JEVER PILSNER ~ FRIESISCHES BRAUHAUS ZU JEVER

Sampled from a tin, this pilsner pours a fairly clear golden straw yellow with a frothy white head, and a steady steam of effervescent bubbles. The head lingered and left nice lacing as it receded. The nose was fairly mild with notes of faint malts, light citrus, lightly toasted bread and grassy hops. The flavour is sharp – light crackery malts and grassy/herbal hop bitterness. I thought it missed a little sweetness to complement the hops. The finish was light, dry, sharp, and had a little bitter bite. The mouthfeel was the medium end of light; the carbonation was lively and prickly. Jever has all the typical lager flavours, just a little amped up from the usual fare. Straight forward, simple and crisp but a little lack-lustre.

4.9% from Jever, Germany

ROCKWELL PILSNER ~ 

COLLINGWOOD BREWERY

Sampled on draught, Rockwell Pilsner - which is inspired by the great Czech pilsners, poured a clear golden colour with a small white head. The head receded quickly and left some scant lacing. The nose contained lots of cereals, grains and grassy hops; floral and fruit notes were present but very subtle. Taste follows: mild hops, crackery grains and malts. Sweet caramel and roasted malts emerged as the beer warmed. The finish is clean and crisp. The carbonation is average and the body is medium light. This is a simple but well crafted, very quaffable brew.

4.6% from Colllingwood, Ontario

THURSTY PIKE ~ GANANOQUE BREWING CO.

Thursty Pike (aka Thirsty Pike) is a pilsner. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy straw amber colour with a generous white head, that left quickly. The aroma was straightforward and contained notes of barley, malts, and hints of fruit and hops. For a beer with low ABV, this was remarkably full flavoured. Breadiness and grains start off the sip, melding into malts and a citrus bite - finishing with a crisp mild hop. The carbonation was medium and the body of the beer was light. This is quite a nice, a very sessionable, summertime beer. Straightforward, refreshing and crisp.

4.1% from Gananoque, Ontario

UNFILTERED STEAM WHISTLE  ~ STEAM WHISTLE BREWING

“Steam Whistle makes one thing really well” is the slogan Steam Whistle Brewing likes to live by, but there are actually a few variations of their Toronto Pilsner. If you are in Toronto and are having a tour of the Roundhouse Brewery there is always unfiltered Steam Whistle on draught. If you are really lucky, perhaps your tour guide will give you a sip from Tank 11 (I think), the brew-masters tank (a double hopped version). Unfiltered Steam Whistle has a slightly different flavour than its filtered counterpart. Sampled on draught it poured cloudy golden amber with a foamy white head, with average retention. Sweet cereal graininess, bread, and grassy hops are evident on the nose. I find the regular Steam Whistle to be very drinkable, but this one I prefer. I find the taste a little richer and slightly hoppier than the original. The taste has a little sweetness in the caramel malts at first followed by floral, grassy hops, with a soft yeasty-bready finish. The body was a medium with a creamy mouthfeel and lively carbonation . Apparently this is not considered a lager but a kellerbier. Keller bier or kellerbier translated to beer from the cellar, it is unfiltered (lagers are always filtered – who knew?) and naturally carbonated.


5% from Toronto, Ontario

FARM TABLE PILS ~ BEAU’S

This farm table pils in the third beer released in for Beau’s Fe’brew’ary 2016 and is another in their series of ‘farm table’ beers. The farm table series are meant to be sessionable and brewed true to their traditional style. This pils is brewed in the North German Style. Sampled on draught, this beer pours a golden straw colour, with a durable white frothy head. As the head dissipated it left some thin webby lacing. The aroma is mild with notes of bready grains and malts, pilsner hops, grass, and a light herbal notes. The flavour follows much of what the nose suggests: bready grains, grass, light hebalness and a crisp clean finish. The moderate hop bitterness is nicely balanced with subtle malt sweetness. This pils has a medium body and carbonation; it is easy drinking and refreshing. A nice example of the style,

4.9% from Vankleek Hills, Ontario 30 IBU

PITSCH PERFECT PILSNER ~ PITSCHFORK

Pitschfork in a new Microbrewery out of Toronto founded in 2015. At the present time they only offer one beer, on tap. Pitsch Perfect is a pilsner brewed in small batches using only: Canadian malted barley, Noble hops, artesian well water, and German lager yeast. Sampled on draught the beer poured golden straw colour with a frothy head. The beer was quite pleasant, a good German pilsner. It was crisp and well balanced. The beer may have been a touch hoppier than many other local pilsner and had a little more of the hops on the nose. Very sessionable but nothing super special. I look forward to revisiting this during the hot days of summer.

5% from Toronto, Ontario 27 IBU

PICK UP TRUCK PILSNER 

(formerly King Pilsner)

~ THORNBURY BEVERAGE COMPANY~

Pickup truck Pilsner is the re branded King Pilsner.  It is billed as ‘an authentic Czech-style Pils Lager brewed with only 100% imported Bohemian malts, Saaz hops and a true strain of Czech yeast.’

The beer pours a clear golden colour with a frothy white foam.  The nose contains bready sweetness, grass, hops and a little malt.  The beer is clean and crisp.  Malts begin with a sweet graininess, and the Saaz hops finish with a pleasant bitterness.   A good simple Czech-style pilsner - easy drinking, great Bar-b-q beverage on a hot summer day.

4.8% from Thornbury, Ontario

CHAMPION PILSNER ~ BIG RIG

Champion Big Rig Pilsner won the Gold at the 2013 Ontario Brewing Awards in the European Style Lager category (King Pilsner came second and Steam Whistle third.)

It pours golden coppery colour with a thin white head.  It has a light beginning with biscuit and grassy notes but an assertive bitterness at the end and a slight funky aftertaste.  Resiny hops stand out. A palatable brew but nothing to write home about.

4.8% From Ottawa, Ontario

 ~ STEAM WHISTLE  PILSNER ~ 

STEAM WHISTLE

Steam Whistle only makes one beer and it is this pilsner. The company was founded by three former owners of Upper Canada Brewery after it was purchased by Sleemans (now disappeared completely) and began production in 2000.* The company only uses four ingredients: Caledon spring water, Malted Barley, Czech and German hops and yeast – all GMO free. The beer is brewed in the Historic John Street Round House at the foot of the CN Tower. It has won a number of honours over the years.
The beer has a light golden pour, with a head that quickly disappears. Nose is grain, cereal (I taste a roasted corn flavour) and grassy hops. Fairly highly carbonated. Clean finish. It is one of my partner’s favourite beers – his go to. Very quaffable but not really my thing.
* Embossed on the bottom of the bottle is 3FG – an inside joke between the three. Originally the beer was to be called 3 fired Guys, but “Steam Whistle” was adopted instead.

5% from Toronto, Ontario IBU 21

-beer 87-

 ~ 7 WEEKS OF STAYING UP ALL NIGHT ~ 

SAWDUST CITY

A light saison at only 4 1/2% alcohol.  Made with a bready pilsner malt, and zipped up with pink peppercorns and lemon zest.  Available only throughout the summer. 

4.5% from Gravenhurst, Ontario IBU 14
-beer 70-