Samuel Adams Noble Pils
A: The beer was a golden yellow color and transparent. The white head was taller than expected and contained large bubbles; it thinned out quickly. There was a normal amount of carbonation and only a little lacing was left behind. S: I smelled plenty of hops, and I thought the beer smelled very similar to Stone Ruination- the two beers must contain at least one of the same variety of hops (reminded me of a gunpowder smell). I could smell some of the malt. T: Like my perception of the smell, I thought the beer tasted similar to Ruination, but weaker. I tasted the alcohol at first, but did not notice it later. The taste was hops dominant (but not that bitter) with some sweet maltiness. Overall, I thought this beer tasted like a balanced pilsner that someone had mixed with some Ruination; this isn't necessarily a bad thing. M: There wasn't anything special about the mouthfeel. Not too thick and not too thin. D: This beer was good overall, but it was not what I was expecting. I thought pilsners were generally balanced with their malt and hops flavors. While not too bitter, this beer definitely had a hops dominant aroma and taste. While people who really like the flavor of hops might enjoy this version of a pilsner, I prefer pilsners that have a balanced flavor profile. I would still drink this again.