I was meandering through the beer section of Market of Choice last night when Heater Allen’s Pils caught my eye. The bottle stood out against the rest of the Heater Allen brews; sporting a new vinyl label with chunky Mostra lettering, instead of the old paper one with its thin Papyrus logo.
I talked to an employee who told me that they just received the new bottles, along with a shipment of Hugo, Heater Allen’s spring Bock, also the recipient of a label overhaul. Hugo now features a portrait of a man which I’m guessing is Rick’s wife’s grandfather Hugo Effenberger, for whom the brew in named. But I digress, this is a beer review, not a label review after all.
Pils poured a hazy straw color with an aroma consisting of bready malts, spicy/earthy hops and yeast. The beer was much more malt forward than I was anticipating, slightly sweet and biscuity upfront. The beer finished bitter and dry, with far less hop flavor than was hinted at by the aroma. And at nearly 40 IBUs, the lack of hop flavor made the bitterness feel sharp and sudden.
I’m a little mixed on what I think about this one. I enjoyed how clean and smooth the beer tasted; Rick definitely has his Lagering process down. But, I prefer a pilsner that is light and crisp, and Heater Allen’s brew comes up a little short in both areas. A beer that is better served alongside a meal than lawnmower. Although, the heavier malt presence appears intentional. Here is the description from Heater Allen’s website:
This is our take of the renowned Bohemian-style pale lager that you might find in Bavaria or the Czech Republic. Ours is a little more golden, rounder, and a little more malt driven than many other versions. The beer possesses strong hop character that is balanced by its rich, round, malty palate. Refreshing and balanced, this beer is a favorite of our winery friends during harvest.
I’m still a little bewildered by the lack of hop presence in the bottle I purchased. I will say that at the market, the beer was not refrigerated and in an area exposed to direct light; neither great for an unfiltered brew. This may have played a role in the flavor, but being a newly stocked bottle, I can’t imagine the short time it had been sitting there could have greatly affected it.
So, overall impression? Better than Sam Adam’s Noble Pils, on par with Full Sail’s Ltd. 3 and short of Wokanda’s Sneaker Wave. Speaking of which, I really need to get out to Florence and visit Wokanda soon.
I was going to pick up a bottle of Hugo last night, but a store employee informed me that it was going to be on two-week special for $3.49, starting today. I will be brewing a Wit tomorrow, so I may have to make another trip to the market for some brew-day refreshments. After all, it is sacrilege to not be drinking a beer whilst brewing one.
Cheers!
Kevin