Harriet Pils - Harriet Brewing

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis. Harriet is my local brewery, less than a mile from my house. I'm trying to catch up on Harriet's summer beers before they go out of season. Tasted 12 August 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours pale golden yellow, very clear; a delightful color. Dense white head, to the top of the glass. Good head retention, and the lacing looks like frosting on the sides of the glass. Wow.

Smell is faint, but I'll reassess once it's warmed up some. Crisp noble hops and some faint pale malts.

Taste has some bite! Clean grainy opening, before a big burst of spice and bitterness. Hop presence is high, fading in and out with the soft herbal spiciness. Interesting, though I find that the rest of the beer doesn't hold up to the strength of the hops. So other flavors that might be present (notably from the malts) are masked. Finish is crisp and lightly bitter as the hops drift out. It also has a tiny touch of medicinal bend to the bitterness.

Mouthfeel is just fine. Medium-light body, but juicier than I was expecting, and the carbonation is low. Finish is dry and crisp.

A good pilsner, though I find the hops to a bit overpowering. Tone down the bitterness a hair, and it'd be a much tastier beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 06:11:01 | More by zeledonia

sacrelicio

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.7%

02-26-2013 07:35:52 | More by sacrelicio

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

10-06-2012 16:18:01 | More by NilocRellim

BeardedBoffin

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer arrived, from the tap, a dark golden color with a modest cap of foam. The aroma was dominated by bready malt with a hint of spicy hops. This continued on the palate, however the hops provided stronger balance. The spicy, somewhat herbal, hops were a nice counterpoint the the sweet, bread-like malt up front. A clean, tasty, well constructed beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2012 01:41:39 | More by BeardedBoffin

CWhite

Wisconsin

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%

08-04-2012 23:10:31 | More by CWhite

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had both a sample glass and then a full glass from a different tap. They were different in hopping. The sample glass had a much more pronounced hop flavor and longer more prominent hop finish and lingering fairly strong bitterness. The full glass was reportedly fresher (just tapped) and more malt forward. Both were good and enjoyable on a hop summer day.
Nice grainy quality to the aroma. Flavors held soft grain and strong dough and bread quality.
Smoother lager quality with some crispness, but generally softer than that. Moderately carbonated and a lighter feel.
Many classic qualities and an overall enjoyable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:13:15 | More by garymuchow

Hopstout

Minnesota

2.75/5  rDev -28%

07-25-2012 02:55:07 | More by Hopstout

bsp77

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from tap into Harriet chalice.

Appearance: Clear straw with nice sized stark white head and lacing rings.

Smell: Straw, grass, apple and general spiciness.

Taste: Base of apple and straw, with a spicy, lightly bitter layer on top, which lingers long after ech sip.

Feel: Ridiculously light bodied but it fits the higher carbonation and the style. Very dry, crisp and clean.

Overall: This is a very elegant, light Pilsner. Essentially it is the better, craft version of Stella.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2012 00:39:30 | More by bsp77

herman77

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

06-23-2012 18:57:12 | More by herman77

ballenc

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.7%

06-09-2012 21:39:37 | More by ballenc

augustgarage

California

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewery - served in a Harriet pils glass.

Clear gold/straw liquid with a lasting layer of thin ghost white foam. Pasty lacing, good retention.

Unfermented wort, biscuits, and spent grain in the nose. Little else.

Moderate clean bitterness with grassy noble hop flavors. Clean well lagered pils malt profile. Crisp finish.

Light-bodied, well carbonated...

A nice style-appropriate lager, a bit "green" as if not fully conditioned, but the purity and balance of ingredients shines through.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 04:41:20 | More by augustgarage

minneapolitanjim

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +24.3%

06-03-2012 01:05:28 | More by minneapolitanjim

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Harriet's Pils. Growler purchased Saturday afternoon. In a hastily prepared blank, transparent vessel. I recall my disappointment when my first growler was replaced with a white-lettered one. Compare this to the man ahead of me in line who insisted on getting his green lettered growler back. Oh, but these are fleeting matters, people, ephemeral details that mean nothing compared to the beer.

And how about that beer?

Bright golden hue, slim white head. Beautifully clear and inviting.

Aroma, clean, slightly sweet, hoppy. Awfully nice.

Taste: mouth is gripped with hops first up, then it's nothing but sweet malt and crystal clear and clean refreshment. Hops, just slightly bitter, maintain a hold on the palate. I've never crazy on pilasters, never found enough to like in them. Perhaps I find them too one-dimensional, lacking certain elements I find in ales.

This, though, is damned good.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2011 23:18:21 | More by feloniousmonk

KarlHungus

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a clear golden color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes slowly into minimal lacing. The aroma is of bready malt, fresh cut grass, and spicy hops. The taste leans slightly toward the hoppy side, but is very balanced overall. There is a wonderful interplay between the bready malt, and the spicy hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation, and a velvety texture. Overall, this is one of the better pilsners I've drank. I will certainly be drinking this again.

Serving type: growler

04-30-2011 22:24:48 | More by KarlHungus