Is This a Pilsner?

Full Sail has just sent out a press release on their new LTD 03 beer, labeled as a pilsner. But is it?

The newly designed bottle labels describe LTD Bottling 03, as crisp, new pilsner-style lager that is pale golden in color, features a spicy floral hop aroma, a malty medium body, and a smooth thirst-quenching finish. LTD 03 registers "Pale" on the "Malt-O-Meter" that is featured on the six packs. Beer aficionados, or the aspiring ones, will enjoy the bottom of the six-pack that features an easy-to-read chart of "Today's Recipe," including Sterling hops, 2 row pale malt, plato (14 degrees), I.B.U. (35), alcohol by volume (5.6) and any special ingredients. LTD 03 will be available in six-packs and draught and will be available June through September.

As you know, I'm no style nazi. But to the lovely style of pilsner so much violence has been directed. When I heard that Full Sail was releasing a pils, my mouth started watering at the taste of those lovely Czech Saaz. I had also comforted myself with the idea of a German pils, perfumed with the noble aroma of a nice Hallertau.

But what's this, Sterling hops? Well, maybe it's not so bad. Sterlings are an American hybrid bred from Saaz about a decade ago. They are purported to contain the quality of Saaz. FS's version is (no surprise) a touch more robust than average, and I wouldn't mind seeing a few more IBUs, but hey, let's try it before we knock it, right? The LTD series was never designed to create standard styles of lagers--they're riffs on more well-known styles. So a Sterling-hopped pilsner-y style beer. Sounds about right.


Update. Full Sail twittered the following, indicating they're going for not only a pilsner, but a very good one. I like a brewery with moxie.

FullSailBrewing LTD 03 is officially here. Best pilsner ever? We think so.

Full Sail LTD Bottling 02

A brief review of the newest Full Sail LTD, which is on shelves now. LTD, the overly cute series ("Livin' the Dream," dude) Full Sail debuted in January, is the brewery's bid to break into the nontraditional lager market. The first version was respectable and caused me some hope. So now to bottling #02, which Full Sail describes, unhelpfully, as

A light-bodied nonetheless hella good limited edition lager courtesy of the mad skills of the Full Sail crew. Crisp. Golden. Ultra drinkable. Totally LTD.

Diction theirs. Emphasis mine (reasons below).

Tasting Notes
It pours out like an unassuming lager--a little deeper golden than the average pilsner, topped by a fizzy, weak head. My dad would recognize it as "beer." But all is not Busch Lite about it, as you discover with a first sniff. Like the 01 bottling, this one is robust at 6.4% (strangely, the exact same alcohol content--a theme?), and I can detect in it malt-liquory nose. The palate, too, has a malt liquor quality--it's slick and alcoholic on the tongue, but has a slightly harsh alcohol kick. It's also very sweet, featuring quite mild, floral hopping that isn't adequate to the task of adding balance.

But perhaps the inspiration isn't the golden-hued forty (we called 'em "torpedoes" in the eighties), but a more regal beer. In Germany, helles (pr. "hell-ehs") means "clear" or "light." It is a style its own--a bland, mild lager not too distant from Bud. But it can also be used to modify other styles, as in helles bock. When I picked up the label and saw "hella" in the description, that's what I immediately thought of. If it's a wink to the beer geeks among us, a nice touch.

But, helles bock or no, I'm not a fan. To me, it's a little cloying and heavy. I'd like some more complexity of malt if this were going to be a bock (it tastes likes it has cereal malts--corn or rice) or some hops to offset the malt. It mainly reminds me of malt liquor, a style to which I am perhaps prejudiced. This beer doesn't thrill. Most IPA-lovin' denizens of Beervana are going to be disappointed. Further evidence, perhaps, that the LTD line was not made for them.

Not stats available yet; I'll update if they become available.