Woodie Gold - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

aquaderek

California

3.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I bought a six pack of the karl strauss woodie gold at my local vons. Poured into a tasting glass. It has a golden yellow color, the head diminishes to a very thin broken lace. It looks like what you would expect for the style. The nose leads me to believe that this bottle is skunky, but I guess hoppy with slighty cabbage like smell. This beer has a slightly more viscious and heavier body than what I would expect in a pilsner. It has a fuller more complex taste than most american pilsners and a great drinkablility, I could drink a few in a setting.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 01:46:20 | More by aquaderek

MusicmanSD

California

3.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 4

I'll start off by saying this is a really odd beer. It looks like a pilsner, smells faintly like a pilsner, but tastes strangely like a Vienna lager??? Anyways, the appearance is sweet, nice golden pilsner hue, but absolutely no head after about 30 seconds of sitting. The smell is interesting, has a little bit of roasty complexion with spices, which is odd for a pilsner...The taste is alot like a watery Sam Adams Boston Lager, but is very light. Almost feels like a light beer. Which would be good, because it is quite tasty and leaves an interesting aftertaste of slightly roasted malt. The mouthfeel sucks. Watery and a little less carbonation then I would have hoped for, so I'm wondering if this was a dud bottle. The drinkability is average however. I could see myself having a good time with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2006 18:54:31 | More by MusicmanSD

mithrascruor

California

2.45/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a mug.
I had some of this a couple weeks ago from a growler, and thought I'd try it again.

Appearance: Clear, yellow-gold color. White head that laces the glass a bit.

Smell: Smells of mild malts, mild grains, and mild hops. Nothing special.

Taste: Fairly boring taste. A bland amalgam of grains, hops, and malts -- no complexity, and it has a somewhat nasty bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light-bodied, smooth, a bit of carbonation. As with most other elements here, it's average.

Drinkability: Alcohol-wise, it's very drinkable. But the taste is just so annoying, and the beer is really tedious.

I'm not impressed -- taste isn't good and the rest is just average. No reason to get this again. And I probably won't have it again from a growler. As usual, not impressed with Karl Strauss beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2006 04:52:24 | More by mithrascruor

Dukeofearl

California

3.4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle from a sixer brought by a friend to my wife's birthday party in July 2006. He brought it because he liked the label (see attached photo).

Double Pilsner? What is that? Never heard of it. Based on the style guidelines (more malt backbone and intense bitterness), this gets one out of two right. Full rich malt, sweet but not cloying, very very drinkable on a hot day, but I can find absolutely no bitterness. As aonther reviewer mentioned, creamy. Not a bad thing, just not what the description says. Hmm.

I kinda like it, but it is literally 110 degrees at 5:30 PM, so most cold beers will be good. Seriously, I can drink this, but it is more of a one-off for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2006 00:26:02 | More by Dukeofearl

scottoale

California

2.85/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Had this one at my folks house last night. Somewhat perplexed, I bought a single 12oz to add and review. The brown bottle has a lable that depicts a San Diego beach scene at sunset with the classic old "Woodie" as the theme of the label. The neck label classifies this brew as a "Coastal-Style Classic Blonde Pilsener"... whatever...the closest style listed I figured would be the American Dbl. Pilsner, so I went with it.

It pours a straw pale gold with a two finger pure white bubbly head that dies quickly. Lacing, well a few dots and a dab, although the carbonation produces a steady flow of bubbles from the bottom.

Smells of light wheat, weak malt and a hint of lemony hops. It smells like a wheat beer to me.

Tastes sweet at first with a watery, fizzy, light malt (more like wheat) to a weak hop (bitter defeated by sweet) dry finish. Notes of lemon peel and sweet-n-low with no sign of alcohol, must be low in ABV (not listed)

Fizzy, creamy like mouthfeel leaves the mouth dry and has very little aftertaste as it just tastes weak. You could probably drink gallons of it, but why bother ?

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2006 03:58:57 | More by scottoale

Merkur

Tennessee

3.15/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at the San Diego Airport's Karl Strauss.

Beer pours a nice golden color without much head at all.

No real smells to detect other than a slight bit of bready yeast.

Beer has a very crisp flavor with a bit of hop bitterness, but not very much.

Very crisp and full of carbonation flavor.

Average pilsner

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2012 03:12:30 | More by Merkur

HopHead84

California

3.55/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12/23/2011

On tap at Karl Strauss.

A: Burnished gold with a large white sea foam head. Much lighter in color than, say, a coy fish, which is more of a majestic orange rather than light gold and transparent. Another aptly named beer.

S: Biscuit, grain, and toasted bread blend with a light noble hop presence that's floral and somewhat grassy.

T: Grainy with light toasted notes and a low bitterness. This is very clean. Elegant and innocent in its simplicity.

M: Light in body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is dry and crisp.

Overall: This grew on me. It's another somewhat simple but well executed beer that a man could drink pitchers of if afforded a comfortable seat with an advantageous view.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 22:55:25 | More by HopHead84

ehammond1

California

2.13/5  rDev -36.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

On Tap

Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Carlsbad, CA

Clear golden and yellow with a thin white head. Spots of lacing left down the glass.

An appropriately grassy and biscuity aroma with a mild floral hop presence, though there's an unwelcome aroma of butter and margarine pushing everything else to the side.

The flavor is dominated by the unmistakable flavors of margarine and butter.There's a bit of earthy and grassy hop character, but the flavor of butter is dominant. Unpleasant.

Medium bodied but oily and buttery.

Not good.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2011 04:11:09 | More by ehammond1

ThreeWiseMen

California

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Sampled this on-tap at a Karl Strauss outpost in the San Diego International Airport.

Served in a 20oz. imperial pint glass.

Appearance: Upon arrival, this beer sported a half inch of white fluff, though that quickly decayed to a splotchy film, leaving blankets of lacing in its wake. Body is golden and lightly hazed. Decent head retention and lacing. Not bright nor crystal clear though.

Smell: Leafy Noble hops come through as dew-covered vegetation. Smells sweeter than anticipated. A more subtle lager yeast aroma also makes its way into the mix. Not a whole lot of complexity here. Hops definitely reign supreme.

Taste: Once again, those leafy Noble hops are the main players. Lager yeast adds some pleasant bitterness/sourness (I never know which word to use when describing this), though the flavor profile is decidedly blunt and hop-centric. I also get a touch of salt, which occasionally comes through as an oat-y flavor. The finish is sweet and resinous with lots of lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Light-to-medium in body, moderate-to-high in carbonation, and resinous/sticky. No clean finish here folks! The feel isn't disruptive or unpleasant, but it certainly misses the mark style-wise.

Overall: A bold, American interpretation of a delicate German beer. I can see what Karl Strauss was going for here - a light-bodied, hop-forward lager for the SoCal masses - but I'm just not that into it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2011 16:25:13 | More by ThreeWiseMen

Phelps

Arizona

3.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from the tap into a shaker pint.

Perfectly clear pale gold, with a one-finger frothy head of off-white. It soon becomes a thick, soapy top layer that lingers forever.

Very little to pick up in the aroma. Biscuits, eggs and very subtle hops.

The egginess, which seems now rather odd, shows up the flavor as well. Along with lightly spicy hops, I get biscuits and scrambled eggs. It’s like breakfast! A crisp, clean finish rounds it out.

Medium fizzy carbonation, very bubbly as it moves. The medium-light body leaves the palate with a crisp snap, as it should.

Aside from some weird sulfuric flavors, this is a fairly standard pils. Not bad, not great.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2011 22:48:42 | More by Phelps

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.2/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap in downtown San Diego at the Columbia Street brewpub. The beer was poured into a pint glass with a bright, pale golden-yellow color. The beer had no head. There were light and soft malt smells, with very faint hints of hops at the end. The beer has flavors of light, musty pilsner tastes, with a balance of malt. It has a smooth finish, and is extremely light in mouth, but overall uneventful. Decent beer to down on a hot day of yardwork, but not if you are expecting anything of substance.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 08:09:57 | More by GarthDanielson

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 6/13 at Redondo Beach Brewing at LAX airport
Served in a pint glass

A: This beer pours a murky yellow with a 1/4 inch of white head. Head recedes immediately leaving wispy lacing on the glass.

S: Nose is somewhat fruity, grain, and hints of grassy hops.

T: Taste pale malts on the forefront, hints of wheat and grain through the middle mixed with mild honey fruitiness. Finish is of a light grassy hop note.

M: Light body, moderate carbonation, nice crisp body with a dry finish.

D: Goes down easily, somewhat tasty, not much of a kick. This isn't a knock your socks off beer, but it's pretty simple and nicely balanced. Nice enough flavoring and a nice ABV to make this a sessionable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2010 14:15:17 | More by Jayli

glid02

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at George's in north San Diego.

Pours a clear golden color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of light pilsner malts, diacetyl, and grassy hop aromas, in that order. The diacetyl isn't overpowering but it also isn't pleasant. As the beer warms the hop aromas turn slightly citrus but remain on the grassy side.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Crisp pilsner malt flavors kick things off before being joined by moderate amounts of buttery flavors. The diacetyl isn't quite as pronounced as in the nose, leaving room for more robust hop flavors. Grassy, earthy, and slightly lemon-like hop flavors join in midway through the sip and carry through to a mildly crisp ending.

Mouthfeel is OK. It's got a nice thickness however the carbonation is a bit on the heavy side.

Drinkability is also OK. I finished my glass without a problem however I'm not sure about another.

Overall I hadn't heard anything terribly good about this brewery and this beer confirmed it. Not a terrible offering but not one worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2010 18:51:06 | More by glid02

barleywinefiend

Washington

3/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at LAX
Poured a solid straw color with decent amount of head. Taste is mostly a good dose of sweet malt with just a bit of hop bitterness there. I see it classified as a German Pils", but I would probably say it's more like a Helles with a little more hop punch. Lots of bready flavors in there. Nothing awesome, but very highly drinkable and somewhat interesting for a good session brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2009 04:11:28 | More by barleywinefiend

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at the Karl Strauss Beer Cart located in Disneyland.

Poured a medeium golden/yellow color with a small sized white head. Aromas of some grass, grainy, and a little earthy. Tastes of toasted grains, the same light earthiness, and light caramel. Lively body.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2008 00:45:55 | More by hopdog

Floydster

California

3.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pint from Bad Dog Ale House in El Segundo

Pour was a light yellow color, kind of cloudy with 3/4 inch head that stuck around pretty much the whole time

Smell had a little malt and the aroma was mostly coming from grains

Taste was nice and smooth with a little bit of hops, but not much at all

Could drink a good amount, refreshing on a hot summer day

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2007 16:01:03 | More by Floydster

AustinBeerLvr

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at several locations in San Diego.

Pours a fairly solid straw color w/a decent amount of head. The taste is mostly a good dose of sweet malt with just a bit of hop bitterness there. I see it classified as a German Pils", but I would probably say it's more like a Helles with a little more hop punch. Lots of bready flavors in there. Nothing awesome, but very highly drinkable and somewhat interesting for a good session brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2007 02:57:37 | More by AustinBeerLvr

Domingo

Colorado

3.18/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not many reviews for this one...which I though was odd. I must've seen it on tap in nearly every hotel or restaurant I saw in the San Diego gaslamp area.
Comes a light golden color. It looks like a Pils, although maybe a little more amber than a bright yellow. Head's more pronounced than the KS Amber, which is nice.
Smells like a fresh euro macro to me. No skunkiness, but then again nothing really special either. Reminds me of a Heineken straight from the brewery.
Taste is crisp. For a double pils, this was pretty subdued. There's a little hoppy bitterness and some huskiness, but I was expecting something stronger. Again, it reminds me of a euro lager that has no skunkiness. If you like those but hate how it's tough to get a "good" one - this is your brew.
Mouthfeel is a little thicker than you'd expect. I'm used to the more "soda-style" carbonation from the euro pils brews, but this one is thicker and reminds me a little of a british ale in texture.
It could be a decent quencher, but I like the Amber much more. Not a bad brew, but nothing wonderful either.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2006 23:36:41 | More by Domingo