint of citrus to those hops, but it's still very Germanic....what is it? It's not quite floral, it's not herbal. It screams pilsner and that's the best I can describe it.

Taste: What this beer does not have in appearance it makes up for in taste. Very balanced crisp Czech/German style hops and biscuity malts together. The hop bitterness comes out just enough ahead but in a very satisfying way. The hop flavor is like the smell, some hints of west coast citrus, but that earthy and classic Czech/German flavor is there. I wish I could describe it better but I cannot. Equally good when first poured and towards the end of the glass. Very refreshing.

Mouthfeel: Right balance of carbonation and smoothness. Coats the throat nicely and leaves - making me ready for the next sip or swallow. Nice.

Drinkability: Oh ho - this is a dangerous one. Despite the slightly higher ABV, I'm not noticing it until the entire glass is done. I think I've found a new favorite pilsner. While it's nothing pretty too look at, it is interesting enough as a pilsner I keep wanting another sip, and when it's gone, I really want another one. I could see this going very well with a lot of different foods. A very good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 05:11:42 | More by damndirtyape

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Light golden color, darker than I was actually expecting. Small amount of head, almost no lacing to speak of .

A: Grains, a small amount of honey and not much else. Smells light and sweet. Pretty unexciting aroma.

T: Hit of sweet malts up front that give way to a nice mellow hoppiness. A well balanced beer, light and summery.

M: Medium bodied with a fair amount of carbonation.

D: A drinkable but unremarkable beer. Light, crisp and easy to drink, but not a pilsner worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2010 14:38:46 | More by DaveBlack

glid02

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Young Augustine's in Atlanta.

Pours a clear golden color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a patchy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of light malts but more like a kolsch than the usual crispness I get from lagers. Also present are good amounts of leafy hops and lighter amounts of citrus aromas.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Somewhat muddled light malt flavors that lack a nice crispness kick things off and are joined quickly by leafy hop flavors. Midway through the sip very faint amounts of citrus hops work their way into things before fading out into a mildly bitter ending. The citrus hops are just a bit more intense in the flavor than they are in the aroma.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with solid carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I feel as though this beer really doesn't have an identity. It's not crisp enough to stand as a traditional pilsner and the hops (while I'm glad it's not completely overhopped) are too much for a traditional pilsner but not enough to turn it into a very drinkable beer. A decent beverage but nothing worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2010 01:29:19 | More by glid02

atsprings

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a standard pint glass a crisp orange with a thin diminishing head. Aroma was mild sweet malts and Earthy hops. The taste is a mild balance of sweet hops and mildly bitter lingering hops. The beer is quite smooth, crisp and refreshing. This is certainly an enjoyable pilsner, one I could surely see ordering again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2010 03:14:24 | More by atsprings

UDbeernut

New York

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap poured into a pint glass

A: straw yellow, 1" head with decent retention, slighht lace

S: grass and flower

T: light malt quickly entinguished with over the top bitterness, grass. Spot on for the style.

M&D: light to medoum mouth, drying. Can do about 5 or 6 and not skip a bit. Does have a slightly more abv than a session. Otherwise it would be perfect for a summer weekend bbq.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2010 20:49:59 | More by UDbeernut

TommyW

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Clear gold with a sticky white head.

S- Faint grass and mild floral hops; a little faint overall.

T- Bready malt with hay and grass. Clean floral hop presence, but it's a little on the weak side.

M- Medium body with a light carbonation.

D- Not a badly balanced beer, but the hop presence just didn't remind me of what a good Czech Pils should be.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 12:26:53 | More by TommyW

boss302

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lagunitas Pils, draft, 5.3%Abv. This beer was newly tapped and quite fresh.
A4,S4.5,T4.5,M4,O4.5

A Big thick white head. Deep golden color and crystal clear. Head receeded, but continued to cover the beer all the way to the end of the glass.

S Nice fresh flowery noble hop Aroma. Just as a Czech pils should be.

T Malty, with sufficient hop bitterness to tip the balance toward the hops. Hops dominate, but are not harsh and are true to style.

M This a pale beer, with full flavor and medium body due to quality malt. Carbonation is a little high, but doesn't detract.

O Light colored beers are very difficult to make well because there is nowhere to hide errors. If you get a chance to try a good one, don't miss the opportunity. This is one of those beers. Highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2010 02:17:45 | More by boss302

taigor

New York

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On-tap poured into a regular pint glass.

A - Poured clear golden color with medium head that slowly dissipated leaving slight lacing around the glass.

S - Grains predominate with a hint of citrus, honey and hops.

T - Hoppy bitter with a dry finish. Unexpected for Czech Pilsener.

M - Light bodied with medium carbonation.

D - Easy going and enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2010 11:13:20 | More by taigor

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Kennedys in SF
Poured a clear golden yellow with good carbonation and a small white head. Nose is mainly just biscuity malts and grains. Taste was crisp, bready, grains and a slight sweetness. It had a slight twang or bite on the end. Very mild beer all around. Body was about medium and well carbonated. Decent brew overall but nothing special.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 15:31:48 | More by barleywinefiend

beertunes

Washington

3.35/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in straight pint glass. Poured the expected clear, clean, slightly golden yellow of the style. The beer had a tall, fluffy, white head that had very good retention and decent lacing.

The aroma was the expected grainy scent with a gentle kiss of hops. There was, unfortunately, a slight skunkiness to the aroma. The flavors also were what is expected for the style. A nice combo of grain, grass and hop.

Body and drinkabilty were both where you would expect them to be. Overall, I'd say this beer meets expectations. It's a nice, clean, refreshing beer that's certainly worth your time.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2010 21:24:19 | More by beertunes

BeerSingh

India

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap as a part of a beer flight at Argaria, Georgetown -

A : Straw coloured with a loose head. No lacing evident

S : Muddy and citrusy

T : Citrusy, sweet malt and finally the bitterness. Nice balance

M : Good carbonation compliments the light body

D : Of course, its pretty decent

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2009 06:29:16 | More by BeerSingh

DeepSix

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a mug, large head, that left behind a small lace. A golden clear color

Smell of some citrus with some rather subdued malt tones, the spicy grassy hop was very well present and made me very much look forward to the taste.

Taste is sweet only for but a moment, until replaced by the crisp hops. The aftertaste is slightly bitter and dry, but it ultimately finishes very cleanly.

The body is light to medium, with a bit of carbonation in der. Fairly stand pilsener mouthfeel.

This is a beer I could drink all day, a little too high ABV to be session (aren't most these days?), but it certainly feels like one. Especially nice seeing its still summer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2009 23:14:51 | More by DeepSix

dmamiano

West Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had at the Mellow Mushronn on tap.
Brassy and clear with a nice white head leaving behind drapes of lacing.
Husky graininess in the nose, maltiness with the ever so slight hint of hops present.
Taste is smooth, very well rounded. Nice feel on the palate with a good malt presence.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2009 01:31:25 | More by dmamiano

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Snagged a growler at Consumer Beverage on a visit to Buffalo. I even used a gift card so it was free!

Pours a slightly hazy gold color with a nice fluffy white head. A nice balanced aroma of earthy malt and spicy hops. Some Euro skunk in the aroma as well. Taste is a nice round malt with hints of spice from the hops and a bit of a biter finish that fades semi quickly and allows for a rather clean after taste.

Nice body, nice carbonation. Not my style, but a nice easy drinker that seems fairly legit.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2009 22:03:20 | More by ZimZamZoom

rugerj

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Beer pours a golden color with a 1 finger white head that dissipates quickly, not much lacing left in glass. Smell is of sweet malt and a piney hop nose. Taste is of sweet malt with some graininess; grassy/piney hop presence is noticed. Carbonation was good and beer was light in body. Beer finishes fairly dry.

A decent Pilsner but falls short of others I have had form overseas.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2009 15:19:51 | More by rugerj

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a solid gold color with decent head retention and lacing. The nose is fairly attractive, consisting of honey and bread dough. The beer actually tastes better then it smells, consistig of a faintly sweet package of hoppy bitterness and honey. The beer has a nice crispness on the palate that is attractive, and gives the beer something of thirst quenching mouthfeel. Otherwise, this beer is medium bodied at most, and actually comes across as fairly light (which is pretty much expected with this beers abv.). Drinkability is pretty good, though I wish this beer had a bit more flavor. Still, this is a nice enough pilsner style beer, and is especially good on a warm day.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2009 19:29:18 | More by johnmichaelsen

treehugger02010

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this on-tap at Cantina Dos Segundos in Philadelphia, PA. It was served in a pint glass.
Appearance: The body is a clear gold color. The head is one and a half fingers tall, light, small bubbles, good retention and good lacing.
Smell: The aroma is kind of plain, notes of citrus hops.
Taste: The flavors are dominated by grapefruit with no malt backbone.
Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is oddly smooth.
Drinkability: This is a very drinkable beer.
Don't drink and review.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2009 20:10:29 | More by treehugger02010

spointon

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this one on tap at the Illinois Bar & Grill in Lemont, IL on 3/18/2009.

A= This beer poured a hazy yellow gold color with a thin 1/4" white head. The head dropped fairly quickly to almost zero and left very little lace on the glass.

S= I found biscuity sweet malts, with just a hint of grassy fresh hops.

T= Like the smell, bakery malt sweetness up front with a green/grassy hop quality soon after. A mild lemon flavor in there too. Dry finish, though not as dry as some pils I have had.

MF= Light bodied and crisp all the way.

D= Very drinkable and enjoyable pilsner here. I could have a few of these in a sitting for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2009 04:08:07 | More by spointon