Samuel Adams Noble Pils
Appearance: Poured from the 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. The beer is clear, golden colored with a decent head (about an inch and a half). Head fades to a solid cap that leaves little lacing. Smell: Scent of a decent hopping comes through quickly. Bursting with aromatic hops, floral and lemony zest aromas. Much more hoppy than I typically expect for a pilsner. One of the most aromatic pilsners I have poured. Taste: Follows the scent of the beer. Some lemony citrous zing, malts seem subdued by a bracing, bitter finish. Not what I would call a textbook pilsner, but very interesting. Mouthfeel: While I want to call this a medium bodied beer, it is well carbonated and that helps to keep it light and lively. Crisp and "clean" (no lingering aftertaste) going down. Drinkability: A very drinkable beer, if you like hoppy pilsners. While this would not be an overly hoppy beer if it were an IPA, it maybe on par hop-wise with some APA's, it is on the hoppy/bitter side of the malt/hops balance of flavors. Unfortunately, I do not think that many pils drinkers want a beer this hop-centric.