Lagunitas PILS

Okay, so last time I promised I would review a more "normal" beer next.  Well, pilsner (or pilsener) beers are about as normal as they get; and Lagunitas PILS, a Czech (Bohemian)-style pilsener made in California, is readily available in pretty much every liquor store in the area.  It has been my go-to pilsener since I first tried it last March.


Regardless of whether they are made in American, Bohemia or Bavaria, good pilseners are generally simple, subtle, elegant beers, and Lagunitas' take on the style is all of those at once.  It retains the clear golden hue that is the characteristic of virtually every craft and quality imported pilsener, with the standard two fingers of fluffy white foam.  This cannot be mistaken for the yellow, fizzy light lagers that Anheuser-Busch and Miller misleadingly brand "pilsener."  The foam forms and stays around for a while; it does not disintegrate before you get a chance to appreciate it.

The hop character of Lagunitas PILS is a floral mix of fresh-cut grass and a bit of spice, both of which are not very robust---and they aren't supposed to be.  If you want your pilsener to punch you in the face with hops, you should drink a Victory Prima Pils (or just stick to IPA).  The malt has a light cereal grain smell to it, which I also expected.

A long time ago, I came to expect that most beers made with pilsener barley malt (and most pale lagers in general) would have a slightly metallic flavor.  I have noticed it in both German and Bohemian pilseners, American pale/adjunct lagers, American light lagers, and even the occasional Belgian pale ale.  For me, as long as it is in the background I'm fine with it, and Lagunitas manages to suppress it better than others with this beer.  As it smells mostly but subtly of Czech hops, so it tastes, with barely any metal and just a hint of grain to round things out.  The only area where Lagunitas deviates from the style norm is in the body.  Though this is still appropriately carbonated and dry, it is a tad thicker and sweeter than most pilseners.  Purists might cry foul, I find it a little endearing.



This is not my favorite pilsener made by an American company (that would be Sierra Nevada Summerfest), but it is still a simple and classy take on a classy, simple style.  Unlike Sierra's, you can get it year-round as well.