Mama's Little Yella Pils - Oskar Blues Brewing Company

TheSixthRing

California

3.59/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a hazy, pale straw yellow with a white, finger width head. Good retention. Leaves a nice ring of lace around the top of the glass, with streaks and small spots down the side.

Smell - Grainy malts and subtle sweetness. Faint earthy, grassy hop character completes the aroma.

Taste - Follows the nose. Strong grain bill upfront, backed by moderate notes of grassy bitterness. Very low levels of diacetyl seem to come through around mid-taste. Finishes with lingering grassy bitterness and a slightly twangy metallic aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Light in body with fair cabronation. Smooth, approachable and easy on the swallow. Very subtle creaminess near the finish.

Overall - Fairly solid pilsner. Not one I'd look to purchase again, but I wouldn't turn it down if offered. I can't understate the grainy bite of this beer. It's up there with a lot of the grain bombs I've had in my time.

Serving type: can

02-24-2013 01:23:19 | More by TheSixthRing

Etan

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

12oz can.

A: Clear golden-yellow with a large white head.

S: Bready pale malt, lightly floral. Not much else going on here.

T: Grainy pale malt, crisp yet mild hop bitterness. Bready finish.

M: Light-bodied with a creamy feel.

O: Decent but not a very memorable pilsener.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 05:42:20 | More by Etan

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can poured into a pilsner glass at slightly warmer than fridge temperature.

L – Pale gold color with a big 4-finger bubbly, white head. Decent retention and some patchy lacing. Initially, the beer was clear with a lot of bubbles. However, I got some sediment from the bottom of the can into the glass, and the beer got pretty cloudy. It clears up nicely after some time.

S – There’s a nice malt aroma with grainy, bready, and cereal notes. There are some spicy and somewhat floral hop aromas here, too. Really nice pilsner aroma. Possibly a touch of diacetyl is apparent, but that’s ok.

T – It pretty much follows the aroma with sweet bready and grainy malts with a touch of diacetyl followed by smoothly bitter, spicy, and earthy hops. It’s probably not as hoppy as most Czech pilsners, but that’s really alright with me.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with great carbonation, a slightly creamy but also refreshing mouthfeel, and slightly bitter, spicy, and dry finish. A touch of bitter and spicy hop flavor lingers on the tongue for a bit.

O – This is a really nice and drinkable pilsner. It may not be the quintessential example of a Czech pilsner (the noble hops are too subdued), but it is damn tasty. It’s not my favorite brew from Oscar Blues but it’s a good one nonetheless.

Serving type: can

02-13-2013 01:52:32 | More by BlackBelt5112203

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.76/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz can

Pours a light, slightly hazy lemony gold with a sugar white lacing for a head.

Smells of light lemon citrus, dry grassy malts and faint dry hops.

Flavor starts off with a grassy hop bite followed by a light citrus sweetness, lemony with a hint of sugar.

Medium to light body with a light tingling carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

A highly drinkable light pilsner, a bit zestier than you might expect from a pils and pretty darn good. I would seek this out again and encourage others to do the same. Solid lager.

Serving type: can

02-06-2013 22:37:22 | More by Cylinsier

mscudder

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Into a pint.

A - Cloudy straw yellow hue with a fluffy two-finger pale head. Good retention and lacing.

S - Pale malts, grass, straw and biscuits.

T - Strong malt presence with large bready notes. No clue how this is a Pilsner.

M- Large malty body with fair carbonation.

O - Drinkable and enjoyable with nothing interesting to speak of. Loses points for being mis-categorized according to my palette.

Serving type: can

02-03-2013 23:29:49 | More by mscudder

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.79/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- A hazy golden yellow with three fingers of bone white foam. Kind of coarse bubbles. Lots coming up through solution. Descent lacing.

Aroma- popcorn, banana, pear, apple, hay

taste- smooth and husky to start with a strong corn presence. A little skunky sulfur action not unpleasant and a touch of honey in the back end. hops are slightly piney and not over bearing.

Mouthfeel- light and dry finish although there is a smooth syrupy quality at the beginning.

Overall- a great session beer and I think a wonderful introduction to domestic pilsners.

Serving type: can

01-23-2013 04:48:17 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz can poured into a pilsner glass. Reviewed from some quick notes.

A: Dull golden color. mild haze. Rocky white head has great retention. Broken rings and patches of clumpy lacing.

S: Doughy and bready. Grassy and herbal hops are fairly restrained.

T: Bread and dough. Sweet-ish with a slight honeyed impression. Herbal hop character creeps in and builds a little on the mid-palate. Grassy. Drying finish of grass and cracker.

M: Body is light but not without substance. Slight firmness, creamy. Light scrubbing carbonation. Smooth enough. Good.

O: On the sweet side for a pils. Very easy to drink. Downright quaffable, in fact. It almost feels a little dumbed-down. It could stand to be a little more-so in many ways, but it's still a very respectable brew.

Serving type: can

01-21-2013 19:39:39 | More by ryan1788a5

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.11/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass.

Appearance: Pours a yellowish golden orange with a lot of bubbles. Big four finger white head with good retention. Leaves a lot of lacing sticking around the glass.

Smell: A malty, grainy classic pilsener aroma. Pale malts and wheat with good hints of biscuit, crackers, straw, cereal grains, and yeast. Nicely earthy and spicy with a decent presence of Noble and Saaz hops with a little grass. Also some hints of lemon zest and a little orange. Fairly musty. Solid European Pilsener aroma.

Taste: Like the aroma hints, a nice malty classic pilsener taste. Sweet pale malts and wheat grains with a taste of straw, biscuit, crackers, yeast, and cereal grains. Some notes of citrus lemon and orange. Solid earthy presence of hops with some notes of spicy Noble and Saaz European hops. Fairly grassy and musty. Also a little bit of honey like sweetness. A pretty solid taste.

Mouthfeel: Body is on the lighter side of medium with a moderate amount of carbonation. Crisp, creamy, and pretty clean and smooth.

Overall: A very solid take on the European Pilsener style. Nicely grainy and grassy with a good balance.

Serving type: can

01-17-2013 07:44:45 | More by MattyG85

JednoPivoProsim

Maryland

3.91/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 FL. OZ can into a pint glass. Bottom of can reads CANNED ON 09-19-12 @ 11:31 B4 U WRZECH YRSLF.

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden yellow bottle with a medium sized white head. Nice carbonation, pleasant looking beer.

Smell: Sweet bready malts and a touch of spicy Saaz hops. Appetizing.

Taste: A nice balance between the biscuity bready sweet pale malts and the ever so gentle crisp spicy hops. Flavor lingers ever so slightly on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Refreshing and full bodied. Nice, smooth aftertaste.

Overall: All in all, not my absolute favorite Czech pilsner, but still a nice reminder of why I love this style so much. Full breadier malt flavor than an thin herbal German pilsner and slightly hoppier than a Munich helles, the Czech pilsner seems to strike the perfect balance.

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 23:18:54 | More by JednoPivoProsim

jkrich

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can. There is a canned on date stamped on bottom of can. Clear and bright, golden hue with a foamy white-head; your attractive, typical pilsner pour.

The weakest aspect of this lager: upon opening the can, the aroma was actually sightly skunky but after pouring into a pilsner glass, some of the familiar pilsner aromas came forth, albeit faintly; namely some spicy noble hops and lemon.

This pilsner has an interesting flavor profile. The sweetness is very evident much like a helles style. The familiar pilsner hop bitterness comes through next and lingers on the palate. There is a very faint metallic note in the aftertaste that detracts from the overall flavor.

Fuller bodied with a thicker mouthfeel for the style. Nice, spritzy carbonation keeps the lager refreshing.

This is a different interpretation for a pilsner with a heavier feel and sweeter palate. Overall, it is quaffable and flavorful but reminds me of a full-bodied helles than a pilsner.

Serving type: can

01-06-2013 00:21:11 | More by jkrich

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great classic pale yellow hay color with a little bit of haze to this brew. Good head and a nice residual foam almost all twelve ounces.

Love the grassy hops with some barley field and lightly toasted malts give an aroma of crackers. Smells crisp.

Crackery malts with some unmalted barley grain flavors. Makes me think of eating crackers right after you mowed the lawn. Grass and maybe some lemon from the hops.

This is a crisp, malty, and hoppy pilsner. Crisp, flavorful and easy to drink. A little drym chalky maybe, but refreshing and crisp. Went well with my Thai dinner.

Serving type: can

12-14-2012 14:26:26 | More by scruffwhor

socon67

New York

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Golden pour with a soapy white foam that looks like car wash soap. It is easily a couple of inches high before settling. The lacing is patchy. Slight carbonation noted. Honestly, this looks impressive.

S - Some light grains, light malt, and a slight skunky smell.

T - Fresh flavor that has a crisp crackling of grain. Light yeast profile and a dash of noble hops. There isn't much complexity at all; but this is a pilsener that just does a solid job and is ad advertised.

M - Great mouthfeel, nice balance, and mild carbonation. Leaves a mild raspy grate on the tongue. Easily sessionable and on a hot day would quench your thirst.

O - I'm a fan. This harkens back to a time when beer styles were simple, effective, and enjoyable to drink as a go-to beer. I like this as much as many of its Euro contemporaries.

Serving type: can

12-14-2012 00:24:50 | More by socon67

BucannonXC5

California

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12-oz. can into a pint glass at my house on Nov. 30, 2012 (purchased for $1.99 at Bine and Vine in Kensington (San Diego, Calif.) on Nov. 29, 2012. Hazy golden straw with two fingers of white head with pretty good retention. Nice on the sides, bubbly and decent on the top.

Smelled corn, bread, mild skunkiness, grass, cereal, honey and a bit of hops. Like a good pilsner should smell like I guess.

Tasted pretty close to the smell, which was pretty decent. Not as skunky. Got corn, bread, cereal, hay and honey.

Light body. Thin texture. Average-to-lively (above average) carbonation. Abrupt smooth finish.

A pretty good pilsner, one of the best I’ve had. I would recommend this to anyone.

Serving type: can

12-01-2012 07:07:39 | More by BucannonXC5

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Clear. Lively carbonation. Small, bubbly white cap drops to a clumpy loose ring. No cap after a few seconds. Gold, not bright or deep, just gold.

Smell: Light cracker malts. Some powdery yeast. Grass and some bright pale malts. Dustings of citrus coupled with a mild backing earthiness. Very pale, very clean. Not a lot going on.

Taste: Grass, cracker and pale malts. Yeasty with some hints of earth. Incredibly pale and sweet for the style. Corn and husky grain. A touch of something akin to rice hulls. White bread crust with a touch of honey. Doesn't have a ton of depth, but it's not flat either.

Mouthfeel: A nice medium.body pushes a bit of rounded smoothness. Solid yet not aggressive carbonation. Lacks a bit of the snappy dryness.

Overall: I think Mama needs better pills.

Drinkable and not terrible, but that's as far as it goes. Sweeter than it should be, but everything else is average. You could do worse.

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 22:56:17 | More by Goblinmunkey7

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can (canned 10-12-12 @ 10:21) poured into a pilsner glass.

Appearance: Pale golden yellow with a bit of haze. Thin white foam with lots of persistent lacing.

Smell: Musty. Hint of lemon and some sulfur as it warmed up. Not a lot otherwise.

Taste: Very tasty, bit of spicy up hops up front, nice malt middle, tangy bitter finish. Everything compliments each other real well in this beer.

Mouthfeel: Spicy, nice thickness underneath.

Overall / Drinkability: Nicely drinkable, very balanced and well-put together beer. However...I would have a hard time calling this beer a Czech pilsner. It's missing more of the stronger hops you would expect in that style. Not nearly snappy and crisp enough. But still a good beer.

Serving type: can

11-17-2012 23:35:02 | More by damndirtyape

prototypic

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Mama’s Little Yella Pils is a lighter yellow color. It’s very clear. Backlighting gives it a brighter look. Almost looks like a straw color. It’s capped with a really nice white, foamy head. It rises to nearly two fingers in height. Retention was quite good. It hung around for a while. Lacing was also sticky and very thick as it descended down the glass. Looks pretty good.

The nose is honestly below average. It’s not very aromatic and needs more strength in a bad way. It smells a little sweet, earthy, and grainy up front. It definitely smells like a lager or pilsner. It even has a bit of a corn scent to it. There’s not much in terms of hops though. That’s a bit surprising. There might be a little bit of something grassy going, but I’m not getting any spicy notes. Seems a tad off for the style. Alcohol is blended well and isn’t noticeable.

The flavor is a bit better, but it’s average at best. This really doesn’t strike me as a true Czech Pilsner. The malt base is a little sweet and crackery. It is very earthy and grainy throughout. There is even a bit of a corn flavor. That’s all well and good. The hops are really where it’s deficient. They’re barely noticeable! They have a slight grassy flavor, but they’re secondary and are way too subdued. I’m not getting any of the usual spiciness that’s such a strong characteristic of the style. Alcohol is blended well. Finishes grainy, crackery, and sweet.

Mama’s Little Yella Pils has a lighter body. Carbonation seems relatively soft and light. It’s a bit too thin to really feel smooth, but it goes down easy. Not bad.

I really don’t mind Mama’s Little Yella Pils. It’s not a terrible beer by any stretch. In some circumstances, I could see myself enjoying. But, it’s not a Czech Pilsner. It lacks the spiciness and the hop flavor that’s typical for the style. If you’re looking for a pretty decent pilsner or lager, check it out. If you’re looking for a good Czech Pilsner, keep looking.

Serving type: can

11-10-2012 03:43:19 | More by prototypic

warrenout330

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz can into a pilsener glass

A- pours a straw yellow color... big white froathy head... eventually turns to a thin ring around the beer.... minimal lacing to the glass

S- a quick whiff reveals floral hops, pilsener malt and grassey straw

T- pretty close to the smell, got more of a sweet lingering taste. Straw, grassey and floral in a perfect melody

M- light, crisp, earthy floral hop balance

O- one of the better made Czech pilsener by an American brewery.. very easy drinking session beer

Serving type: can

11-03-2012 06:00:35 | More by warrenout330

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very clear yellow/golden color, with perfect, white 2.5 finger head.

S - Bready malts, a hint of spice, a touch of esters.

T - Spiciness is forward here. Provides a good crispness with a solid malt backbone

M - Clean and crisp, though a little dry.

Overall - It's exactly what you want in a Pils. I envision this being a go-to choice for summer.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 17:29:33 | More by BeerBuckeye

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a hazy, yellow/amber color with a fluffy white head. It has a mild scent of grains and yeast giving it a unique pilsner aroma. The taste is different to say the least with the use of several kinds of hops to give a distinctive bitterness along with a very floral tasting element as well. This is a little thinner/ more watery than most of the standard Oskar Blues products. Finishes with a minor bitter and chalky after taste.

Serving type: can

11-01-2012 19:32:29 | More by Lemke10

KomodoDragon

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A - Poured a dandelion haze with modest head and suitable lacing

S - corn, grassy

T - Wheat malt in the front, fruit - orange, pineapple enters and gradually exits in a smooth refreshing finish. Well balanced and crisp. True to style while providing some hops and fruit surprises. Maybe it's in my imagination, but I do pick up some flavors from the can.

M - smooth and especially light.

I could drink this one all day. Lots of approachable flavors. Gave it a try to have something with a little less ABV than Dale's, and to my pleasant surprise, I found a gem.

Serving type: can

09-21-2012 02:03:41 | More by KomodoDragon

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

1.85/5  rDev -48.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Overall, this is a beer I do not like, do not prefer, and do no tthink is all that good. Not meaning to slam Oskar Blues at all, there are many, many of their beers I like, and I have toured the brewery line in Colorado two times...just not a fan of this beer...at all.

Pours a yellow/golden hue with a moderate foamy white head.

Smell and taste are of corn and wheat, clean almost plasticy tasting...

Mouthfeel is foamy...sudzy and somewhat thick...not really appealing at all....

Overall, not a good beer..lacks depth, flavor and taste....

Serving type: can

09-21-2012 00:59:54 | More by 4thelvofbeer

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.45/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Mama’s Little Yella Pils has a thick, off-white head, and a hazy, yellow appearance with lots of fairly large brown chunks floating about, some bubbles, and a decent amount of thick lacing left on the glass. The aroma is of lemony, sweet, bread, and sting in the nose. Flavor is of bitter hops, sweet bread, lemon, and cracker. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Mama’s Little Yella Pils finishes crisp, clean, refreshing, mostly dry, and very drinkable. Overall, this is a most excellent beer. Try it!

RJT

Serving type: can

09-12-2012 15:55:18 | More by RonaldTheriot

matttttYCE

Arizona

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice two finger high, foamy, white head. Light lacing. Head sticks around for a bit. Slightly hazy lemony straw color. Appealing.

Earthy, grainy and bready, grassy, noble and saaz hops, hints at flower and perfume hops.

Bready and grainy like the nose, with light bitterness, grassy, floral, and noble and saaz hops. Clean and crisp, again much like the nose.

Light-medium body, smooth and light consistency, medium carbonation, and a light finish.

Very nice rendition of a Czech Pilsner. Especially love that it is in a can and quite sessionable. Yet another option I have to take tailgating and still be able enjoy good craft beer. Sessionable enough that I might have the other remaining 2 from the six pack tonight as well. Cheers!

Serving type: can

09-11-2012 04:15:55 | More by matttttYCE

Pegasus

Texas

3/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Slightly hazy deep golden in color, with a slight dusting of foam on the surface. The lacing is very sligh, and consists of only slight beading.

Aroma: Prominent corn notes, a bit sweet, with a subdued hop profile. The cracker malt typically associated with this style is absent as well.

Taste: Opens sweet, with a lot of corn flavor, nothing like a Czech or German Pilsener. There is a modest noble hop presence, which helps to cut the sweetness of the taste somewhat. As the taste progresses, the hops ascend to a slight metallic bitterness at the close.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, and pleasant, with just a hint of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Not worth its price, in my humble opinion. Its not terrible, but fails to live up to the expectations set by such Oskar Blues products as Ten Fidy, Old Chub, or Dale's Pale Ale.

Presentation: Packaged in a twelve-ounce aluminum can, served in a Chimay chalice.

Serving type: can

09-03-2012 02:57:37 | More by Pegasus

jondeelee

Massachusetts

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

Mama’s Little Yella Pils opens with a fresh wet wheat, berry, and brown sugar aroma, immediately reminiscent of a bowl of cereal with fresh berries. Add in a healthy yeasty baguette and biscuit, as well as a touch of grapefruit, and you have a complete breakfast in a can, at least in terms of aromas. There are some touches of pine here too, as well as apricot. The aromas are only about medium-strength, and lean heavily on the grains, sugars coming in a distant second, and hops mainly lingering around the edge. As a whole, the aromas are good, but faint, and a touch more fruit would have helped balance things out.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a good dose of wet wheat, yeasty baguette, toast crust, and hay, joined almost immediately by brown sugars, orange, nectarine, and a faint thread of vanilla. The hops add a pleasant citrusy counter, with pink grapefruit and grapefruit rind just brushing the tastebuds, and some pine making an appearance, as well as rosewater. The aftertaste is mainly wet wheat and lighter grapefruit, fading from the tongue with moderate quickness. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is a solid pilsner, bearing a good set of basic flavors in decent quantities. However, there’s not much here to separate this from other pilsners, and anyone familiar with Oskar Blues’ normal fare will find this beer extremely tame. So while the flavors are lovely, the beer almost cries out for a shot of hops or sugars.

Serving type: can

08-17-2012 18:06:37 | More by jondeelee