Brewing Master

Question:

One commercial lager that I do like however — probably the best I have tasted anywhere — Is Steinlager from New Zealand.  What do others think of this beer?

correctly, the kegged version that I tasted years ago had a bit of the skunk in it.  I am starting to believe that the brewers are intentionally inducing a bit of skunkiness in their brews for the American market because some really stupid people think that that aroma is the sign of a high quality "import." Now I am depressed. (g) Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail store at www.listermann.com.

Response:

Hi Hans,         Bohemian Pilsner is supposed to be very bitter. Either you like it very bitter or you don’t. I personally prefer the very bitter Urquell to a German pilsner. I love drinking both styles and was lucky to live in Germany for a few years. I suggest German pilsner for a smoother less bitter beer         Just my opinion…         Andy Van Sickel         near Chicago Hans Von Richter wrote – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. I decided I’d try swirling a small amount that was left in the bottle, and the hoppiness died down considerably, and I got a better taste of the malt (after flattening it out a little bit…) I was also pleased to find that when it warmed a bit (I chilled the daylights out of it) I tasted more subtleties which I enjoyed thoroghly. Altogether, though, not exactly my kind of beer.  Is there any with a style like that that isn’t so hoppy?  Or… Bitter?  To me it tastes like a lot of the same hops were boiled in at the same time.  Or at least… I’m tasting a lot of the same hops… Is this inaccurate?  Do you know what hops are used? — Cheers! Remember:  Do it now because a year from your you’ll wish you did it a year ago!

Response:

I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy.

If it was bottled, there is a very good chance that it was skunked.  I have only had one bottled PU that was not skunked and that was at Beer Camp where the beer was supplied directly from the importer.  Try to find a bar that has it on tap. Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail site at www.listermann.com

Response:

Dan is right on here.  I bought a six pack of Pilsner Urquell this past weekend and it was so skunked it tasted like Corona.  I live in a *very* blue collar area where people typically only spring for Bud Light on special occasions (usually chosing Natural Light or some such)…  There is only one store in town that even caries a few good beers, but usually they are very old and way past their prime.  Some of the stronger beers fair well under those conditions, but I have found the PU doesn’t age terribly well, and ends up tasting, well, PU.  I wish I could find a fresh bottle of this around here, because I think I’d really like it, but I’m tired of paying $11 a six pack to end up with swill.

"Hans Von Richter" <dabeerboy pls dnt spam

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. If it was bottled, there is a very good chance that it was skunked.  I have only had one bottled PU that was not skunked and that was at Beer Camp where the beer was supplied directly from the importer.  Try to find a bar that has it on tap. Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail site at www.listermann.com

Response:

Corona did come to mind when I drank it, however, I"m afraid it may SUPPOSE to taste that way.  The fact that they have it in a green bottle doesn’t help it any.  A dark brown would save it longer.  However, The only thing that seems like a date on it says: 20 A0 What the heck is that?  Some sort of Czech numerals? I can’t say that it was "skunked" but maybe it was?  To me it tasted intentional.  I’m not an expert in beers by any stretch of the imagination, however, "skunked" is not the word I would use for this beer.  It is 6.99 a six-pack, I paid 2.99 for a pint.  I think it’s 22 ounces. Pilsners are soooooooooooo popular, and I fail to taste why.  :(  I haven’t had a pilsner I’ve enjoyed yet.  It’s almost like I don’t get something, but I’m beginning to accept that the situation is probably that my tastes don’t lie with Pilsner.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dan is right on here.  I bought a six pack of Pilsner Urquell this past weekend and it was so skunked it tasted like Corona.  I live in a *very* blue collar area where people typically only spring for Bud Light on special occasions (usually chosing Natural Light or some such)…  There is only one store in town that even caries a few good beers, but usually they are very old and way past their prime.  Some of the stronger beers fair well under those conditions, but I have found the PU doesn’t age terribly well, and ends up tasting, well, PU.  I wish I could find a fresh bottle of this around here, because I think I’d really like it, but I’m tired of paying $11 a six pack to end up with swill. "Hans Von Richter" <dabeerboy pls dnt spam I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. If it was bottled, there is a very good chance that it was skunked.  I have only had one bottled PU that was not skunked and that was at Beer Camp where the beer was supplied directly from the importer.  Try to find a bar that has it on tap. Dan Listermann Check out our new E-tail site at www.listermann.com

Response:

Pilsners are soooooooooooo popular, and I fail to taste why.  :(  I haven’t had a pilsner I’ve enjoyed yet.  It’s almost like I don’t get something, but I’m beginning to accept that the situation is probably that my tastes don’t lie with Pilsner.

Maybe you just have never tried a *true* pilsner beer like Miller Lite. That might do it for you.  Just kidding. It could very well be that your tastes just don’t lie with the Pilsner.  I know that mine don’t (though I still try it now and again to see if my tastes are changing at all).  After years of trying to appreciate lagers, I’ve found that I really just like ales a whole lot better;  I just consider it a personal character flaw and move on from there.  To my tastebuds, bitters, porters and stouts are where it’s at.  My friends look at me like I’m crazy when I drink stouts in a hundred degree weather, but it’s what I like, so to hell with convention.  Like I said above, I still try drinking lagers from time to time, but really my heart goes with the ales.  I’m actually glad that my tastes are this way instead of the opposite, or I’d probably never have started home brewing.

Response:

I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. I decided I’d try swirling a small amount that was left in the bottle, and the hoppiness died down considerably, and I got a better taste of the malt (after flattening it out a little bit…) I was also pleased to find that when it warmed a bit (I chilled the daylights out of it) I tasted more subtleties which I enjoyed thoroghly. Altogether, though, not exactly my kind of beer.  Is there any with a style like that that isn’t so hoppy?  Or… Bitter?  To me it tastes like a lot of the same hops were boiled in at the same time.  Or at least… I’m tasting a lot of the same hops… Is this inaccurate?  Do you know what hops are used?

Pilsner Urquell is very hoppy (40IBU). If you want something less hoppy Czech Budweiser Budvar (which you may have problems getting in the US thanks to the bully-boy tactics of AB) and some of the German pilsners may fit the bill. Budvar is 20IBU. Lowenbrau Export is a German Pilsner with 24IBU. Steer clear of Jever Pils which is a more bitter German pilsner at 40IBU and the old advertising slogan "Bitte, ein Bit" could equally well have been "Bitter, ein Bit" being 38IBU. All these figures come from the recipes in the Graham Wheeler book ‘Brew Classic European Beers at Home’ and were provided by co-author Roger Protz who also wrote the tasting notes at the top of each recipe. According to the recipe in BCEBaH Pilsner Urquell uses 3 lots of Saaz (this is not to say that the commercial brewery just uses these hops but the clone tastes close enough). The Budweiser Budvar recipe also uses just Saaz but a lot less and all at the start. This has got me wondering about Urquell v Budvar as I want to brew a lager at least once and it might be similar to one or other of these. I think I’ll pop into the Head of Steam and do a taste test (both available on draught). Mmmm… — Andy Davison                      

Response:

I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. If it was bottled, there is a very good chance that it was skunked.  I have only had one bottled PU that was not skunked and that was at Beer Camp where the beer was supplied directly from the importer.  Try to find a bar that has it on tap.

If you can’t find it on tap, at least look for a store that has an unopened case.  I got some "fresh out of the box" last fall and found it was excellent — no skunking at all. — Andy McKellar    Dallas, TX

Response:

After years of trying to appreciate lagers, I’ve found that I really just like ales a whole lot better;  I just consider it a personal character flaw and move on from there.

  I prefer ales as well.  However, I have had a couple yummy lagers from, of all places, India.  I like to go to Indian restaurants.  That’s how I came across them.  One is called Flying Horse and the other Golden Eagle.  They have more of a malty flavor and perhaps less hops than other lagers.   Eric N. To my tastebuds, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – bitters, porters and stouts are where it’s at.  My friends look at me like I’m crazy when I drink stouts in a hundred degree weather, but it’s what I like, so to hell with convention.  Like I said above, I still try drinking lagers from time to time, but really my heart goes with the ales.  I’m actually glad that my tastes are this way instead of the opposite, or I’d probably never have started home brewing.

Response:

  I prefer ales as well.  However, I have had a couple yummy lagers from, of all places, India.  I like to go to Indian restaurants.  That’s how I came across them.  One is called Flying Horse and the other Golden Eagle.  They have more of a malty flavor and perhaps less hops than other lagers.

Kingfisher is another very good Indian rendition of a German Pilsener. cheers, -Alan

Response:

My thoughts and feelings exactly!! I also don’t really "get" this liking for lagers — even homebrewed ones. And anyway — because lagers are so prevalent and readily available commercially where I live (Australia), why would I bother to try to brew them.. But English style ales are not available here – so that’s what I mainly brew.

Remember, there are other kinds of lagers.  For example, it’s pretty hard to find a good Munich dunkel or maibock or Dortmunder Export sitting around in your local store.  I find myself brewing styles such as these quite often since it is hard to find them locally.  In fact, very few of the brewpubs in my area make any lagers at all.   — Dean Fikar (Remove the 3 letters that don’t look like they belong:

Response:

Remember, there are other kinds of lagers.  For example, it’s pretty hard to find a good Munich dunkel or maibock or Dortmunder Export sitting around in your local store.

The LCBO in Ontario has a good Maibock, but none of the others you mention.  Hopefully, they will soon be carrying Koelsch, too! cheers, -Alan

Response:

And anyway — because lagers are so prevalent and readily available commercially where I live (Australia), why would I bother to try to brew them..

For the challenge of doing one well. OK, it helps if you like the stuff enough to drink it afterward, to make the time commitment worthwhile. But producing a good lager is testament to your skills as a brewer. IMO. Brian

Response:

"Hans Von Richter" <dabeerboy pls dnt spam

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pilsners are soooooooooooo popular, and I fail to taste why.  :(  I haven’t had a pilsner I’ve enjoyed yet.  It’s almost like I don’t get something, but I’m beginning to accept that the situation is probably that my tastes don’t lie with Pilsner. Maybe you just have never tried a *true* pilsner beer like Miller Lite. That might do it for you.  Just kidding. It could very well be that your tastes just don’t lie with the Pilsner.  I know that mine don’t (though I still try it now and again to see if my tastes are changing at all).  After years of trying to appreciate lagers, I’ve found that I really just like ales a whole lot better;  I just consider it a personal character flaw and move on from there.  To my tastebuds, bitters, porters and stouts are where it’s at.  My friends look at me like I’m crazy when I drink stouts in a hundred degree weather, but it’s what I like, so to hell with convention.  Like I said above, I still try drinking lagers from time to time, but really my heart goes with the ales.  I’m actually glad that my tastes are this way instead of the opposite, or I’d probably never have started home brewing.

Understanding what you like is hardly a character flaw! It would be a flaw to pretend you like something else because it is trendy or considered "classy." If I had to limit myself to one type of beer, it would be the British bitter ales. Peter G. Aitken

Response:

Maybe you just have never tried a *true* pilsner beer like Miller Lite. That might do it for you.  Just kidding.

Hahahahahaha! It could very well be that your tastes just don’t lie with the Pilsner.  I

Actually, when I let it come closer to room temperature (it was still quite cool, but not "chilled" like before, and I flattened it a bit by swirling in the cup, the hoppiness died down, and I tasted the malts.  They weren’t bad, but I must say, I’m probably more of an "ale" man than a lager or pilsner man.  I can tolerate Corona, though, better than budmilloors.  (But Corona is my "cheap imitation")  I love Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (it’s a tiny bit hoppy, but good stuff!) and I enjoy porters quite a bit. know that mine don’t (though I still try it now and again to see if my tastes are changing at all).  After years of trying to appreciate lagers,

I’m in the same boat. I’ve found that I really just like ales a whole lot better;  I just consider it a personal character flaw and move on from there.  To my tastebuds,

Hahahahahahahaha.. bitters, porters and stouts are where it’s at.  My friends look at me like I’m crazy when I drink stouts in a hundred degree weather, but it’s what I like, so to hell with convention.  Like I said above, I still try drinking lagers from time to time, but really my heart goes with the ales.  I’m actually glad that my tastes are this way instead of the opposite, or I’d probably never have started home brewing.

If you brew from home, you can make anything.  It’s an art form I’m developing a passion for and I haven’t even started my first batch yet! (sorry if that spoils any prestige I may have earned from you.  :-)  I’ll get my 5-gallon kit in about 2 weeks.) Cheers!

Response:

recall correctly, the kegged version that I tasted years ago had a bit of the skunk in it.  I am starting to believe that the brewers are intentionally inducing a bit of skunkiness in their brews for the American market because some really stupid people think that that aroma is the sign of a high quality "import." Now I am depressed. (g) Dan Listermann

You know what???  I’m thinking the EXACT SAME THING!!!  However, it might be the universal paranoia we have.  For example, I’m going to have major surgery soon… (I’m having some colon removed) and I’m so scared I’m gonna die, even though I have only a 5% chance of having complications…  I’m a worry wart… Mayhap you’re like that? I dunno… I just always think I’m getting screwed… Sorry, that doesn’t sound right… Cheers!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It could very well be that your tastes just don’t lie with the Pilsner.  I know that mine don’t (though I still try it now and again to see if my tastes are changing at all).  After years of trying to appreciate lagers, I’ve found that I really just like ales a whole lot better;  I just consider it a personal character flaw and move on from there.  To my tastebuds, bitters, porters and stouts are where it’s at.  My friends look at me like I’m crazy when I drink stouts in a hundred degree weather, but it’s what I like, so to hell with convention.  Like I said above, I still try drinking lagers from time to time, but really my heart goes with the ales.  I’m actually glad that my tastes are this way instead of the opposite, or I’d probably never have started home brewing.

My thoughts and feelings exactly!! I also don’t really "get" this liking for lagers — even homebrewed ones. And anyway — because lagers are so prevalent and readily available commercially where I live (Australia), why would I bother to try to brew them.. But English style ales are not available here – so that’s what I mainly brew. One commercial lager that I do like however — probably the best I have tasted anywhere — Is Steinlager from New Zealand.  What do others think of this beer? Barry — My website at http://www.powerup.com.au/~baz is all about the area in which I live – From Brisbane to the Gold Coast, Queensland (and a bit more)

Response:

I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. I decided I’d try swirling a small amount that was left in the bottle, and the hoppiness died down considerably, and I got a better taste of the malt (after flattening it out a little bit…) I was also pleased to find that when it warmed a bit (I chilled the daylights out of it) I tasted more subtleties which I enjoyed thoroghly. Altogether, though, not exactly my kind of beer.  Is there any with a style like that that isn’t so hoppy?  Or… Bitter?  To me it tastes like a lot of the same hops were boiled in at the same time.  Or at least… I’m tasting a lot of the same hops… Is this inaccurate?  Do you know what hops are used? — Cheers! Remember:  Do it now because a year from your you’ll wish you did it a year ago!

Response:

Saaz are the hops for PU. Try a Spaten Pils for a lighter version and less hoppy. Both are great beers IMO. Burp, -Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I bought a Pilsner Urquell.  I can tell by the taste that it must be a fantastic beer FOR IT’S CLASS, however, I found it a little overly hoppy. I decided I’d try swirling a small amount that was left in the bottle, and the hoppiness died down considerably, and I got a better taste of the malt (after flattening it out a little bit…) I was also pleased to find that when it warmed a bit (I chilled the daylights out of it) I tasted more subtleties which I enjoyed thoroghly. Altogether, though, not exactly my kind of beer.  Is there any with a style like that that isn’t so hoppy?  Or… Bitter?  To me it tastes like a lot of the same hops were boiled in at the same time.  Or at least… I’m tasting a lot of the same hops… Is this inaccurate?  Do you know what hops are used? — Cheers! Remember:  Do it now because a year from your you’ll wish you did it a year ago!

Response: