Envy
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

EnvyEnvy
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From:
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Imperial Pilsner
ABV:
7%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.64 | pDev: 15.11%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
27
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 14, 2014
Added:
Apr 03, 2007
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  0
ENVY Imperial Pilsner obsessively desires to be better than the world’s most common lager. Envy vies for attention with its beautifully bright, golden color and tightly-formed crown. Intense yet true pilsner malt provides the perfect base for profuse citrus, floral and spicy hop flavor. Envy achieves distinction, making other beers turn green.

63 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SargeC:
Photo of SargeC
Reviewed by SargeC from California

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Hazy orange color. Golden-white, dense head. Minimal movement.

Smell: Oranges, flour. Hop oil.

Taste: Mindblowingly perfect bitterness. Tart citrus peel flavor blends with intense hop based flavor.

Mouthfeel: Lingering bitterness with a dry finish.

Drinkability: Unique beer, nice intensity
Oct 26, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by GRG1313 from California

Oct 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by t0rin0 from California

Oct 29, 2012
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.31/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Sampled at Saturday's MS Sins tasting.

A: The pour is a light golden yellow color with a mild white head.

S: The nose is slightly buttery with a bit of skunk and some stale orange peel. A bit of sweetness, somewhat in the form of sugar.

T: Quite a bit of bitterness still present along with the same stale orange peel flavor. A solid maltiness along with a slight grassiness to the finish.

M: Medium in body with fairly low carbonation for a pilsner.

D: This certainly would have been better if it was fresh, but at this point, there really isn't too much worth saving.
Jun 15, 2010
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

3.91/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just received this brew from Mikesgroove. The first 7 Deadly Sins brew I had was pretty tasty. I find Imperial Pilsner's to be hit or miss and considering the age of this brew who knows. Drank from my Port Brewing pint glass.

Deadly Sin 2 of 7.

Appearance- Pours a hazy almost neon orange yellow with a super creamy one finger bright white head. A small cap and collar remains the entire brew along with lots of thin webby lacing.
Smell- Definitely doesn't smell anything like any other Imperial Pilsner I've tried. Way more fruity with loads of orange peel and cherry. It's damn clean smelling with that light fruitiness and something hiding in the background that is almost tart. Think lemon zest.
Taste- I'm gonna start by saying this beer is way to malty for this to be a pilsner. BUT, either way it's reminiscent of a Pils and it's pretty tasty. A light somewhat fruity hoppiness in the backdrop of the beer as it's lightly bitter and lingering. Maybe some tangerine/orange in here but for the most part it's fairly earthy and grassy. Some caramel malts do seem to cut in a bit and that really leads me away from Pilsner thing. A slight pinch of alcohol in the finish but it's subtle and really sorta accentuates the bitterness of the hops. Sorta spicy.
Mouthfeel- Medium body that borders on huge (for a Pilsner) with a sorta oily slickness and light carbonation.
Drinkability- I'm pleasantly surprised with this one. I'm sticking by my not really a Pils thing but either way it's tasty. It's actually got something sort of balanced going on that really like as well. Good brew for sure, thanks Mike!
Nov 21, 2009
Photo of joedon
Reviewed by joedon from Minnesota

2.62/5  rDev -28%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
Bought this bomber about 18 months ago and just re-discovered it in my beer cellar. It seems as if the age has not been good for it.

Pours a murky gold-orange with a lot of white foam. The haze was rather un-attractive in what is styled to be a "pilsener".

Smells sugary and malty with a background like molasses. The taste also has a lot of burnt-sugar molasses flavor. Really not to my liking. A lot of bitterness in apparent effort to counter the sweetness.

Kind of a heavy mouthfeel and a lot of bitterness in the aftertaste. Could not really detect the alcohol.

I couldn't finish this beer. Not really good for sipping or chugging.
Jun 30, 2009
Photo of BitterPachyderm
Reviewed by BitterPachyderm from Indiana

3.8/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On to something else from the mystery box! 22 oz. bomber (no freshness) into a pilsener glass (finally!)...

Two finger tan head...frothy with some great lacing and even better retention! Cloudy orange body...

Lots of sweet grass and lemon notes...slightly bready wit a little bit of hops. Even noticed a touch of pine and malts...

Lemony up front with some grassy notes in the finish (bitter finish)...not all too complex, but pretty unique...

Very strong with the carbonation...and I am a stickler for good carbonation.

Pretty drinkable...sweet and bitter, so I could quaff this. Especially since the alcohol doesn't seem to really be there.

I'll bet that this was better fresh. This is a new style for me that I look forward to delving further into...
Jun 29, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
22oz bottle shared courtesy of TomDecapolis.

Poured a medium and cloudy amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of grass, pine, floral, and doughy. Tastes of grass, pine, citrus, and dough. Medium alcohol in the finish.

Notes from 7/18/07
Nov 09, 2008
Photo of gford217
Reviewed by gford217 from Georgia

4.21/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On to #2 for me of the 7 Deadly Sins beers thanks to NoonanBarbarian. Poured into a tulip.

A: This one pours a bright hazy yellow orange with a big fluffy white head that remains a cap throughout with tons of lacing.

S: Smell is hoppy with light citrus hops playing the major role, a slightly astringent lemon aroma. There are also some light grains in the nose as well.

T: Taste has the same hop astringency but is wonderfully balanced for the style with a strong grain presence and a range of hop flavors, from grass to citrus. There's definitely a crisp hop kick in the finish though.

M: Mouthfeel is medium bodied with strong carbonation and very crisp.

D: I really enjoyed this one and it may be the best imperial pilsner I have tasted. Great beer for me.
Oct 13, 2008
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Twenty ounce bottle courtesy of a generous Frank that I had cellared for a bit before throwing it in the fridge last week. Served in an oversized wine glass and consumed on 07/15/2008.

I had been keeping this and the rest of the lineup down for quite a while, but I decided last week that I really wanted to finally try them, so this is the first of 7 days of 7 sins. I chose Envy first, based on the style and my mood at the time. Poured a very nice and hazy golden yellow. Nice carbonation profile throughout and a really nice head off the pour. Two inches of white foam came up over the top and settled down only slightly, leaving behind a nice bit of side glass lace throughout the glass.

The aroma was loaded down with hops. Nice touches of earthy grains throughout as well. A very nice light aroma, no trace of alcohol with a definite leaning toward the citrus side of the spectrum. The flavor was more of the same. Nice and light, very grainy body on this one that was accented by nice grass and citric hops in both the front and back of the flavor. Long drying finish gave me the lasting flavor of an earthy light grain. Very nice carbonation throughout never let this one go dull in any way. I was quite impressed with the overall medium bodied feel. As for drinkability it was very nice. Light enough to be enjoyed when its warm out, but complex enough to be an after dinner sipper. Either way you look at it, it was very good and something I would have loved to enjoy again any time.

Overall I thought this was a really fantastic brew and a nice way for me to dive into the series from Midnight sun. I have only been able to try a few of their releases so far, but I have to admit that I am impressed with everything that I have tried. They are really making some top shelf offerings and I look forward to being able to try some more.
Jul 17, 2008
Photo of Kegatron
Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled 5/2/08. Shared the entire 7 beer series with fellow BAs Deuane & SierraGS. It was quite a night! Special thanks to AKBelgianBeast for trading me the complete set of these to try.

22 oz bomber into a snifter.

Pours a clear gold color with a finger of brite-white head that retains well around the edges and leaves thin wisps along the center. Nice thick lacing down the sides of the glass. The aroma is fairly hoppy with some grassy citrus notes, and some backing malt sweetness behind it.

The taste is a pretty pronounced hop bitterness that isn't felt quite up front but instead intensifies throughout the profile. I'm also picking up a good bit of citrus character and a grainy malt base to help even things out. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a bit of heft from that 7% ABV.

Wow! They really loaded the hops up in this guy. A bit uneven maybe, as the bitterness is quite biting but it still drinks pretty well for a 7% Pils. Quite nice for the Hop Heads out there.
Jun 04, 2008
Photo of JohnGalt1
Reviewed by JohnGalt1 from Idaho

3.38/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22oz received in trade a while back from AKBelgianBeast.. cellared for the most part.. it's been in the fridge for the last few weeks. Shared with SAS ... mine poured into my Kasteel tulip.

Pours very nice.. more nice in Steven's glass.. mine probably had too wide a mouth.. 3/4" head.. drops over a few minutes leaving a little spotty lacing... brew is a very hazy tangerine orange.

Aroma is very sharp.. spicy hoppiness is very dominant.. touches of grainy malt.

Big bitter out of the gate on the palate.. metallic; like a hop encrusted chrome bike handlebar... bitterness only subsides long enough to allow slight pale malts with a real background sweetness. Bracing bitterness throughout.. big grassy/more spicy hop component.. but the hops are quite a bit out of range.. too much green for so little tan... needs more of a malt backbone.. both sweetness and malt flavor. Body is medium thick with good carbonation..

I probably wouldn't pick this brew up again if I had it always available unless I was doing some sort of Big Imperial Pilsner lineup.

Big props go out to Frank for the proper hookup... 3 down and 4 to go .
May 09, 2008
Photo of Deuane
Reviewed by Deuane from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-Golden amber with a thin white head leaving light lacing.

S-Sharp bite from peppery and lighter citrusy hops. Followed by backing sweet malt.

T-WHOA! Big ole' fat blast of pepper/citrus hops. That is some hoppy stuff. A nice follow through from the malt juiciness that follows. I know this might be blasphemy but...maybe this one is just a tad too bitter?

M-Medium body with one hell of a crispy bite. Again, Man, that is some hops!

D-Finally...a bigger hop bite than expected. Very bitey. I can handle my hops for sure but this one may be just a bit too harsh. But I still like it!
May 07, 2008
Photo of urwatuh8
Reviewed by urwatuh8 from California

4.22/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 5
Big thanks to warmstorage who include this as an extra in what was already a sweet trade.

I'm usually find Pilsners kind of boring, but this was anything but. Poured an opqaue yellow into my Drake's tasting glass. A finger of white head. Both the taste and smell were a bit astringent. The taste has a big sharp hoppiness I like a lot. Kind of grassy. Lots of flavors going on but they don't seem to quite mesh perfectly. The mouth feel was a little oily and I think this could do with some more carbonation. Very drinkable though, I could have sucked down another bomber if I had one. Props to Midnight Sun for pushing the envelope.
May 05, 2008
Photo of blakesell
Reviewed by blakesell from Ohio

2.29/5  rDev -37.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Thanks go out to mcallister for sharing this one on his pre-birthday party.

Poured from the 22oz bottle into a Belgian goblet.

Appearance- Beer is a lightly clouded golden with a finger and a half of head that quickly subsides in large bubbles to a film across the top with clinging lace on the sides.

Smell- My feet with a hint of hop. Earthy and mineral. Not skunked, it just smells hopped that way. A hint of bile.

Taste- Tastes like the hotel party we had back when I was 17 years old. Bile and mineral rock salt and hops. Goes straight to my head. Not entirely enjoyable.

Mouthfeel- Astringent, lightly creamy, sticky, really astringent. Fully carbonated, medium bodied.

Drinkability- No. I actually hate this beer. 2.0 is giving it a bit more than it deserves. Drinkable in the way Natty light is drinkable, but I won't be trying this one again.
Apr 25, 2008
Photo of kirok1999
Reviewed by kirok1999 from Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to mcallister for sharing.
A hazy light gold with a thin white head that laces just a bit.
Among the hops there is a slight metallic twang I can't quite place.
There's a lot of mineral in the taste, a biting hoppy front followed by a lingering bitter aftertaste. This definitely improved as it warmed. I didn't think much of it at first but it grew on me a bit toward the end. Very hoppy and unusual.
Apr 11, 2008
Photo of mcallister
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Deep golden with a thick rich white head that fades in good time and leaves some spotty lacing here there and everywhere.

Bready malts with a floral hop profile in the nose. Nothing too complex but nice and relaxed. Grassy green with a zesty ester.

Odd beer. Very green and vegetal flavors on the middle and finish. Yet I like it. A decent hop bitterness as well with a herbal medicinal quality. Very bready, and slightly astringent. Mouth is tannic and bitter with a moderate amount of carbonation that finish with a zip. A easy sipper just lacking in other areas.
Apr 08, 2008
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.41/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
High bitterness, but a decent soapy head on orangey body. OK as a very bitter beer, but nothing I would seek out again.Like a hop bomb,some grassy, some Saaz, I am not getting balance nor any complexity of the hops. Aroma is nothing special. Passable.
Feb 11, 2008
Photo of AKBelgianBeast
Reviewed by AKBelgianBeast from Alaska

4.02/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Envy is a wild brew. a strange brew (eh!).

Pours a transparent light brown/orange color. Fine head with good retention and great lace. The nose is interesting, smells of hops with some extremely grainy, grassy notes. spice. The taste is thick with many hop flavors but what sticks out to me is it does have an interesting grass/grain flavor as predetermined in the nose. The hop flavors mix in your mouth, like quickly shifing slides. then that grain taste hits, followed by a slight IPA flavor with a tiny bitter hop nip at the finish. mouthfell is much thicker than i expected and the carbonation is much lower than i thought it would be, and is kind of nice. Good drinkability. Defenitely an interesting brew, try one, you might just like it. I do.
Dec 22, 2007
Photo of khiasmus
Reviewed by khiasmus from South Carolina

4/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A- Cloudy light orange with a finger of white, foamy head that settles to a ring and retains, then leaves a good sheet of lacing on the glass.

S- Dominated by a strong extra sharp cheddar smell, along with some hop oil and just a hint of pale malt in the background. Interesting, but good.

T- Some initial pale maltiness, then the hops come in with a bitter vengeance. There is little hop character, mostly just tons of bitterness. The finish is the same... don't kiss someone after you sip this, they'll probably punch you.

M- Smooth, creamy, medium-full body, medium-low carbonation, and a puckering, dry, astringent finish.

D- The most intricate and drinkable IP I've had yet. I recommend it. Along with every other Midnight Sun brew.
Sep 27, 2007
Envy from Midnight Sun Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 27 ratings