Columbus Pils
Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH

Columbus PilsColumbus Pils
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From:
Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH
 
Austria
Style:
German Pilsner
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.54 | pDev: 17.23%
Reviews:
57
Ratings:
60
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 02, 2018
Added:
Jan 25, 2002
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by theopholis:
Photo of theopholis
Reviewed by theopholis from California

3.48/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Note: The word "Columbus" does not appear on the bottle I have.

Appearance- Pours a clear yellow body with a with a strong white head. The head has some retention, and leaves behind a sticky lace.

Smell- Mostly Pilsner malt and nobel hops. A bit sour-mashy, but that's okay for the style.

Taste- Quite clean and crisp. A little malty with a nice hop bitterness at the back of the tongue. A little spiciness in there to, but it works.

Mouthfeel- Nice, crisp, light body with a good level of carbonation. Get a nice CO2 bite on the tip of the tongue. It would be nice if it danced over your tongue a little more, but not bad.

Drinkability- Very sessionable, very drinkable. Good lawn-mower beer to.
Jan 22, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.45 by KeiferJennings from Canada (AB)

Feb 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.52 by spycow from Illinois

Aug 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by matjack85 from Illinois

Jan 28, 2013
Photo of Parrotbeak
Reviewed by Parrotbeak from Minnesota

3.28/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pale yellow with a thin white head that fades gradually. Decent lacing.
Smell is light euro malts with some mild bitter hops. Faint notes of ginger and spice, as well as some yeast.
Taste is more mild, bitter hops with some subtle malts. Everything fades gradually until the finish, which is watery and quite bland.
Mouthfeel is crisp, yet a bit watery. Light body. Very slight stickiness on the finish.
Drinkability is good. Rather unexceptional, but still easy to drink, and would be fairly refreshing on a hot day.
Jul 01, 2010
Photo of cyrenaica
Reviewed by cyrenaica from Canada (ON)

3.5/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
500ml can
4.9% ABV

I tried this beer on May 6, 2008 at Smokeless Joe's in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer pours a translucent golden colour into the glass with a thin, creamy white head. There is a great deal of effervescence. The aroma is grainy malt with hints of apple. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, and highly carbonated. The flavour is primarily grainy malt with a little hoppy bitterness.
May 13, 2008
Photo of bluegrassbrew
Reviewed by bluegrassbrew from Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
1half liter bottle into a Stiegl pilsner glass.

Pours a crystal clear straw color with a nice white head and sticky lace.

Smell is subtle. Clean, slightly metallic with a hint of apple in the there.

Taste is crisp and slightly citric. Hops are just noticable.

Overall, a cleanly done, refreshing beer. Highly drinkable. No real flaws in this one.
Dec 27, 2007
Photo of Dukeofearl
Reviewed by Dukeofearl from California

3.24/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Im not sure I am reviewing this under the right beer, as the very simple red and white label stating "Stiegl Bier" from a Cost Plus World Market Beer of the World pack doesn't mention anything more than this. I can't tell for a fact it's a German Pilsener, but it's the closest I can find to any of the beers listed. 1.2 oz clear green bottle.

Pours a pale light golden with no real head, but a steady carbonation. The beer has a nice hop aroma that follows through in the flavor. Malts are grainy, with a light cooked note. Generally OK overall, but not something I'm loving.
Nov 11, 2007
Photo of Zorro
Reviewed by Zorro from California

4.02/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
A clear yellow beer with a strong white head this is a beer that needs no strong pour to form a head.

Pilsener malt and Nobel hops as expected. The scent is herbal and a bit soapy to the nose. This is grassy with a spicy scent. Very grassy smelling Pils.

The taste starts out clean and decently bitter. Tasty and hoppy with a wonderful Nobel hop flavor, this is bitter, herbal and spicy, as it should be. Tasty I think I can detect a trace of oxidation, but my mouth doesn't care.

The Mouthfeel is OK.

Quite good and tasty I really wish I had a growler but all I have is the one bottle. Light years beyond the just OK Lager from the same brewer.
Nov 11, 2007
Photo of alankwak
Reviewed by alankwak from Florida

4.6/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
A: Golden, clear with awesome head retention and lacing.
S: Saaz hops and a whiff and grassiness which is desirable.
T: Nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Very smooth indeed.
M: Light to medium body as a pils should be.
D:. Very nice beer here. This is a great example of a quality German Pilsner. Not as hoppy as a Czech pils but close. High quality beer here...no doubt.
Sep 01, 2007
Photo of CharlieMopps
Reviewed by CharlieMopps from Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Poured a pale golden hue that was topped with a dense and sizeable head. This produced a plethora of bubbles that readily clung to the side of the glass, leaving a latticework of foam along the sides.

S: A clean lager profile, pale malt and grain scent with the aroma of bittering hops present. Something about the bouquet makes it more appealing that many other Pilsener style beers. We'll see if the smell stacks up with the taste.

T: An interesting offering, indeed! The subtlety yet complexity of this beer is quite astonishing. Upon taking the first sip, a maltiness was detectable up front, light but still viscous in texture. A hop bitterness was then noticed on the palate, sliding across the tongue yet leaving only the faintest of trails behind. Rounded out with a slightly drying finish and that's what I picked up as far as the flavor goes.

M: Oddly enough, the way the flavors washed away, it seemed like it would taste more watery, but the hops were enough to give a bit of an oily or viscous texture, along with the excellent level of carbonation. Much more body to this pilsener, which is done quite well with this beer.

D: Considering its very subtle hints of flavor, the way it washes over the tongue and maintains a fuller mouthfeel, I'd say this one ranks higher up on the list than others of its ilk. Pilseners are already drinkable as it is, but with one of these, you can't go wrong in any department.
Jul 01, 2007
Photo of canucklehead
Reviewed by canucklehead from Canada (BC)

3.6/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A pale euro lager that is reasonably decent with a mid body that hold up and a hoppy finish that keeps you interested. Can't say that this is any better than many German pils in a can but worth try if the price is right. The beer must taste great though on an Austrian patio in the summer
Jun 10, 2007
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

4.27/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Purchased at Wilbur's Liquors in Ft Collins.

Pours fron 0.5L bottle a clear straw gold with a fairly large head of foam that shrinks quickly leaving jst a bit of spotting on the surface and very little lacing.

The smell has a good Pilsner nose to it. Some light malty character with good hoppy notes. Smells very Austrian. ;^)

The taste on first sip is fairly malty, I note a bit of biscuit that is quite flavourful, but the hops move in and give the brew, at first, a nice balance and then, the light bitterness that they impart take control and I'm liking the end result.

Further sips in, and as the beer warms, the hop bitterness intensifies a bit but in a lipsmackingly good way. This Pilsner is *way* easy to drink and being at the abv that it is, I'd see no problem having this session beer all day long, especially with the warmer temperatures head my way.

The body is just right for the style and it's pretty lightly carbonated.

Bottom line: This is a very nice Pilsner. If it was available locally, It would be on my regular rotation. I recoomend it.
May 13, 2007
Photo of hckyfn9999
Reviewed by hckyfn9999 from Missouri

3.41/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a slightly hazy pale golden yellow with a nice thick white head. Aroma is not very stong. There are some noticeable spicy and grassy hops with a touch of grain in there as well. Taste is has an initial malty sweetness quickly followed up by hoppy bitterness, although the hops do not seem to have a particular flavor, maybe slightly spicy, still a better taste than the nose would lead you to believe. Medium to light bodied and a fairly easy drinker. Not a bad beer, although I do not believe I will go out of my way to purchase it as there are better Pils available.
Feb 08, 2007
Photo of bradleyseven
Reviewed by bradleyseven from Illinois

3.89/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Visual:
Beer was poured into a 0.5L tulip-shaped "Stiegl" stemmed glass. Poured a crystal clear pale straw color with about 3/4 inches of white micro-foam head which slowly dissapated and led to a small amount of soft lacing

Smell:
soft notes of bread, raw wheat, and floral smells of saaz

Taste:
nice light bready and biscuity tastes of the malt. Hopping is purely Saaz, drying out the malt, leaving just a wisp of bitter on the back of the tongue

Body:
This beer light and crisp, carbonation is very evident (almost dominating) in the mouth.

Drinkability:
this is a very well balanced pilsener; a crisp beer with enough body to remind me that this is not just seltzer water, but it is light enough to session, its great on a summer day, and goes pretty darn well with a burger and fries.

~E. Brad
Feb 06, 2007
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

4.14/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Had this in vail at a German restaraunt. Very pleasant suprise!

Poured golden with a 1/2" WHITE HEAD. Minimal head retention & lacing

S: Perfumy hops & straw

T: Straw, floral hops& akiss of malt up front. Citrussy hops then a finish of slight fruittyness

MF: Soft, efferevescent & well balanced

Great quafffability, 1st class pils, can't beleive i found this in Vail!!??
Dec 11, 2006
Photo of DogFood11
Reviewed by DogFood11 from California

3.59/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16.9 oz bottle that clearly states Stiegl Pils. I can't find columbus anywhere but this is the same as the brew pictured. Poured into a slender tulip it forms a very unique white head. The head was very loose and bubbly towards the top but fairly dense towards the lower level. In any event it left tons of sticky coat lacing. Pale yellow body with super aggressive carbonation.

Soft and slightly musky malt bill blends with a light but evident hop presence. It has a saaz feel to the hops and are slightly drying in the finish. Was a bit grassy as it warmed slightly. Husky and filled with a wheat backer. Suggestions of light fruit that never really developes. Mouthfeel is crisp but not entirely clean as there is some linger sweet malts w/ a touch of musk.

Notes: I rather enjoyed this offering. I found it to be flawed in areas but the end result was a refreshing pils that was decent enough for an after work cool down brew. A beaut to look at as its every shiney and full of uniform racing carbonation. Decent.
Nov 22, 2006
Photo of Cresant
Reviewed by Cresant from Kentucky

2.65/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured this 16.9 oz., undated brown bottle into a pilsner glass. Pale yellow, light and clear body supported three fingers of puffy white head. No where on the bottle (nor on the website) is this beer described as "Columbus Pils". "Salzburger" yes, Columbus no.

Smell was smooth, buttery floral hops. A sour graininess is evident.

Taste was of light bitterness, and not very sweet. Tart, lemony. Rather weak and plain. This one has a short dry finish.

Mouthfeel was mildly carbonated with a moderate body. This is not a pilsner I would seek out.
Oct 31, 2006
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
This is a German Pilsner that succeeds at it purpose: quenching thirst on a hot day. It is fairly one-dimensional, but refreshing nonetheless.

It pours a light, clear straw hue, with a fluffy head that is slow to diminish. Smells lightly of grassy hops, nothing special. Taste is clean, with a slight sweetness and astringent hop bite. The sweetness lingers in the aftertaste with a dry finish. Very thin in the mouth, you can drink this stuff like water.

Overall, it is well balanced, but not especially unique.
Aug 18, 2006
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.64/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
Starts out with a underwhelming appearance that came too clearly, lacking color, and nearly fizzy carbonation and head retention. But, things improved from there. The aromas promise strong characteristics of green apples, lemons, and grassy hops. Flavors deliver what the nose promised with much intensity over the timid textures. Moderately thin in the body, but very crisp and clean in the body and a very drinkable. Despite the thin malts which sacrificed the appearance and mouthfeel, they were able to avoid the strong grain flavors / textures that I expected. Pretty good beer for a very hot day.
Jul 27, 2006
Columbus Pils from Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 60 ratings