Tannenzäpfle - Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG

Absumaster

Netherlands

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A bright, very light yellow golden beer with a creamy big head.

Smell is strong malty with some husky notes in a mild way, grainy. The yeast does not have the usual German sulfuric touch. Smell is a little sweet.

Taste is dominated by the malt, a strong maltiness with a light husk taste. The bitterness is remarkably well balanced and is not too bitter. There is not really a hop aroma in the beer, too bad. The yeast is clean, but lacks the typical German character. For me this adds to the beers drinkability, making the beer less sweet and 'thick'.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2007 08:23:44 | More by Absumaster

HardTarget

Texas

3.78/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle Inspection: .33 liter brown bottle, 29.07.07 (sampled 07.10.07, slightly past due), 5,1% abv.

Aroma: Classic peppery hops (Saaz?) overwhelm any malt

Appearance: Very clear yellow glass holds a good white cap with some lacing.

Flavor: Very hoppy! Triggers a mouth watering reaction. Hops overwhelm a slightly salty cracker malt base.

Mouthfeel: Light body with a pucker aspect.

Overall Impression: Classic, if over the top example of a Pilsner. Hop driven; a German IPA.

Big thanks to Max for hand carrying this back from Europe!

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2007 06:13:23 | More by HardTarget

paterlodie

Belgium

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Best before 21-06-05. Poors in with beatifull white head and wonderfull golden beercolor. Head stays very well but bubbles get bigger.
Nose is wonderfull too: good hopnose, quiet estery for a botom fermented beer and litle malty in background. Taste is great too being dry malty and going into a fresh aftertaste thats bitter but very clean. Mouthfeel is very good if you know to appriciate the bitterness. Loved this one when I was living in Bavaria beginning of the 90ies and still do so drinkability for me is as good as any brew can get.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2005 11:31:11 | More by paterlodie

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to boddhitree for his selfless act in shipping me this beer during his visit to the States and not expecting anything in return. Poured from bottle (with July 2011 expiration date) into tulip glass. Pours a clear gold/yellow with a white, sticky/foamy large head. Good retention. Clean aromatics for such a light pilsener malt. Decent amount of hop giving it a floral and green smell. A little zesty and a little sweet. Most prominent taste is the bready malt base. A lot of doughy/fresh baked bread taste that provides just a very subtle sweetness. Then mixed in with that base is a loud whisper of floral and herbal hoppiness. Also just a hint of lemon and pepper. These never really jump out a kick you in the mouth; rather, they fade in and out of the bread flavors. The finish leaves a slight bitterness along with the bread taste. The flavor isn’t a bold outstanding one, but rather a very enjoyable one that lingers on the tongue. Light and crisp mouthability with a slightly dry finish. Good amount of carbonation, and goes down really easy. This pils is amazingly drinkable. Light, crisp, and refreshing just like a Pilsener should be. The flavors linger on your tongue for quite a while and just tempt you to drink more. This is one of the BEST pils I ever had! Too bad you need to visit the Black Forests to get your hands on one.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 16:35:42 | More by CuriousMonk

rtepiak

Poland

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

this is a state run brewery in german and a must try for any beer fan.

this one has a back story as my grandmother was sent out to turkey in the 70's to orchestra the building of a few powerplants. all his friends were muslim while out there. and they all loved to hunt pig but didn't eat it. my grandfather would tell me stories about how his friends would give him the hunted wild pig and he would take it to the butcher. and for 5 dollars have 50kg of wild boar. his friends and him, pork eating or not, would go out into the woods with a crate of this beer and eat wild boar and the sorts over a fire. found out all this because i bought him a bottle of the stuff for his birthday.

pour is golden crystal clear with a white head of 3 fingers. nose of munich and very very mild smoke. a nice field of straw and hints of smoke and apples. the palate is brisk but complex of nice mild sweetness and earth and a tight quick pine and drop out of a great pils.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 00:52:40 | More by rtepiak

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4.38/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

330ml bottle bought from BeersofEurope.co.uk

Poured a pale straw yellow colour... slightly off white head (with a hint of grey) poured quite loose and frothy then faded fairly quickly to almost nothing... only the faintest trace of carbonation... some light lacing...

Aroma - Good citrusy and grassy hops to the fore, sweet biscuity and grainy malts, quite peppery, some marzipan notes, juicy fruits (lemons, grapefruits, pears and light mangoes), floral honey, cut wet grass and hay, faint caramel...

Taste - Good blast of earthy, citrusy and peppery hop bitterness, spicy juicy fruits (grapefruits, sour apples, pears), light biscuity malts, some sweet floral honey, grassy, sweet grains, lightly perfumed, quite herbal, some saltiness, light traces of chalk...

Feel - Quite sharp and dry... Light body... An extremely quaffable and sessionable pilsener...

Overall - An excellent example of a Pilsener - as good as i've had... recommended...

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2008 08:46:44 | More by mdagnew

putnam

Michigan

5/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bold yellow liquid with a whipped splatter of white foam carelessly adhering to surfaces on top. Pure, cracked, sun-toasted grain aromas provide notes of pepper and lemon to brighten an image of sticky mash. Bitterness cracks open a mouthcoating expanse of bread and yellow fruit flavor. The texture is massive for a Pils, sharpened precisely with Novocaine-flavored tiny bubbles (reminds my of Ployez-Jacquemart NV Brut.) This is powerful, ruthlessly efficient beer. There is seemingly no end to the sun-flavored, bitter finish.

If I could drink only one beer for the rest of my life, without any hesitation, this would be it.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2005 22:22:52 | More by putnam

vfgccp

New York

3.79/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

A - Clear, champaign gold body. Foamy white head with ok retention and lace.

S - Nice soft, well rounded nose. Surprisingly fruity. Dry white grape, papaya, bread crust.

T - Mellon, white bread, a touch of green plant bitterness.

M - Light body with moderate-to-light carbonation.

O - Surprisingly tropical for a pilsner, but the sweetness hooks up unbelievably well fresh german brats.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:31:35 | More by vfgccp

FreshHawk

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Very clear gold/yellow with a white, sticky/foamy large head. Good retention.

S - Clean, light pilsener malt. Decent amount of hop giving it a floral and green smell. A little zesty and a little sweet.

T - Most prominent is the bready malt base. A lot of doughy/fresh baked bread taste that provides just a very subtle sweetness. Then mixed in with that base is a loud whisper of floral and herbal hoppiness. Also just a hint of lemon and pepper. These never really jump out a kick you in the mouth; rather, they fade in and out of the bread flavors. The finish leaves a slight bitterness along with the bread taste. The flavor isn't a bold outstanding one, but rather a very enjoyable one that lingers on the tongue.

M - Light and crisp with a slightly dry finish. Good amount of carbonation, and goes down really easy.

D - Amazingly drinkable. Light, crisp, and refreshing just like a Pilsener should be. The flavors linger on your tongue for quite a while and just tempt you to drink more.

Notes: This is an excellent Pilsener and I wish I could give one to people who say they don't like the style. I never thought that highly of the style (a view skewed by less appealing offerings of Pilseners), they seemed too light and wimpy. Is this beer light, yes. Wimpy, no. Very clean, natural, and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 21:10:11 | More by FreshHawk

dasenebler

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

**Note: This is the same brew as the normal Rothaus Pils, just as Ungespundet writes below. I did a side by side test and the two tasted exactly the same. The Tannenzäpfle is just a smaller bottle.

Nice clear golden color. Thick head that stuck around pretty well. Had a sweet yet assertively hoppy aroma, good lager smell.

Tasted great. This is one of the best Pils I've had anywhere. Much fuller flavor than other pilsners, with a nice spicy hop flavor as well. Not over-carbonated and very smooth, just how I like em. High marks all around.

If only the American beer standard were as high as it is in Germany...

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2008 19:45:19 | More by dasenebler

Brabander

Netherlands

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

THis is for sure one of the best German pilseners i have ever had! I saw this one in a shop in north Germany and i had heard this was a good brew.

Drank it tonight with an Indonesian meal i cooked. Great combination...

Poured in my Struise glass this beer is almost perfect, golden fluid and a nice white big head. Beautiful carbonation, i like that.

Fresh smell with citruslike notes. Crispy and very well balanced pilsener.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 17:57:14 | More by Brabander

marburg

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I accidentally entered this into Rothaus Pils instead of Rothaus Tannenzäpfle. Now that we can delete reviews, I'm correcting the problem. Originally reviewed, 4/22/2005:

From a bottle that's as fresh as Will Smith was in the 90s. Pours so pale it's almost like white gold just as it's beginning to discolor. The bubbles that stream from the bottom of the glass initially are champagne-like and plentiful, though they taper off later in the drink. The head doesn't form -- it congeals into a dense, thick white froth that simply clings to the surface of the beer, to the glass, to anything within its reach.

Impressions form. Sweet malts, herbal hops, lemongrass, biscuity doughiness. Somehow it's both airy and creamy, packed with so much natural malt goodness, I'm astonished. I've paid lip service to pilseners for about two years. I've enjoyed them for six to twelve months. But I've revered them since consuming this for the first time only 5 days ago or so. This is amazing. Finishes with a dose of spicy, noble hops. Clean and refreshing. If pilseners all tasted like this at some point in the past, it's not at all surprising that people were so taken with them so as to make it such a popular style. It's not the perfect beer, but it's perfect for so many situations.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2005 16:46:56 | More by marburg

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

3.53/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Quite a pale gold, with a solid but bubbly white head with decent retention and lacing. Big bread aroma with honey and fresh wheat, a full, grainy, branny nose. Crisp and tangy flavour with some nice floral hops and a touch of honey and a bit of tonic water. Nice and fresh, but not quite as hoppy as it should be.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2010 23:48:12 | More by soulgrowl

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.2/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle served in a waizen glass.

A: Pours a very pale yellow color forming a big, creamy, soapy white head. Clear. Good retention and lots of lacings left

S: Fresh sweet grains, Lager yeasts and flowery hops

T: Sweet malts, Lager yeasts, flowery hops. A simple but very well done beer. Upfront is slightly sweet grains. In overall, a dry taste with a very pleasant bitter hoppy end

M: Light body and good carbonation. Grainy and hoppy bitter aftertaste

O: Very drinkable. Classic German Pilsener for an all day long session. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 18:10:16 | More by eduardolinhalis

therica

Maryland

4.85/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I happened upon this, on-tap at the snack-bar at Heidelberg Castle on a cold winters' day. I'd just finished a piece of sweet almond-cream cake, and the beer did not conflict, whatsoever, with any of the cake's effects in my mouth.

In fact, I was startling suprised at how good the beer was! The head faded rather quickly, but it was not bitter or overly-hoppish at all, as with some Pilsener's. I cleared my mouth with some stille-water and tried again. Superb. I quickly drank about half of my .3L stein. Then I had some of my espresso, and some more Tannzenapfle. No conflilct, again-- in fact, rather complementary. We were about to enter the Castle for our tour, but I just had to get another .3L of this outstanding beer before departing the snack-bar.

I tried to see if I could discover any secret hints of taste. It seemed to have hints of apple, carob and mandarin-orange or tangerine, very subtly. I really really enjoyed this beer! Very clean.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2005 12:44:20 | More by therica

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was one of the better beers I had when visiting my cousin. He made a run to the beer store when he hear I 'reviewed' beers. It was only O.59 Euros per bottle. Pour was a light golden yellow. I ended up with a small, low white head. I didn't note the aroma, but the taste was like a piece of vollkornbrot, so you know it was nice rich and bready. It had a good mouthfeel with slightly prickly carbonation, so this beer was pretty decent. Did have hop extracts.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2004 12:28:08 | More by PatandDavid

Clydesdale

District of Columbia

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a brilliant, clear golden color. The frothy white head is fairly tall initially, and sticks around for a while, depositing some soapy lacing on the sides of the glass.

S: Some doughy, grainy maltiness in the nose. A bit of lagery sourness as well. Noble hops are bright and assertive, with primarily spicy/herbal character complemented nicely by a light lemony citric tone.

T: Moderately grainy and rather doughy malts. Light sweetness up front before a lightly sour finish. Hop bitterness is strong. Flavor is equal parts German herbal/spicy noble hops and bitter lemon rind, which works very well in conjunction. As strange as it sounds, I get a light mineral character from this beer as well.

M: I feel like the body is actually on the full side of medium, but carbonation is crisp and perky to keep things from getting thick. Dry and slightly biting in the finish.

D: A very good German pils. Drinkable, assertive, and refreshing. A nice showcase of doughy malts, bold pale lager character, and German hops.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 02:03:42 | More by Clydesdale

WeisGuy

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

330ml bottle from evantwomey, straight from Germany - thanks, Evan! Best by date of 17.02.11.

Pours a bright, clear golden amber with a two-finger white head. Great head retention and lacing. Clean, crisp grain and floral, grassy hops on the aroma. Like the aroma, very crisp grainy malt and a nice lightly bitter, floral and grassy hop component. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a fairly dry finish. This stuff is incredibly drinkable - it's killing me to only have 1 bottle. Really amazing stuff overall, one of the best German pils I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 23:33:23 | More by WeisGuy

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.38/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a pale yellow colour with some lacing and a small head.

Smells quite average, slight hops and a generic lagery smell.

Tastes also average, like a bland lager with slightly more hops added giving it some tang.

Overall not much different from the Tsingtao I had earlier. Refreshing and nice but I dont see what the fuss is all about.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 21:22:16 | More by CwrwAmByth

dherling

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured out a piss yellow color, maybe with a slight greenish tinge. Has a small white ehad that dissapears into nothing. The nose is strong pilsner, it's like soeone took a classic german pils and made is super concentrated. This is the DIPA of pilsners. Lots of saaz ops, some green fresh grain. The taste is much more mellow. Some nice assertive hopping comes through, bellied by ample grain. Very well balanced, not over assertive. Has a tight prickly mouthfeel. Nicely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2007 04:40:13 | More by dherling

Bourre

France

3.5/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A very light golden transparent color; the head quicly fades into a nice collar. The smell was citric and hoppy. The taste is mostly hoppy, and slightly citric with a hint of honey.Hops are very powerful. A very round mouthfeel, with a dry aftertaste. Drinkable, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2004 21:09:19 | More by Bourre

sfprint

Germany

3.53/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A: About as good as a pilsner can look. Perfect fluffy head, great carbonation. Thin gold in color.

S: Rich malt, clean.

T: A bit sour metal, clean malt.

M: A tad astringent making it sand papery and the carbonation is quite mild. Mouthpuckering.

D: Ok. Above average but not stunning.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 02:19:32 | More by sfprint

confer

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer came courtesy of my friend Georg in my yearly Christmas package from Baden Wuerttemberg. It's his go to beer and it is easy to see why.
Except for a big white head the beer could be mistaken for a glass of champagne. Same color and lots of carbonation.The smell is the low point for this beer , it smells sour maybe Stella-like. There are several tastes. Dominating are an apple sweetness followed by a nice hop bitter bite which lingers. This beer is light and very refreshing. I easily could have several. They should export this to the states. Once again the Germans know what they are doing.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2009 03:05:22 | More by confer

TommyW

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A- Clear, yellow body with a thin white head that doesn't stick around very long.

S- Spicy hop aromas with a touch of malt sweetness.

T- A touch of bready malts come out first and then comes the spicy hops. There is a subtle fruity/grapey note that come out. Hop bitterness finishes it off. Pretty well balanced though and has a nice full flavor for a German pils.

M- Medium body with a perfect carbonation that really make the flavors jump on your tong.

D- Great balance, full taste, and perfect carbonation make this pretty drinkable for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2009 17:23:51 | More by TommyW

Augustiner719

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

poured from a .33l bottle into a tulip glass.

pours a very clear, yellowish gold like color with a small 1 finger soapy white head that leaves nice lacing.

Aroma is very delicate but very intricate as well. really takes time to appreciate this one. initially there is a cereal like grain sweetness, then it lends itself to lemon pith and an herbal tea like finish.

taste is very very good. this is a nice example of the style that gets flooded with over hopped american versions that really are just hoppy lagers calling themselves. Delicate yet focused flavors of lightly toasted white bread, sesame seeds and some grassy light hops come through. A touch of bitterness balances the light malty backbone,

Mouthfeel is nice and crisp, with good acidity that is refreshing and focused. Only problem is that this is slightly thin for me and could use more carbonation to give it more body.

Overall this beer is a must grab if you are into the style. If you are looking for a huge DIPA or a RIS then shy away from this beer. But, true to style and a great summer beer, this beer is a must for anyone who enjoys this type of beer. Nothing mind blowing at all just extremely balanced and well made.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 17:12:50 | More by Augustiner719