Bitburger Premium Pils - Bitburger Brauerei

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.36/5  rDev +24.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed on tap in a classic pils glass at Bier Station in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City. I'm shocked the rating is so low on BA. I suspect that having it on tap makes a significant difference.

A - Bright, transparent golden body with traces of carbonation drifting up gently. Pour renders a lacy two-finger head that dissipates after a minute or two. Healthy lacing sticks to the side of the glass as I drink it down. That eventually yields to a faint silk.

S - Dominated by crisp grains, barley, a hint of light yeast.

T - Clean but subtly complex. Hints of phenol dance around bold, bready malts with just a suggestion of hops.

M - Effervescent and medium bodied. Aftertaste is pleasant and reminiscent of the primary original flavors

Overall a fantastic beer. Easily at the top of my list when it comes to pils. I may have to try some out of a can/bottle to see if that makes a big difference.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 20:19:07 | More by LambicPentameter

dar482

New York

4.08/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

In comes in a straw light yellow color.

The aroma has big grassy hops.

The flavor is quite refreshing. It has a gentle kick of grassy hops and then a clean malt finish. The hop bite actually stands out a bit compared to some other pilsners. There's a good amount of carbonation. The cleanness and the easy finish is where this beer stands out.

For me, it also comes extremely cheap. Somehow it's around $6 for four 16 oz. tall boys.

A stand out pilsner.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 02:55:14 | More by dar482

Arithmeticus

Maryland

3.03/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Had on draft at The Mark, South Bend IN

A: clear yellow; no head; no carbonation; no lacing--wow disappointing appearance
S: not much; a bit of yeast and lemon
T: buttery, bready flavor; not complex; semisweet; pretty flavorful for a pils

Not all that remarkable.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2013 17:22:54 | More by Arithmeticus

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Comes out of the tap a pretty clear golden yellow, darker than most pilses I have been served, with a thick, fine-bubbled ivory head. Strong, malty aroma has an overtone of sweetish pear, almost like a cider. Crisp, malty flavor has a firm fruity note, mainly pear, and just a hint of hops. Smooth texture has good body and good fizz. Overall, a very good pilsner.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 22:02:02 | More by Cyberkedi

sim0n17

Germany

3.2/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Local generic Pils, but a good staple. Kind of the "Budweiser" of German Pils. It has an acquired after taste, but is not stale, bitter, or unfresh. Looks decent, a little dark/dingy for a Pils. Medium carbonation. Mouthfeel okay in general, but quite nice on a warm summer's day - like many beers :-)
Overall, a 3.5 for "nostalgia" but does not travel well to the States having had it in a bottle back home. Have it on tap in Germany and it's good as gold - enjoy!!

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2011 17:36:25 | More by sim0n17

gopens44

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pale effervescence in yellow beneath a stark white and frothy head with great lacing

S - Fresh and clean barley aroma like walking about in a brewhouse with just the perfect amount of hop sharpness hanging around

T - Hop bitterness at first followed quickly with a mild and pleasant malty backbone.

M -- Just a touch oily with a mild bitter aftertaste.

O -- Very pleasant and refreshing. Low ABV ensures a good time to tip back a few without getting sideways.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2011 20:24:02 | More by gopens44

rarbring

Sweden

3.85/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A clear golden beverage, a white firm head leaving some lacing.

Smelling mainly of lemon and fresh cut grass and some nettles.

The taste is sweet white bread, lime juice, some grape-fruit peel and fresh cut grass bitterness.

Medium carbonation, small bubbles, soft and refreshing texture, a dry finish.

Still a nice well balanced Pils, clean and refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2011 13:07:05 | More by rarbring

flyingspatula

Indiana

3.23/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I never even noticed this on the Irish Lions menu before, so I thought I would try it. This is a better than average pilsner. It has a nice copper color, and that traditional pils/lager smell. The taste is pretty good! Nice maltiness, some hops flavor. A nice dry mouthfeel. Went very well with my food!

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2011 14:50:11 | More by flyingspatula

aepb1

Florida

4/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Straw yellow body with a small white head

S- Mild pilsener aroma

T- Grainy malt up front, hay/grassy hops finish this bitter and crisp. A nice balance

M- Light-bodied and on the higher end of carbonation but it's still in there for the style

D- VERY drinkable, complex enough to get you come back for more and the sessionable ABV is nice

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2011 17:16:48 | More by aepb1

kojevergas

California

2.55/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Served from the draught into a .51L Bitburger pint glass (which we later 'borrowed') in the John Hewitt pub in Belfast.

A: Pours a hazy yellow-gold with a two finger head that reduces to a half finger head in about one and a half minutes.

Sm: Hops, barley. Quite strong, actually.

T: Barley. Hoppy notes are biased in balance towards the open. Clean finish. Built a bit blandly.

Mf: Nicely coarse until the finish - exactly the opposite balance in texture of what it ought to be. If the coarseness were in the finish, I'd crave the next sip. Crisp on the finish. A bit too coarse on the open.

Dr: 3.50 pound? Are you fecking kidding me like? Look elsewhere for great beer, lads, but give this a go if you come across it - just don't pay more than 2.50 quid. Fuck's sake.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2011 00:48:14 | More by kojevergas

Kendo

New York

3.98/5  rDev +14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Got it on tap at Wolff's German beer bar in Albany, where it comes in a mug. Body is clear, light-golden in color with a small white head.

S: Cereal grains with a touch of fruity sweetness and floral hops.

T: First impression: well-balanced. Light grainy malt up front with a nice grassy hop bitterness at the finish. After a few sips I notice a bit of fruity sweetness somewhere in the middle, but it's offset by that dry, grassy bitterness that lingers on the palate.

M: Light-to-medium in heft, carbonation is fairly sharp but inoffensive.

D: Very good. Would be a nice beer to have, ice cold, on a hot summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 21:45:51 | More by Kendo

mdfb79

New York

2.8/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

From 10/26/10 notes. Had on tap at the Brickskeller in Washington, DC.

a - Pours a clear pale golden color with one inch of white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of grain, wheat, citrus, and stale bready malts.

t - Tastes of wheat, light bready malts, and grain. Pretty average.

m - Light body and low carbonation.

d - Fairly easy to drink because of the low ABV, but I don't think I'd really look to order it again. Nothing really stood out in the smell or taste, just a lot of grain and bready malts. Wouldn't order again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2010 04:15:36 | More by mdfb79

Jhandy

Nevada

4.63/5  rDev +32.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Got to enjoy and love this beer in Mainz, Germany on vacation. This was the beer of choice on tap at my hotel bar and after getting used to the first which was a hoppier and slightly more bitter(but in a wonderful way) beer then I was used to fell in love with it and drank it almost exclusively. Two weeks on a Bitburger beer diet and I had a hard time adjusting to anything else.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2010 03:13:02 | More by Jhandy

Schwarzwald

Tennessee

3.6/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beautiful in glass, very light color but a very consistent light caramel color. First taste is very light, a little too cold to get full flavor. A little time to warm and the flavor starts to expose. Pear and apricot with a light lemon aftertaste. Very easy to drink. It was very good with the heavy German food that I was eating. I was a little disappointed with the lack of flavor when colder and the lack of real luster. It is just a good beer, not really something I will seek out. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2010 02:03:16 | More by Schwarzwald

jmhart

Georgia

3.1/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at a pub in Aachen

A- Came out a pale gold with a light white head.

S- Noble hops and malt. Fairly average smell. A little straw to it with a few herbs.

T- Crisp hop flavor with a nice malt back. Light earthy flavor, maybe a bit of grass. Very light flavor.

M- Definitely light bodied with a little carbonation. Slightly oily.

D- Light bodied, crisp, pretty refreshing. A little bitter for a hot day, but sitting outside on an April Aachen afternoon it was pretty nice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2010 23:43:32 | More by jmhart

honestdave

Indiana

3.9/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Germanfest 2010

A: Poured from Germanfest pitcher into my 12oz dixie cup. Light, pale gold color with light foamy, frothy head. Nice lacing down the cup.

S: Hoppy smell. Nothing really special though.

T: Nice hop bitterness with refreshingly dry, malty aftertaste.

M: Light bodied. Little carbonation.

D: Easy to enjoy several at a time. Light alcohol makes this an enjoyable beer by the pitcher or glass German boot for that matter.

Summary: The hoppy bitterness make this unique pils enjoyable for huge gatherings such as Germanfest. I had this beer several times during the festival week. Bitte ein Bit!

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2010 16:40:37 | More by honestdave

soju6

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this beer on-tap in Weisbaden.
Was presented in the proper Bitburger glass with the full head expected on a German Pilsner. The smell has a uniqque sweetness. The taste is crisp with a little sweetness and finishes with a nice bitterness at the end. This beer is refreshing, smooth and easy to drink. This is a good example of what a German Pilsner should be. Is a good beer for more than one or as a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2010 12:18:38 | More by soju6

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.53/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a medium yellow-gold with a thick and rocky white cap.

The aroma was floral with a grainy sweetness and some mineral notes.

The taste was a mix of floral spiciness, lemon, grains, and light malts. Finishes quite clean.

Lighter bodied, crisp and clean, with moderate carbonation.

A solid easy-drinking German Pilsner.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2009 02:18:09 | More by Monkeyknife

CHSLBrew

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a 12 oz. glass at the Oktoberfest on the Minneapolis Riverfront. Sipped on it while listening to a polka band do their thing :D

A-Clear deep golden brew. Pretty much no head on arrival, just sparse bubbles. Bubbles rising from the carbonation did not stick around for long, so this lack of head seemed partly due to low retention, and not just a bad pour.

S-Perfumy hops with a sense of a very crisp malt underneath. Still, rather too thin.

T-Herbal and perfumy hoppiness joins a grainy smooth German-tasting maltiness. Dry overall maltiness, finishing dry and perfumy.

M-Higher carbonation is borderline harsh, but still rather appropriate. Body is medium-lightish, very easy.

D-Quite drinkable, largely attributable to its smooth, easy body. Also, the ambiance of drinking this beer while listening to straigt-up polka music surely helped put me in the German beer mood.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2009 20:56:34 | More by CHSLBrew

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at The Publick House 7/24
This beer poured a light, clear, straw colored yellow. One finger of white head, retention was average and left very little lacing on the glass. Nose is of strong grain and bready malts, with a slight touch of piney hops to it. Taste was rather flat. Grain dn bready malts dominate though not blended well. The finish has a bit of a hop kick but doesn't mesh all that well. Light to medium body, moderately carbonated, crisp finish to it. Based on ABV this is highly drinkable, but I have had better offerings of this style.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2009 18:37:57 | More by Jayli

drabmuh

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bitburger Pils on draught. I have had Bitburger Pils in the past. It is an interesting beer. It has an odd flavor that one does not expect from a Pils. As you drink it, the flavor becomes more pronounced. The beer is clear, as you would expect, light yellow in color. The carbonation is steady but it doesn't form a head. There is no lacing on the glass and I cannot recall what the smell is. It is a good beer to try, and I have ordered it on multiple occasions. It is not my favorite beer but everytime I order it I end up trying to describe the flavor to myself. If you see this beer on draught at a bar someplace, check it out.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2009 16:41:02 | More by drabmuh

HalfFull

California

3.5/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 12 oz. mug. Pours a clear light golden in color with an inch of foamy white head. Decent retention with limited lacing follows.

Light in hops and in malts on the nose relative the the Dinkel Acker that preceded it. Has a bit of a smoky/roasted character to the grains, yet doesn't show the sweet syrupy influence. A touch bready but rather light overall in texture.

Flavor follows the nose with light hops and a balanced and slightly grainy malt sense. Smooth and light bodied make for an easy drinking Pils. Nothing to excite and nothing to distract.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2009 03:34:58 | More by HalfFull

david18

New York

4.45/5  rDev +27.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had a quarter liter of this before dinner at a fancy german restaurant. The most disappointing part was the size of the beer. I could have had five more but my wife wanted wine. A very drinkable pilsner that rivals with Radeberger as my favorite. Would highly recommend, especially on tap in germany.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2009 07:04:38 | More by david18

beertunes

Washington

2.93/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a straight pint glass. I'm just revisiting a beer I haven't had for a few years. Poured a bright,clear yellow with a sharp white head that had moderate retention and no lacing.

A slight skunky aroma reached the nose first, but was not overpowering. Most of the scent was the expected subtle earthiness of the style with a slight hop tang on the end. The favors were similar, without the skunk. Smooth malt sweetness merged into a pleasant hop spicieness on the back of the tongue.

The body was light and clean, as expected. Very drinkable, as pilsners tend to be. Overall a good example of what a pilsner should be. I expect that having this beer closer to the source, instead of halfway around the planet from it's source, would raise this brews rating. A good introductory pils to use as a baseline for exploring the style.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2009 09:43:54 | More by beertunes

HURTemHIZZY

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a fairly bright yellow and can be seen through clearly. Formed a white, foamy head that took 2 or 3 minutes to disappear. Smelled of pils malt, with some definite sweetness. Tasted, again, of pils malt with only a hint of noble hops. I enjoyed the first half way more than the second, with its bitterness outweighing its flavor by the end. I enjoyed the beer, but as it was advertised as "one of Germany's best," I was a little disappointed.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2009 01:31:09 | More by HURTemHIZZY