Lagunitas PILS (Czech Style Pilsner) - Lagunitas Brewing Company

gilman

New York

3.95/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this in a growler and shared with a friend. Was very smooth and easy to drink. Poured a light yellow with only a one finger head that did not last. Taste was like a belgin pilsner not much hop taste but good never the less. Have had better pilsners but have had worse. not a bad choice if you like pilsners.

Serving type: growler

01-01-2010 00:33:58 | More by gilman

Immortale25

Florida

3.24/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a Funky Buddha Brewery snifter. Julian date 088....

A- Pours a clean medium golden color with a 1/4 inch white head that doesn't retain long before decomposing to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and random tiny specs of surface foam. Nearly no lacing as just a thin ring is left behind on the glass.

S- Crisp aroma of Czech hops with a cracker-like malt aroma.

T- Taste isn't as enjoyable as the hops leave a dirty taste in my mouth. It's drinkable, but just barely so as there isn't much flavor other than that and some papery malt.

M- Has a bit of snap but is just too watery to be very enjoyable. Medium-low carbonation and a light body.

O- I've had trouble getting into Czech pilsners, but there have been some takes on the style that I've liked...this not being one of them. Certainly the weakest beer in Lagunitas's lineup.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 01:10:59 | More by Immortale25

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.44/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a beautiful golden straw color. The head is barely off-white colored, and about two fingers high. Retention isn't the best, but the way it settles in the glass betrays solid hoppiness. Lacing is spotty but thick in certain places. All in all, this looks really good in a glass.

S: The hops used here aren't just grassy, they also have a citrusy/lemony bend to them. I also notice touches of sugar cookie-esque malts and some mineral notes. Good aroma, just one that could be a bit stronger (especially for 6.2%).

T: Initially, flavors of lemon and grass from the hops sweep the palate. A slightly sweet middle gives way to a dry back end with strong hard water notes. Slight buttery touches are prevalent throughout. I think it's solid, but not as delicate or smooth as the best examples of the style.

M: This is really light and crisp, like a good pils should be. The faint hard water quality gives it an assertively dry finishing kick - meaning it goes down with superb ease.

O: While this is pretty good, Lagunitas didn't fully nail this one. The drinkability is top notch, but in other aspects (balance, finesse, subtlety), I think the mark was missed. I'd definitely give this a second chance on tap, though.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 17:34:15 | More by ThisWangsChung

MattyG85

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Lagunitas Mason Jar glass. Bottling code of 115= April 25.

Appearance: Pours a bright copper golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About two fingers of off white head which slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell: A bready, grainy, and biscuity malt forward aroma with some nice earthy hop hints. Bready malts upfront with hints of grains, biscuit, yeast, crackers, caramel, and straw. Fairly earthy and herbal with some hints of grassy hops. Also some light hints of citrus hops with some orange and lemon hints. Leans very much towards the malty side of things. Solid smell.

Taste: Like the smell, a very bready malt forward lager taste with some decent earthy hop background. Very bready and malty upfront with a taste of biscuit, grains, caramel, crackers, yeast, straw, and hay. Light honey like sweet note. Decent earthy and floral hop backing with some damp grassy notes. Subtle citrus notes of lemon and orange. Taste is very malty but not overly light. Solid Pils taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and a little fuller than expected for the style. Finishes fairly dry.

Overall: A solid very malt forward take on the Pilsener style. Kind of surprising from Lagunitas but good tasting.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 07:06:47 | More by MattyG85

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gold liquid hits the glass and friction muscles up an inch or less of coarse, audibly-receding white foam. Cascades of rising bubbles play to a steady metronome.

Dry and crackery with a slight citrusy hop element. Crisp and inviting with some background grassiness and hay aromas.

Drinks with a familiar hop backing. Slanted citrus, grass, herbal bitterness, and faint bitter orange. Grapefruit rinds and husky grain play supporting roles, as well. Tailend has a nice bitterness that doesn't dispel the sweet notes, but layers on top of them. Distinctly Lagunitas, somehow, and that's a plus in its own right.

Has a formed medium body with good balance for a gruff carb presence. Bubbles are pushy, but escape naturally and diffusely. Very integrated in the way it supports the sequential sip.

Great Czech Pils and a lager to stock the fridge with, for sure. It took waiting this long and enjoying this lone bottle from a mix-six to finally realize that.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 19:59:53 | More by thecheapies

utopiajane

New York

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear and gold with two fingers of heavy foam that fell off quickly to some soapy lacing. Good clarity and has traditional pilsner bubbles up bombing from the bottom of the glass. The nose is dank hay, grassy hops a little sour and earthy and some cracker malt. The malt stands up in the glass robust but a little heavy with the clean taste of grain alongside the hops bitterness. Body is thin like a traditional pils and it leaves dry, bitter and herbal. It wasn’t tremendous or unique but it is a nice fat pils.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 16:55:58 | More by utopiajane

Mojo

Alabama

3.71/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle -> pilsener flute

This beer pours up an extremely clear pale gold with a small one finger head, some retention, and bits of spotty lacing. I didn't get ANYTHING from the nose. It is as close to odorless as can be. Taste is fairly refreshing. The first impression is a sweet malt with a lot of citrus note leading seamlessly into a dry easy finish. Nothing renarkable about the mouthfeel. I'm thinking this might make a perfect summer beer when you just want something refreshing without all the big hops and bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 21:37:27 | More by Mojo

admccabe

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Nice labeling, poured into pint glass where it had a light head to accompany the light amber/golden color
S- I'm still trying to refine my sense of smell when it comes to beers. I thought I was smelling some sort of grain, like wheat, barley?
T- Had a nice mix of sour/bitter taste, I tasted something similar to grapes.
M- It had a lingering bite, wasn't unpleasant.
O- I'm glad I tried this beer, I'm still exploring different pilsners, so this was on my list. I'd buy it again, but I'm still searching for the pilsner that will be my "goto".

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:26:07 | More by admccabe

pineaxesaw

Illinois

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

Right now I am going through a phase of trying authentic czech style pilsners, and this pilsner stays very true to its style. It has a much deeper golden color, then a Bohemian or Vienna style lager. The spice notes are quiet to come through but once you taste them, your happy they have used some high quality Saaz hops.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 00:45:30 | More by pineaxesaw

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz on tap

pale light gold, no head or lacing to speak of. smell is sweet roasted grain, light wheat, peanut butter. light grainy pils taste, "balanced" by very bitter hops.

tasty hoppy pils from lagunitas. their trademark intense hop bitterness is here unsurprisingly

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2013 23:01:34 | More by jimmah120

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.84/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

more of a sturdy pils than most, which i of course appreciate. this pours clear radiant yellow color, maybe a copper hue to it, but just barely. the head is frothy and rich and lasting, although only about an inch tall. the nose is grassy, distinctly Czech on the hop front, and light pizza dough malt like a good pilsener should have. nice crisp taste, with more body than most and more alcohol than most too, although you cant really taste it. the grains are nice and fresh, slightly toasted maybe, and the noble hops are spot on, summery and only moderately bitter. awesome carbonation, really thirst quenching. the finish is super clean, down easy, especially when ice cold. this is a good springtime drinker, not freakishly interesting, but it is really tasty. my dad would adore this, im impressed by its quality but not particularly moved by it. also, like the wilco tango, this is one of the few lagunitas beers where the yeast strain doesn't detract from the overall effort. hey, that's 2 in a row!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 21:25:23 | More by StonedTrippin

mscott1975

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Nice creamy 2 finger head that leaves nice lacing around the glass. Color of the beer is your standard lager yellow. Carbonation bubbles continue to float towards the top throughout the entire 'session'.

Smell: Not much to speak of. A faint metallic smell is all I can muster and maybe a little hay like smell. Although, I don't really think the style lends itself to strong aromas.

Taste: I really wish I could be more descriptive but it's pretty standard pilsner taste. Sweet, bready malt.

Mouthfeel: A little thicker and more robust than I would have expected for the style. Nice and creamy on the palate and is pretty easy to drink. This beer clings to the back of the tongue like a stronger lager which makes sense at 6.0%.

Overall: I like my pilsner's and lagers in general to be a little more crisp and refreshing than this one. If I'm going the lager rout I'm choosing Victory Prima Pils or Stoudt's Munich Gold. It's a well crafted beer but I probably won't be buying this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 03:04:18 | More by mscott1975

lsummers

California

3.66/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had some good expectations for this one but it just didn't hit home.

Looked great with its one finger tall head that left some nice lacing. Smells nice but not anything too special. Taste was a touch hoppier than what I usually like in a pilsner. Hops are Lagunitas's style but the type of hops didn't quite do it for me.

Overall I'm glad to have tried it even if I didn't much care for it. I think it's got a spot in someone's fridge just not mine.

Edit - Retry

I revisited this one after a half year from trying it. I went in not expecting any particular style and found this very pleasant. The hops do well in a lager and it does smell pretty nice. Like a fresh wet field of hay. Tastes great too, a touch of bite from some floral hops leads into a more wheaty malt and nutty honey. Overall I am definitely going to retry and see how I feel again seeing as something was off the first time having this beer.

Edit - Another Retry...

Still liking this one, it's such a different tasting pils that I have to give credit to it. One that anyone whom likes slightly more hopped up styles should try. And to think that Lagunitas used to be one of my least favorite breweries. It's amazing how important retrying is.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 04:40:59 | More by lsummers

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This brew pours a perfect straw, golden color with a fluffy white 3 finger head which lasts for several minuets. Good carbonation. Medium lacing on the glass lasts until the end.

The smell is malty, soapy, straw, wet hay and cut grass.

The taste starts with a sharp bite. Then a bready and honey taste comes in followed by bitter and dry aftertaste. Dry but oily, there seems to be a complex hop signature in this brew.

The mouthfeel is thin but bready. There is a bite in the mouth due to the high carbonation and the bitter hop profile that comes in on the back end.

Overall this is a good solid drinking Pils. It is the right color for a pils and packs a nice combination of malts and hops. It lacks the grassy, gritty, grainy aftertaste of many pilsners which you can consider a plus or minus based on your personal preference. I could see myself knocking back a few of these on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 22:55:40 | More by microbrewlover

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep gold with a nice 2 finger fluffy white head that lasts. Pretty good lacing clings to the glass on the way down. Clean aroma with some grapes and slight hint of citrus. Tastes a little better than the smell led me to believe. Some malt and sweetness up front. Some breadiness. Slight bitterness in the finish that lingers afterwards. Smooth and silky in the mouth with good ammount of carbination. Nothing spectauclar, but very drinkable beer, could drink these all day.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:09:25 | More by Burkbom23

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I picked this up as part of a mix-a-six at Giant in Linglestown, PA. Poured chilled into a bass glass.

The color is clear golden with an appropriate white cap which settles to a thin ring of beads. The smell is very light with herbal aspects and mild soapy element. The feel is good with slight bitterness and mild sweetness with semi-dry and mineral finish.

The taste is gentle with light malt sweetness and mild spice from the hops with some soapiness in the background and light yeast taste with gently toasted grain flavor and dry finish. Overall a decent pils, but I would probably take or leave it, just an ordinary lager for the most part.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 16:59:45 | More by Slatetank

sam_bliss

Washington

4.14/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Like Adam and Eve, Isaac and Ishmael, Mao and Confuscious [sic], Good and Evil, Day and Night, Hittites and Visigoths, John and Lorena, or Groucho and Moe, Ales and Lagers are as different as can be. Still, we must love each for who they are, separately but equally, with liberty, and justice, for all. Cheers!

Classic PILS Lagunitas bottle. Looks like a nice clear beer. Mmmm I have not smelled a well-made lager for a while. In the US northwest we are ale-crazy and most of the lagers around are shitty macro brews. Since I am personally ale crazy too - I rarely come upon lagers that are not: (1) made by AB InBev; or (2) creative craft lagers that end up tasting unique or like ales. This one holds it's own as a Pilsener yet also displays the signature qualities of Lagunitas Brewing Company. The smell is of sweet golden bready malts. It reminds me of Germany, most likely because I have never been to Czechland. Some sourish pilsener scent overlays light fruitiness and grassy hops. The taste has sharp, slightly roasty malted grains and just a hint of coffee. A bit of salted caramel and some savory umami round out a very complete and clean malt profile. The hops have lemony and resin flavors; they are understated, as is typical of pilseners. On second thought, the hops are even a little soapy. Mouthfeel is fuller and carbonation more mild than most pilseners I have had. It's not perfectly true to the style but it works.

It's hard to know how to score a lager. The label is right: lagers are just so different from the beers I normally drink. It's hard to fathom that they are both beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 01:55:38 | More by sam_bliss

sethcroisant

Nebraska

2.46/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.25

A- weak looking head that clears out quickly. a decent bit of lacing sticks around

S- slightly fruity hops, maybe hallertau? not much malt, but it's a little sugary. boozy for a pilsner.

M- somewhat high carbonation, but it's offset by a full bodied feel.

T- intense hops that are very soapy. the particular flavor of hops is more reminiscent of a pale ale. hops oil lingers on the tongue. not much malt until the end, where it's sweet and caramel-like. slightly dry and crackery in the after taste.

O- very strange and a little off-putting. there are much better choices on the market than this.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 04:47:27 | More by sethcroisant

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.21/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A - Pours a crystal clear copper with a two finger bubbly white head that leaves no lacing.

S - Starts out with pilsner malts that quickly transition to honey and corn.

T - Follows the nose. Pilsner and pale malt open up the flavor which quickly becomes followed by honey and a bit of corn. Grass and slight lemon zest finish out the flavor.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O - Overall, It was decent, But no my style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 05:11:36 | More by SometimesIfart

ktblue22

Vermont

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Note - I was served this beer on tap but in a series of a flight, as it was during a Lagunitas Tap Take-over at the Fireworks Restaurant in Keene. The flight was also paired with the best fish taco I have ever ever had - just to say, if you're in the area, check out their Craft Beer Thursday (first Thursday of every month)

A - yellow khaki color with a very thin head
S - crisp and dry
T- well carbonated, dry and very flavorful. Very good take on czech pilsner - fresh and crisp yet smooth and flavorful...YUM

Beautiful and drinkable - not my favorite lagunitas, but a great option for a pils if you are sick of Scrimshaw (me)

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2013 06:19:19 | More by ktblue22

Omnium

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Bottle > Winter Lager glass
A - Pours a light and very clear golden color, minimal head thin lacing, but looks nice.
S - Yeast and biscuity malt, some interesting spices as well.
T - Tastes like your average pilsner with a belgian touch. Nothing too crazy goin on.
M - Thin, a little watery, and a slightly metallic feeling on your palate.
O - Not bad, but I'm not a fan of Pilsner's in general, so not going to seek this out anytime soon. It really doesnt have any hop presence at all either, kinda disappointing on that end.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:22:59 | More by Omnium

beergoot

Colorado

3.64/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Gold body topped with a thin white head; crystal clear with plenty of carbonation rising. Aroma came across with cereal grain and dry, grassy scents. Taste and feel reinforce the aroma characteristics with a clean, smooth, medium body. There's a good hop bitterness to counter-balance the malt grain and sweetness notes.

I like this pilsner. It's solid and does a fine job of matching the style except it's a bit weak in the hop aroma. But, taste, to me, is the key, and this beer is very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 20:56:52 | More by beergoot

DeltaGolfSierra

Tennessee

3.71/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Color is a crystal clear gold. The generous head has great retention, and leaves a fair amount of lacing behind. Scents are bread and lemon, but are a bit weak. The taste is mainly biscuit/cracker, with hints of grass and citrus. High carbonation and a slight peppery flavor give it quite a sharp bite. There is a slight bitter metallic taste to it as well, though not overpowering. I think it could benefit from a strong hop profile, similar to Victory's Prima Pils. Solidly good, but not spectacular.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 20:01:54 | More by DeltaGolfSierra

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle with no apparent bottled on date present. The label on my bottle says this beer is packing a 6.0% abv as opposed to the 6.2% suggested on BeerAdvocate.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a standard amber / gold looking pilsner / lager looking color with tons of bubbles rushing around and leaving us with about one finger's worth of fluffy doughy draft looking head. Nice fluffy lacing on the sides as the beer goes down.

S - Clean, pale malts, faint citrus, and some very vague note of smoked oak wood perhaps. Not too much happening on the nose.

T - Smooth, light, roasted malt flavor. Slight hint of sweet piney hops are present in the back end, but not overwhelming by any means. Noticeably spicy and peppery in the finish, but again it is faint and not distracting. A pleasant sipping beer. Again, a slight oaked wood character creeps out as the beer warms a bit.

M - Smooth and clean feel, no real lingering flavors. Nicely bodied, nicely balanced, and a nice beer to sip on.

Overall, a modest pilsner from Lagunitas, the first I have tried from them, as opposed to being partial to their more hoppy endeavors, and I can definitely say this is a beer worth trying if you are into pilsners and lagers.

Lagunitas Pils Czech Style Pilsner ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:35:46 | More by mfnmbvp

humuloner22

2.14/5  rDev -41.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

I know I may be in the minority here. But, I have had Czech Style Pilsners in Europe and this was not anything like them. I could have gotten a bad batch, but this beer was just plain awful! It was more malt than hops and had a thickness that does not typify a Czech Pilsner to me. It was not clean and pretty low carbonation. The smell was sweet and did not have that nice sharpness that typify a Pilsner. I had a friend concur just to make sure, neither of us had had this one before but it was not remotely a good tasting beer. I rarely do this but I could not get through this one it tasted so bad. It was like a really cheaply made grain dominant beer with a large amount of malt. If they were trying to make a Czech style Pilsner, this is not one. If I can talk myself into trying this one again I will give it another chance. But, this particular lot was really bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 23:23:34 | More by humuloner22