Panzer Imperial Pilsner - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

ehammond1

California

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On Tap

Lost Abbey
San Marcos, CA

Hazy golden orange and a thin white head. Spots of lace down the glass, though this beer looks heavy, thick, and substantial.

Muted aromas of bread and grain, some alcohol, and a touch of citrus.

Simple bitterness, bread and grain, a mild citrus, and a burning alcohol finish.

Medium to thick bodied. Ample carbonation.

A big, thick, and heavy imperial pilsner. There's nothing here I particularly liked, and I didn't finish my pint, though this is not at all a bad beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2011 22:58:36 | More by ehammond1

armock

New York

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Downtown Johny Brown in San Diego, CA

A - Poured a golden color with an off white head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is of sweet pale malt with a good bit of hops

T - Follows the nose with sweet malt up front with a bitter hop finish

M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it

O - As much as I think this is a dumb style I really do like this beer and most others like it as they liven up a boring beer and add flavor to it this is a very easy to drink beer and ont thats worth getting if you see it around

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2011 00:00:13 | More by armock

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yellow pour, somewhat hazy, big white head and lacing. Aroma was heavy on the hops and alcohol for style.

Big bitterness, big hops, warming alcohol on the palate, about the biggest pilsner anything I've ever had, drinks like a hazy yellow ipa with noble hops. Mild sweetness. Dry, astringent at times, can be a nice change in a drinking lineup, as I had been drinking sours and stouts most of the day, this was a nice revitalization.

Would be a very good beer if the alcohol heat was tamed a little bit, but nonetheless, still likeable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2011 21:26:44 | More by Beerandraiderfan

womencantsail

California

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I thought this beer was pretty bad the first time around, but I figured I would give it another chance...

A: The pour is a cloudy orange kissed yellow color with a big white head.

S: Citrus and floral hops right off the bat. Some biscuit and cracker malt notes with a touch of yeast as well.

T: Wow, no alcohol searing my throat! We're off to a good start. Sweet citrus hop notes along with a hint of pineapple and some floral qualities. The biscuit malt base is lightly sweet and provides a good base for the beer.

M: The body is medium with a moderate level of carbonation. Definitely heavier than your average pilsner.

D: Thank goodness, it's not as bad as before. Actually, it's pretty decent. I'm still somewhat skeptical, but for now, this beer has redeemed itself.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2010 17:24:10 | More by womencantsail

billshmeinke

California

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

At Blue Palms. In a smaller pilsner glass.

Half a finger fluffy white head. Sits atop a clear golden body. Really nice lacing left behind with decent retention.

Smells floral and earthy with biscuity sweet malts. Strong but uncomplex nose.

Taste is earthy with floral hops. Some lager fruitiness. Biscuity malts and some mineral characteristics bordering on metallic at times (not a bad thing though). Lingering resin hoppy finish. Imagine a hoppy pils on steroids.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly light for such high alcohol content. Perhaps due to the really high level of carbonation which also produces a clean and dry finish.

Really interesting. Highly recommended for anyone who likes pilsners, hops, and big brews. I couldn't see myself putting away more than a bomber's worth though.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2010 22:32:23 | More by billshmeinke

DmanGTR

New York

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

Review from notes on 12/13/09. On tap at Monk's Cafe.

A- poured clear honey with a short lived white head. 4.0

Sm- mild metallic hint, sweet pale maltiness, Strong hops, but lacks the earthy/lemony aroma characteristic of pilseners. 3.5

T- very sweet malts and a touch of bittering hops. Again, lacks the earthiness but it is quite tasty. 4.0

M- medium bodied, mild carbonation. The downfall of the beer, it lacks a pilsener crispness. 3.0

D- very good. I approve. 4.0

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2010 13:36:08 | More by DmanGTR

AgentZero

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pale yellow color, not much appearance of head, no lacing. Very clear and light looking.

S - Sweet malts dominate, little bit of lemon, a bit biscuity.

T - Taste is pretty much on the nose. Lightly flavored, malty, with a touch of lemon. Very syrupy quality to the taste, kind of a farmhouse saison without as much bite.

M - Undercarbonated, syrupy-like quality, but light.

D - Pretty easy to get down, just not entirely sure I'd want to do tons of this. Not unpleasant, but won't miss this one if I don't cross it again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2010 19:27:48 | More by AgentZero

olympuszymurgus

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

so i've been seeing this thing around a bit at the beverage stores, but haven't been inclined to spend the money until i saw it on tap at the eastside, so why no?
when i received this cloudy yellow low carbo beer, i was not shocked, as, of course, the panz is a pils, but the cloudiness was indeed confusing. in fact, i found it completely unnecessary since the yeast should be quite settled out anyways. there was a faint aroma of what i perceived to be noble type hops and not much else, a good masking of the content within.
the flavor was light tasting, seemingly reasonable alcohol (a trick!) but overall, not very good. indeed, a friend accused the beer as assuming a false poor homebrew quality. i can only assume this to be a result of a bad combination in the recipe, or perhaps a result of the low carbonation, seemingly a persistent problem of these otherwise fine folks down in socal.

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2009 07:52:16 | More by olympuszymurgus

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had a taster of this at the Drafting Room during the Port/Lost Abbey event.

Poured chilled into a small glass

A - A clear golden w/ thin band of white with tiny bead

S - The aroma is sweet with malt odors and mild alcohol

M - The feel is dry and malty w/ subtle hop bitterness and alcohol in the finish

T - The Imp Pils tastes smooth and has mild fruitiness from the yeast w/ a dry slighly grainy malt flavor. The alcohol is noticeable in about the same measure as the hops which have herbal flavors

D - This is a tasty Imperial Pils which is pretty strong flavored as the 9.5% is not really hidden, but it is a pleasant beer and fits the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2009 15:16:43 | More by Slatetank

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Port- Panzer Pils

A- Bright clear yellow with a large frothy white heavy lacing head.
S- Lemony hay/ straw cereal grain malt with a touch of rubbing alc.
T- Sweet sugary lemony dry grassy hops with a sweet grainy hay/straw maltiness. Alc. is present throughout.
M- Sweet and dry toasty grains and hops are overpowered by the booziness.

Overall- The high alc. ruins it. Drinkable but too boozy.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2009 20:35:58 | More by NJpadreFan

HalfFull

California

2.8/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a deep straw/light golden color on tap into a pint glass. A brief head of white foam is offered, settling to a surface ring shortly. Offers moderate lacing/regeneration.

Deep earthy hops on the nose mingle with nondescript malts. Overall a bit bland in nature, not sure where this brew is going. Hops are light and in the background for the most part, participating more with some warming and agitation, yet never really going front and center.

Taste is rich yet simple. A gooey sweetish beer that hides its ABV rather well and finishes with a bit of oily lemon citrus. Malts are thick yet not overly complex, carbonation is light yet somehow appropriate for the structure of the beer. I paid a premium for this beer and I'm regretting it, give me a Swami's barkeep.

Decent feel though a bit towards corn syrup in body. Drinkability is unimpressive as the thick oily body surely outweighs any malt complexities or hop notes. Any sense of a 'pilsner' is remote.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

10-16-2009 05:37:27 | More by HalfFull

corby112

Pennsylvania

2.35/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

On tap at the Belgian Cafe

Pours a hazy cloudy bright golden yellow with a one finger frothy white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring, leaving sporadic patches of soapy lacing.

Aroma is very hoppy, especially for the style with a very strong alcohol presence as well as bready yeast, pilsner malt and some earthy grass/straw notes.

This beer is very hop forward and lingers into a bready yeasty body with a decent pilsner malt backbone. Slight earthy grass notes are followed by a very astringent strong alcohol finish. I don't really know how you could call this a pilsner. It seems like they pitched some pilsner malt into some kind of hoppy alcohol juice. Way too hoppy and too much of an alcohol presence. The body is full with some of the above mentioned bready yeast but the ABV is not masked at all. This beer is kind of a sloppy mess. They just hopped up some ingredients and slapped the word imperial on there. Avoid this one.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

10-06-2009 20:20:22 | More by corby112

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a big pilsner glass, the beer produces a slightly hazy golden color. A thin layer of bubbles rests atop the beer, all head crushed away by the high alcohol content.

S: Very subdued, the aroma is light and wispy. Grassy hops and biscuity malts, the smell is hardly even noticeable.

T: Very sweet up front, characterized by herbal flavors and bready malts. Grassy hops push through towards the end, and then they are thwarted by a dry malty character. Interesting, the shift from sweet to dry malts mid-sip...

M/D: From sweet to dry, this beer surprises. Not only is the malt profile strange, but the alcohol seems to play almost no role in the flavor. As a result, this is one dangerous beer...As delicious as it is, I am not sure how many you could get away with drinking.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

09-21-2009 23:03:16 | More by NittanyBeerFan

emerge077

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On draft @ Blind Pig, Champaign, IL, served in a large fluted Pilsner glass.
Review from notes.

Golden and glowing, high clarity straw yellow body. A thin flaccid head that at least maintained some semblance of a skim across the top. Skunky grassy noble hop aroma.

Firm residual hoppiness, warm buttered bread, simple and fresh, with a bitter hop and apple duality. Amazingly light, yet retaining the richness of a 9.5% malt bomb. Medium bodied and very dry, with a tacky finish. Plenty of firm, lasting bitterness in the end too. So dry it was like licking a 2x4...but in a good way. For what it is, it delivers the hops and malt like no other Pils i've had.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

09-10-2009 01:24:14 | More by emerge077

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3/5  rDev -18%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Presentation: On tap, 20oz imperial pint

Apperance: Slightly hazed dark golden beer with a creamy stark white cap which fades to a thick film...nice looking beer

Smell: Very mild malts, fairly clean aromas with just a little bit of fruitiness in the background...I was kind of surprised there wasn't a bit more in the way of hops here

Taste: Lots of alcohol and herbal/medicinal hop bitterness up front...there's some light grainy malt in the background, but the hops and the alcohol really dominate the flavor profile...this is a little bit harsh and brash quite honestly

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, both slightly prickly in alcohol and almost creamy from the high gravity at the same time.

Drinkability: One and done

Conclusion: I wasn't real impressed with this one...it's big and powerful, and it did grow on me throughout the pint as it warmed a bit and a big more malt flavor emerged, but this is a bit rough and over the top for me.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

08-30-2009 15:01:44 | More by BedetheVenerable

botham

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

on tap at the brewery in Escondito. pours a rich golden color with a single finger of tight white head. light lacings and moderate retention.

aroma is full of floral hops and a bit of bready malt. very concentrated with no alcohol present. exactly that it claims to be; a pilsner with the typical notes dialed up in concentration.

taste is more of the same with a floral character and lots of pale malts. finishes on a floral hop note, semi-dry and lingering on the palate.

mouthfeel is medium bodied and very concentrated with an 'imperial' aura and a wonderfully crisp finish. solid!

drinkability is great. for an imperial pilsner, this is a solid example; everything great about a fresh pils only twice as concentrated. cheers!

Serving type: on-tap
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

08-20-2009 01:33:11 | More by botham

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Not a style that you find a lot of, so I'd hope that Port delivers on this. Unfortunately, it misses the mark for me. A bit too much booze and not enough character. Drinkable, sure. But the whole thing could be a lot better. One of my least favorite from Port.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

08-05-2012 21:10:07 | More by RblWthACoz

ngeunit1

California

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear golden-orange with a finger of frothy white head atop. Head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some light lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of bread and grain with some citrus hops, some sweetness, and a touch of pine.

T - Starts off with some sweet grain and bread with some citrus hop and bitterness. Through the middle, some more sweet malt comes through with a touch of pine. The finish is a mix of sweet malt, grain, biscuit, bitterness, and a touch of booze.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Pretty drinkable. Feels a bit rough and a bit warm. Needed some more flavors to balance out the body and booze.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

03-13-2012 03:39:25 | More by ngeunit1

mltobin

Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked up a bomber of this while in Mass.

Appearance is a deep yellow with a 1/2 finger head, that leaves some lace after a few sips. It has a smell of sugar, hops, lemon and bread. The taste has grass, hops, lemon and a bit of grapefuit, a sweet beer. MF is light-medium, with moderate carbonation. A good imperial pilsner, which cloacks its` abv well, so be sure to sip.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

08-27-2011 02:10:27 | More by mltobin

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Just popped the top of a stinger of Panzer Pilsner from Port Brewering and poured in to my new fish bowl thick chalice style glass!!! The beer pour a orange cloudy color with very thin white head. The scent carried alcohol and sweetness from an orange peel. The taste is heavy with alcohol and the attempted balance of malt and hop. The body is full making this a big beer. The mouthfeel is slightly downgraded due to teh alcohol. I am glad to have tried it tho.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

08-19-2011 22:54:36 | More by WoodBrew

tmoneyba

Ohio

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a clear copper color with an average frothy white head that was lasting and produced excellent lacing. Good moderate to heavy earthy leather hop and small malt aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth dry slick texture and soft carbonation. Moderate to heavy bittersweet flavor with with a moderate to heavy bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. This is a standout beer and best of style I have had.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

07-15-2011 01:19:42 | More by tmoneyba

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: cloudy yellow body, nice 2 finger head, good lacing

S: light malt, biscuit, piney, hint of citrus

T: citrus, malt, boozy action, light spicy finish

M: med/light body, big carbonation

O: Solid beer, I enjoy Port and want to try more.
Quite good; big sipper here.

NICE BEER, SEEK IT OUT!

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

06-03-2011 21:05:37 | More by BeerLover99

SubpoenaDeuces

California

4.55/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Port Brewing Panzer Imperial Pilsner 9.5%

A: light orange with some bright amber hues. Good carbonation without much lacing. Not a lot of transparency which, for a pilsner is also a good trait in my opinion.

S: not a lot of huge notes stand out, some dry sweetness, mild citrus hops

T: Nice sweetness to it like buttered cornbread, crisp and refreshing, it is unbelievable that this is a 9.5% beer and the balance is outstanding. The light hops roundout the finish.

M: great mouthfeel, carbonation follows through with a fantastic body, just enough coating for the taste to linger but not enough to be overpowering.

D: This beer already has strong traits throughout and the drinkability is what carries the day, it is scary how drinkable this beer is relative to its high abv. Even its abv aside, it has a great light crispness that could easily replace the average domestic lager any day of the week. Another awesome factor is its affordable price, $6.00 for a bomber of beer that is basically the equivalent of 4 other beers that are likely to be far inferior.

Narrative: She just swerved out into the road, her eyes in the headlights, oh god! WHY DIDN'T I JUST DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT! Her body laying mangled in the road, do I call the police? No..I..I just cant think! Oh wait, what's my motivation in this scene? "Line?" "Your line is..'life will never be the same again.'" The gravity of this scene just seems to be escaping me, I am just far too relaxed and enjoying thoughts of the beach to be thinking about this old homicide re-enactment seems so petty. "Sorry, just having a tough time focusing on how serious my character should be what with it being such a nice day outside...does anyone else notice that light breeze?" "Jennings, you need to focus we have to shoot this while we still have the light, now pull it together." Deep down I know there's a serious situation but I am too busy enjoying this moment to care.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

05-27-2011 06:45:44 | More by SubpoenaDeuces

FosterJM

California

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

445th review on BA
bottle to pilsner
22oz

App- This is what I always hoped a pilsner would look like.. It's a fading orange to yellow with a two and a 1/2 finger head. Very slow receding as well.

Smell- Very wheat like with a lot of sugary malts. Its got a subltey sweet characteristic and is pretty aromatic and balanced.

Taste- This has a huge taste for a fizzy yellow beer as some would say. It's got a kind-of spicy, malty taste with a little bit of booze on the back. A little bit of lemon peel as well.

Mouth- Medium bodied and a medium carbonation to it. A very malty aftertaste.

Drink- This was a nice beer. Tasty and flavorful and pretty balanced. A bit of a leaner to the malty side. I might not come back to this one. Was a bit thick for me in terms of style.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

05-05-2011 18:29:04 | More by FosterJM

farrago

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Totally out of control head easily fills half the glass with an average pour, just off-white with a loose construction, you really feel it pop against your lips as you sip, more hills and vales than dimpling, lacing all but completely slides down the glass sides. Lightly filmy yellow to orange colored liquid, achieves a full translucent depth, few bubbles visible but they are large and move slowly. The nose retains that pretzel dough, crusty quality with salt and pepper notes, however, more raw herbaceous bite than might be expected, peat and earth, then dried orange and lemon peels, briefly passing peach and apple scents, stiff and penetrating, allows few moments to relax. Full-bodied with a plush and creamy mouth feel, the carbonation is sneaky in how it covers ground cheek to cheek to add further fluff. At first much sweeter than the nose might suggest, grapefruit and orange as much pulp as zest. Aided and abetted by pine sap then appears milk chocolate and some pressed flowers. Apple, peach, apricot fruit competent, still, gets successively drier towards the finish. Offers less yeast, dough, bread than in the nose, maybe it’s the dryness. Keeps the hoppy bite while avoiding bitterness. Just leaves you feeling it’s more of a DIPA than anything else. That said, it’s fun albeit more “interesting” than mindlessly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Solana Beach, 135 North Highway 101, Solana Beach

05-05-2011 01:25:49 | More by farrago