Coney Island Mermaid Pilsener - Shmaltz Brewing Company

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.51/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

I know when I think "pils", I think "mermaid"... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear brass topped by a finger of lightly off-white foam. The nose comprises flowers, sweetgrass, and a splash of honey. The taste brings in more of the same, with the grass allowed to express a bit of chlorophyll, and some mild citrus peel tossed in for good measure. The body is a rather light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly smooth feel. Overall, a nice pils, nothing to get worked up about, but an able choice if you're looking for a domestic example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 05:08:32 | More by TMoney2591

Tone

Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a clear, copper/gold color. 1/3 inch head of a white color. Good retention and slight lacing. Smells of sweet malt, pale malt, hops, hint of grass, and a hint of citrus, and a hint of caramel malt. Fits the style of a German Pilsner, but also has the body and aroma reminiscent of an ESB. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, caramel malt, slight pale malt, hint of grass, hint of floral, and slight hops. Overall, decent aroma and blend.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 01:25:31 | More by Tone

Giggy

Michigan

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A great looking Pil. Golden colored and slightly cloudy. A very white head formed on top but didn't last. The aroma of this one is of malts, citrus hops, light caramel, and fresh grass. The flavor was a mild bready malt with a our finish. The rye stuck out. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 00:21:05 | More by Giggy

KickbacksSteve

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a small snifter. Off-white head, moderate retention. Clear, light golden body. Lacing is clear and also soapy white and sticky. Aroma mainly light fruity sweetness, light biscuit, hop freshness. Taste has a bit of light caramel and some pilsner malt, a touch of bitter hop presence balanced by a bit of sweet pineapple. Easy to drink, no off flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

11-19-2012 03:55:05 | More by KickbacksSteve

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a cloudy medium gold with amber hue. The bubbly of white head builds one and a half fingers high and dissipates fast. Little lacing.
It smells of caramel and citrus.
The taste up front is citrus, orange flavors, being met by a mild flowery hop flavor. The beer comes across much less sweet a the smell. The finish is bittersweet, very balanced.
This is a very refreshing and drinkable medium bodied beer. I would definitely buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 01:46:46 | More by Hopfenpeter

Amalak

New York

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Not disrespectful, but it is piss yellow. That's the color. Semi cloudy with some bubbles. A minimal bubbly white head with some lacing.

S. Has almost a saison and lemon scent.

T. Lovely. Crisp and lagery. Not too bitter hops. Some celery and some very mild citrusy sweetness.

M. A bit of a sour aftertaste.

O. Very smooth and balanced pilsner. Easy to drink. Very nice effort.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:31:04 | More by Amalak

JackieTH

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Darker shade of wheat-gold with a big bellowing head that left clinging lace as it settled.

Smells like a mildly earthy, grainy, toast, with a hint of toffee.

Taste is mild earthy, grain, mildly citric bitter, toasted bread, light toffee. Bitterness lingers a bit into the finish. Medium light body with ample carbonation. Nice, wet and refreshing brew with decent citric bitterness is perhaps the best way to describe this pilsner. Good. Flavorful. I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 03:59:27 | More by JackieTH

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz longneck.
A) Pours with a big head that slowly settles. Clear golden color. Semi-sticky lacing on the drink down.
S) Toasted malts. Buttery.
T) Malty nose - quite sweet for a pilsener. Subtle caramel and toffee. Hints of earthy nuts. Astringent bitterness in the finish.
M) Smooth. Crisp. Light bodied. Dry in the finish.
O) Again a quite malty pilsener, not a bad thing but makes it different than that of old world varieties. I'd have another one.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 00:09:44 | More by u2carew

BryanCarey

Texas

3.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring from the bottle to a golden color with a slight amount of haze, this beer offers a good appearance with a while head of foam that emits an aroma that combines grassy elements with bread/biscuits and some citrus. A fair amount of lacing adorns your glass as you consume and the product earns some good points before even taking the first sip.

Tasting this beer reveals pilsner flavors, as expected, with tastes of biscuits, bread, light spice, and a touch of honey. Floral hops, grains, and rye can be tasted as well, with the rye more noticeable as the beer warms.

Shmaltz Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner is nice pilsner beer but it is quite different from the typical pilsner. The citrus in the nose and the rye are just some of the noticeable differences and if I didn’t already know I was drinking a pilsner, I likely wouldn’t have guessed. It has some elements of a pilsner, but they other ingredients and flavor sensations combine for a truly American creation.

Shmaltz Brewing has many interesting products and this one is right at home in the Shmaltz family. Try one for yourself and see what you think- but let the beer warm just a tad to bring out the rye flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 00:49:48 | More by BryanCarey

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Coney Island's "Mermaid Pilsner" @ 5.0% a single 330 ml bottle from a brkn variety pack
A-poured into a pilsner glass a yellow/gold with as small white head that leaves some lacing along the edge of the glass
S-bread smell , the hops are grassy , malts are grainy
T-grainy malt , with a slight bitter grassy finish
MF-medium body and carbonation , smooth , very clean
Ov-just above an average beer for me , pleasant enough , still not a winner yet from Shmaltz

cheers LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 18:55:53 | More by LampertLand

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the Coney Island variety pack.

The beer pours a clear yellow color with a white head. The aroma is bread and grass, with a strong amount of pilsner malt thrown in. The flavor is similar with a ton of lighter malts and a little bit of grass. The bitterness is fairly low and the beer is very easy to drink and quite refreshing. Thin mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 03:04:46 | More by Mora2000

champ103

Texas

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

On tap at Hay Merchant in Houston.

A: Pours a clear orange/yellow color. A two finger white head forms with good retention. Plenty of lace is left behind.
S: Bread/biscuit aromas. Grassy and floral hops. Grainy malts and a lingering bitterness.
T: Follows the nose with bread/biscuit even doughy flavors from the rye I assume. Grainy toasted malts and some grassy/bitter hops in the finish.
M/D: A medium body and and carbonation. Just a bit on the watery side. An easy and enjoyable quaff.

Not a bad Pilsener at all. Though not a world better either. Just an enjoyable lager. Nothing wrong with that.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2012 23:37:41 | More by champ103

smakawhat

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at Kramer's Books & Afterwards Cafe into a shaker pint.

An off white creamy looking head, with some thick retention given with about a centimeter cap. Some good staying power here. Very pale amber gold body a little murky and hazy, almost brown. While drinking the glass leaves a lot of creamy lacing. This is one weird looking pilsner, it seems also fairly dark.

Nose has next to nothing on it, mostly a biscuity graham cracker malt, and milky softness. Again... this is one weird pilsner.

Taste brings a nice mild hop more akin to a pale ale. Muted pulp like lemon, and then a very distinct juicy taste of melon and cantaloupe throughout the body and palate. Real huge juicy mouthfeel, with next to no crisp carbonation.

This is one weird beer for the style, but I have to admit it's refreshing and kind of summery. Not too bad things could be a lot worse.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2012 02:18:33 | More by smakawhat

metter98

New York

3.55/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is relatively clear yellow in color. It poured with patches of bubbles on the surface and a thin around the edge of the glass.
S: There are very faint aromas of floral hops and bready malts in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of bready and grainy hops along with hints of honey. A light amount of bitterness is present.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a bit smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is a nice representation of the style that is quite malty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2012 13:21:10 | More by metter98

tigg924

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: 1/4 inch head, golden in color, clear, moderate carbonation

Smell: grass, grain, honey, and meadow

Taste: grass, grain, honey, and meadow..rye does jump out as the beer warms

Mouthfeel: moderate-low carbonation, light bodied, sweet, very clean

Overall: An enjoyable German pils that I could see myself having a couple of. Nothing too style pushing, yet this one is tasty, especially as the rye shows when it warms a bit.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 14:12:53 | More by tigg924

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a light amber color with good carbonation and a nice white cap. Off for the style.

S: Some rye bread, light pepper, floral notes and grains

T: A very nice, subtle graininess and sweet taste with floral hops, a light pepper and breadiness. Very tasty.

M: Good body, light, well carbonated

O: Well done and tasty twist on the style

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2011 04:54:32 | More by barleywinefiend

lawlerj

Nebraska

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pilsener glass.

A - pours a translucent amber with a one finger white head. Not too much head retention, but leaves a thin collar of foam. Not much lacing to speak of. Looks a bit different than the standard pilseners.

S - there are some caramel and bread notes up front. There is some citrusy hop character there as well. Maybe a bit of honey as well.

T - the malt profile shows up at first, followed by a delicate hop presence. Nothing too strong - finishes clean, leaves a satisfyingly bitter aftertaste.

M - medium to light bodied, fully carbonated. About right.

O - overall, a decent beer. Better than most pilseners I've had (to be fair, I haven't really had any good ones).

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 22:30:31 | More by lawlerj

BucannonXC5

California

4.1/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass. Color was pale golden, almost like apple juice or dehydrated urine. About an inch of head. Healthy amount of lacing. Lots of film on the sides, which stayed throughout the pour.

Smelled of citrus and pine hops. Some light cereal malts in there, too, but citrus rules the day. A bit surprising for a pilsner.

Different taste than the nose, really a different taste than a pilsner. Watery, smooth start, which gave way to a very slight bitter finish.

Medium body. Lively carbonation. Smooth feel with a non-descript, but somehow decent finish.

I really liked this beer, especially after having the Albino Python first. Still didn’t taste like a pilsner to me, but a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 04:50:13 | More by BucannonXC5

CrazyDavros

Australia

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

Pours pale amber with a large, lasting head.
Nose shows restrained orange marmalade with some bready malt in the background.
Flavours concentrate on the malt, mainly bready and grainy characters. A little of the citrus fruit hops transfers through too. The finish is a little metallic.
Could use more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 07:28:23 | More by CrazyDavros

ZenAgnostic

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle with no stamped date. Poured into a Trois Pistoles snifter.

Appearance - Orange yellow cloudy body. One finger white head with decent retention and decent to good stick.

Smell - Very corny and musky. Plenty of fruity sweetness too. Best smelling german styled pilsner I've wafted so far.

Taste - Corny. Musky. Sharp taste that's well balanced by the mouthfeel. Suprisingly good for a pilsner.

Mouthfeel - Creamy and frothy. mama i'm coming home ozzyMedium to full bodied. Chewier than lots of stouts I've had.

Overall Drinkability - One of the best pilsners I've ever had. The mouthfeel is just incredible for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 04:08:55 | More by ZenAgnostic

CoalPorter

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass

A - One finger slightly yellow head leaves decent lacing half way down the glass. Color is a golden straw with a slight chill haze

S - Floral hops and light caramel apple over cereal notes

T - Nice balance here, light floral hops to start into a biscuity center and a pleasantly bitter finish.

M - Light and sparkly

O - An above average pilsner with perhaps a touch more hop than is standard, pretty drinkable

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 20:30:45 | More by CoalPorter

Tschnab

New York

3.33/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a golden color with a decent creamy head and some lace.

S- malty, really malty. Not much else, but as a result of the maltiness I pick up carmel, toffee, bread.

T- As I said, in terms of a pils, this is a malt bomb. Bitterness comes from the malt it seems, there are very little other tasting notes. Not much hops. Good mouthfeel, very quaffable.

O- Don't get me wrong, I could put this down quick. But I prefer my pilsners hoppy. Just okay.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 16:10:00 | More by Tschnab

dansmcd

Australia

4.38/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Claer and golden in colour. Three fingers of glorious white fluffy head, one finger of which hung around to the very bottom of the glass. Tons of lace rings and sticky blobs of lace throughout.

S - Floral and fruity notes balanced with some sweet malt. A bit subdued.

T - Sweet and fruity. Honey, banana, bubblegum, spice, rye.

M - Full body, smooth, almost creamy. Im loving the addition of oats here.

O - This is a crackerjack pils if you ask me. Clean, smooth, delicious. Im going back for more.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 13:01:50 | More by dansmcd

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.05/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a crystal clear light copper with visible carbonation. Decent white head with light lacing.

S: Aroma of grass, dried hay and pale malts

T: Mediocre pilsner. Hardly any hop presence, not much malt character.

M: Light in body but relatively heavy for the style I felt. medium carbonation

O: Not overly impressed. Drinkable but not a great example IMO

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2011 23:05:37 | More by alpinebryant

MattyG85

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into He'Brew pint glass.

Appearance: Bright and slightly cloudy golden orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. Decent two fingers of white head fade into a thin white layer. Decent amount of lacing.

Smell: Aroma of yeast and lots of malts. Some caramel and wheat grains. Has some hints of rye and lemon zest. Also a strong presence of noble hops. Smells very malt driven.

Taste: Big flavor of malts. Some fruity sweetness and bread. A solid presence of noble hops provide some citrus lemon flavors with muted bitterness. Some light hints of rye spice throughout. On the maltier side but fairly balanced and tasty.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Very crisp and smooth.

Overall: A pretty good take on a Pils. Nice blend of malty sweetness and rye spice.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 06:17:32 | More by MattyG85