Panzer Imperial Pilsner - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Polished pumpkin with butterscotch borders. A few fine bubbles can be seen ascending within, then plinking into the underside of a manilla colored crown of firmly creamy foam. A great deal of stickage is occuring, which results in extensive etchings of lovely looking lace.

Simply put, the nose isn't pungent enough for a beer of this style. Is it possible that the malt and the ABV are Imperial, but the hops are not? That would be a damn shame, especially to those hopheads who had high hopes that a Blitzkrieg was lurking on the other side of the bottlecap. A musky German hoppiness isn't prominent enough to get the job done.

Shortage or no shortage, an American Imperial pilsner ought to be hoppier than this (almost fresh) bomber of Panzer. Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner blows it off the map, which can't be an easy pill to swallow for a brewer as talented as Tomme Arthur. It isn't a total loss, but I'll spend the rest of the bottle wondering what could have been.

I'm actually reminded of a hoppier-than-usual blonde doppelbock, such is the sturdiness and the flavor prominence of the pale malt backbone. Bitterness is (almost) there, but good hop flavor isn't. Assuming enough of them had been used, U.S. Hallertau, German Tettnang and German Saaz should have resulted in more lupulin shrapnel than is currently engaging my palate.

Other than a rock candy sweetness and an Axis and Allies flash of hoppiness, the flavor profile is reduced to shooting blanks. This beer is in dire need of some ale yeast esteriness. Whatever you do, don't age what hops are present right out of this sucker. There won't be much left.

The mouthfeel is a definite highlight. It weighs in at medium-full and has that molten glass smoothness that all well-brewed, big-ass lagers bring to the battlefield. Hardly noticed carbonation helps.

I expected big things out of Panzer Imperial Pilsner, as I do out of all Port/Lost Abbey beer. Unfortunately, this is one of Mr. Arthur's few misses. Since his hits are so numerous and so spectacular, it's hard to be too disappointed. Bottom line: for want of hops, the battle was lost.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

12-07-2008 16:11:57 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Grabbed this one from Joey last week. I was itching to try it since I heard it came out. Needless to say I was not disappointed. Served cold, right out of the fridge and poured into a pint glass. This one was consumed on 10/20/2008.

The pour was very nice, with a hazy light amber color coming through very clearly. Nice notes of white coming over the top of the beer, with a settling down of the head into a subtle side glass profile. Nice carbonation could be seen coming up from the bottom of the glass as well.

The aroma was very light. Nice touches of citrus popping up throughout the profile. A definite touch of alcohol was visible from the very first whiff though, letting me know this one was going to be strong, and settling me back in the chair a bit I have to say. Light grains coming through now as it starts to warm up, the taste was very crisp, clean and transparent. This was definitely not a lager. Clean flavor of lemon, grapefruit, touches of grass as well. A nice base of white grapes almost and a strong grain profile in here. Notes of alcohol hinting in the mid palate as well as a nice bit of warming going on as well in here. Mouthfeel was nice and light, with a good amount of carbonation rippling throughout the glass. Smooth, easy drinkability, especially compared to some of your bigger IPA's out there.

Overall I was very impressed with this. There is a good and a bad way to do this style, and this was definitely firmly in the good side of the spectrum. I would love to get a hold of this one again, and I am glad I have a few to go back to. Got to share this one with a few people for sure.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

10-26-2008 12:49:32 | More by mikesgroove

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
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

brentk56

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden color with a sturdy head that sheets the glass with lace

Smell: Biscuity malt, with hoppy pineapple and lemon notes; not particularly noble, to my surprise

Taste: After a slightly biscuity opening, the fruity flavors take over, with pineapple and lemon reigning paramount; rather sweet after the swallow, but the bitter fruity flavors linger enough to keep it from becoming too cloying

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with prickly carbonation

Drinkability: I have found Imperial Pilsners to be hit or miss; while this one misses the style somewhat and is more like a DIPA, I rather liked it, particularly the pineapple flavor

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

12-25-2008 01:29:09 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a hazy golden color lager with a small foamy head with minimal retention and some light lacing. Aroma of dry European hops with some grainy malt notes. Taste is a mix between some some dry European hops with subtle floral notes and light astringency. Malt is dominated by grainy notes and doesn't really fits well with the beer. Body is full with limited filtration and carbonation is too low for style. Not my favorite style but I still think the malt and hops were not in perfect agreement and carbonation was too low for the style.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-28-2009 03:43:42 | More by Phyl21ca

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Port Brewing Panzer Imperial Pilsner, 22 oz. bomber

Pale yellow/golden coloration, intensive carbonation, huge, billowy, lace leaving head.

Grainy aroma, sharp, and slightly skunky. Hops show up and smother that, but overall I'm not crazy about it.

Taste: hoppy and spicy at first sip, then lean and smooth. But a sharp, pungent, cat pee-like flavor continues to rise up in the profile. Not terribly pleasant. Getting a little rough in the throat, and then it's soft going down. A schizophrenic bottle, this one.

Another sip, some skunk and funk rises up, then the slightly rough malt rolls over, and it's mostly smooth going down. The alcohol gets in the way of drinkability, and smoothness. Light bodied, short finish.

I can feel the buzz already (9.5%!) at the end of this bomber (duh!), and the lack of redeeming flavors fails to make this the imperial pilsner to make me like imperial pilsners.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-25-2010 05:42:25 | More by feloniousmonk

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a frothy, initially three finger thick, light tan colored head the is held up by a persistent carbonation. The beer is a lightly copper tinged, deep gold color that shows brilliantly clear, bright gold color when held up to the light. The aroma is definitely hop focused, though perhaps not quite as whack you in the head expressive as I thought it was going to be (and this is not necessarily a bad thing). Grassy and lightly herbal up front, the aroma finishes with a fruity tropical fruit note that is a mix of mango, kumquat, lychee and sweet orange zest. Quite a bit of cracker-like grain character contributes a nice malt profile.

Lightly sweet up front, but soon picks up a nice herbal hop note that turns towards bitter, but then piquantly fruity in the long finish. I have never had a hoppy beer get bitter and then fruity in the finish; it is quite interesting that the tropical fruit notes are what lingering on the palate. Up front the herbal hops contribute an almost peppery bite that is something a bit like arugula, with all the sharp herbal note one would expect. The fruity hop notes are also noticeable up front, it is just that they mix in with the herbal hop notes so are not quite as prominent. The hop fruit notes lean towards lychee, ripe peach, kumquat and citrus oil, but they intermix quite well with the previously mentioned herbal notes as well as hints of hemp oil, raw-herbal notes and a touch of chive.

I like that this has the crisp character and herbal hop notes of typical Pilsner, yet it has that something else in the background with the fruity hop character that is not so typical. This is definitely interesting, more quaffable than beer of this strength should be yet (which is good for something with the name Pilsner on the label) with a certain heft and definite palate presence. Not as abrasive as double IPA; I was expecting this to be more harshly hoppy, but it is not and this is quite nice. This is actually really good and I am kicking myself all the more that I somehow missed out on Tovarish at GABF.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-06-2008 04:54:08 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a thin white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains floral hops, citrus, light caramelized malts and some lager yeast.

T: The taste starts out with a strong bite of alcohol followed quickly by sweet flavors of citrus and caramel. Next comes a strong hops bitterness that tempers some as the beer sits. Then some bready flavors of lager yeast and a hearty but not too heavy malt character come in and provide a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet and slightly bitter.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, it's a decent beer but there are others in the style that I would choose first.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

10-25-2010 01:32:56 | More by TheManiacalOne

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 Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

Halcyondays

California

3.18/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a clear yellow with a full, lasting white head, excellent lacing.

S: Strong smell of hops, grass and pine.

T: Dominated by various hop elements. Grapefruit, lemon juice and an interesting mint element form a strange, interesting, but not always an appetizing mix. Malt is relatively light, with a husky grain character, but the hops are what the beer is all about, the flavours are big and powerful.

M: Solid mouthfeel with a full body, light ethanol bite.

D: An interesting new brew from Port, I don't really know what to think of it. I wasn't a huge fan of the hop character, but it has some interesting complexities and is well made, worth a pick up.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

10-21-2008 06:32:11 | More by Halcyondays

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 Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.1/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured a sluggish straw yellow with a small white head

S: Nose is corn, grain, hops

T: Corn, sweetness, plenty of hops, finishes with a sharp bitterness

M: Medium bodied, good carbonation, sweet and bitter on palate. Hops, sweetness and grain leave a big twang and bitterness on end

D: Not a fan

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

05-11-2010 02:22:06 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Small head that reduces to a single layer of bubbles except along the edge. Cloudy gold color.

Mild hoppy aroma--like grapefruit. Even lighter alcohol nose.

Dry and light in the malt. Good hop presence without overwhelming. The swallow and aftertaste feature a stronger bitterness. The mouth is neutral. The carbonation is elevated but acceptable. The alcohol is notable, but not in an oily way.

Overall, this is a loaded brew in terms of flavor and balance. It lives to its name of an extreme pilsner.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

01-10-2010 18:21:58 | More by smcolw

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appears a hazy, transparent, light gold with a mild white cap that slowly fades into a gentle cap. Spotty amounts of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of hoppy herbs, yeast, with some cut grass, and sweaty socks found in there.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with some sweet, yeasty, portugese roll-like flavors coming through.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, zesty, with a bitter hop pop in the finish.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

01-14-2009 21:29:33 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear deeply golden colored Imperial Pilsner beer bordering on light amber color. Small white head forms and falls, near perfect.

Strong spicy noble hops with a slightly soapy aroma. Sweet biscuit like pilsner malts and herbal hop aroma. Lots of lemon aroma, not unheard of from Nobel hops.

The flavor starts out thick with a strong tropical fruit flavor and a garlic aftertaste.... Different! Melon flavor and stout but not punishing bitterness. Curious beer fruity melon flavored Double Pilsner beer that is surprisingly tame.

Mouthfeel is very full for the style.

Amazingly easy to drink without the slightest hint of how strong it really is. I like it but at $7 a Bottle I can't afford it very often.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-02-2008 21:01:00 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle into a pint glass. Thanks go to HopDerek for the split on this one.

Pours a hazy golden amber with a finger of fizzy eggshell white head. This peters down pretty quickly into a thin layer of retention that skims the surface, leaving some decent looking spotty lacing behind. The aroma is floral and very citric with notes of orange and lemon, as well as hints of biscuits, caramel, and pale maltts.

The taste starts with a firm (and spicy) hop bitterness up front that gives way to some thick and tangy citrus character and then finally fades into a backbone of caramel and bread. The finish seems more sweet than anything, with it gradually getting the hop bitterness under control towards the back of the swallow. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a firm carbonation that keeps the overall feel crisp despite some pretty evident alcohol beef in the body.

Decent stab at the style here but this was just a bit too hefty in the feel to be totally enjoyable for me. Maybe a bit less beef or some heftier flavors to help mask some of it would have been nice.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

01-08-2009 18:00:08 | More by Kegatron

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 Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

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
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark golden with a fairly short head that fades to nothing almost instantly. Smells hot, with lots of lager yeast, and some notes of stored apples and grain as well as some firm malt. Any hoppiness is pretty overwhelmed by the fruit and the heat from the alcohol. The taste is less hot, but still very fruity with nectarine and apple as well as quite a bit of bitter herbal hops. A little sweet up front and quite a lingering bitterness on the end. Quite bitter, and quite hot, and not all that balanced. The somewhat sweet, very ripe fruit up front doesn't really match with the very long, dry bitterness, which doesn't really match with the hot alcohol. Not my favorite from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

09-09-2009 00:32:41 | More by Georgiabeer

ccrida

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bomber poured into a tumbler, Panzer Imperial Pilsner is a hazy dull gold with a small white head leaving light lace. No problems with the color, but I'd expect a sticker head from the hops.

Smell is a very appealing from the first note, there is a mineral laden note that I really enjoy, big dusty noble hops. Reminds me a bit of saison, which I love.

Taste is also very good, big hop bite, extreme pils for sure, with very little maltiness, which is expected normally, and a big surprise here based on the reviews. It seems like this one is not getting the nod it deserved. Definitely in the classic hop profile, there's some great execution of a lighter body for the strength, but the soapy, lingering aftertaste is less then ideal.

Mouthfeel is a bit on the thick and dry side, not the best aspect of this beer.

Drinkability is pretty good, a satisfyingly sturdy pils and fine example of the style, but not one I need another of anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

02-11-2010 08:38:17 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

2.17/5  rDev -40.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Appearance - This is a murky and unattractive orange in color with a surprisingly dull head.

Smell - The hop profile is more like a West Coast IPA than a Pils. There's also a putrid grain aroma that doesn't give me any confidence.

Taste - The hop profile is stiff and I can't figure out for the life of me what it has to do with a Pils, imperial or otherwise. The grain tastes just like it smelled unfortunately.

Mouthfeel - This is medium-bodied with some decent carbonation and a heavy-handed bitter finish.

Drinkability - OK, I know this is a big beer and it's not going to taste like a classic Pils, but this was just downright horrible and a huge disappointment from one of my favorite breweries. Stick to what you know, guys.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

10-18-2009 02:05:42 | More by RoyalT

gford217

Georgia

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

22oz bottle courtesy of a generous BA.

Pours a clear golden amber with a big fluffy white head that recedes slowly to a ring, leaving very little lacing.

The aroma is very sweet with malts and plenty of herbal and citrus hops on top, mainly oranges and lemons. There actually a little bit of alcohol burn in the nostrils as well.

The taste is a bit more complex than the aroma with more herbal hop kick and booze in the finish. The bready malts form a solid backbone with some citrus hops kick up front and a sweetness that builds between sips.

The mouthfeel is sticky with good soft carbonation and a body on the heavier side of things. The alcohol isn't completely hidden, but doesn't dominate.

This is a pretty hefty beer for the style with a strong herbal presence as well as a noticeable alcohol kick. It's not the most drinkable brew but it's tasty.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

03-31-2009 01:47:03 | More by gford217

scruffwhor

Illinois

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

Pours a bright sunshine straw yellow color that has just a touch of haze. No bubbling and no head or foam to speak of. Thin fruity aroma with the dry, faintly toasted malts. The abv. adds a big splash of heat in the nose. The taste has a strong warm feel throughout the entire palate. That being said, you can get some apricots and hot, thin bread in that alcofuel heat. The finish is a slow relieving heat from the abv. Nice try from Port Brewing Co., but I expecetd a little more. Would taste better if you could drink a whole 22 oz bottle before it gets slightly warm.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-21-2009 05:45:35 | More by scruffwhor

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
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

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

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.1/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

WTF is this beer doing in the Euro Strong Lager category? In any case, thanks are due to seaoflament for this beer I was hunting for. Decanted into my Guinness pint glass

A: Pours a clear orange with a very mild haze despite my best efforts at keeping the sludge in the bottle. Solid white head with OK retention that leaves a ton of lace on the side of the glass. Quite appealing.

S: Crisp hops up front, earthy, spicy and strangely, citrus bite. The citrus note is rather unexpected but still works well. Pretty solid malt backbone with caramel and honey aromas.

T: Very strange for an imperial pils, this opens up with a ton of malt sweetness that's got honey and floral notes and almost a hint of Belgian yeast character. The citrus hops definitely do add to the strangeness of this brew. The dank, earthy hops come through on the finish and this slowly fades, leaving a spicy bite at the very end, coating the palate. All told, this is way too sweet for a pils, imperial or not.

M: While not very crisp and a good bit fuller than I'd like, the carbonation makes up for the shortcomings but not by much. There is a significant amount of hop resin character as well, that coats the palate.

D: I'm going to have a hard time finishing this.

Notes: This beer would appeal to folks who would a slight west coast malty DIPA character to their pils but as someone who thinks the Trumer, Prima and New Glarus Bohemian Pils are close to perfection, I find this a disappointing attempt at experimenting with the style.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

11-16-2008 21:15:14 | More by DefenCorps