Kiwi Pilsner by
@pilgrimhudd
The impression I got from
@pilgrimhudd was not to expect too much from this beer. But he's either a liar or lacking in confidence - this is a really good brew!
The only flaw I picked up was clarity - not that I'm in a position to judge by any stretch but it's verging on hefeweizen. Apart from that it's a cracking pint.
Head retention and lacing is excellent (feel free to argue the toss but I reckon that's the Carapils at work).
@pilgrimhudd told me it's under-carbonated - hmm, yeah, I see what he means but for me it's fine and it's certainly far from flat. It finishes dry-ish but a touch more carbonation might make it that little bit more crisp.
Aroma-wise it's very subtle but there's a hint of citrus there. This is backed up in the taste - there's a breadiness that gives way to something kinda orangey-grapefruitey from the Riwaka hops.
No mistake, this is not a hoppy lager or IPL, it's definitely in the Pilsner style - it's just that the hop flavour stands out a bit more than Saaz or Mittelfruh which, while very nice, I always find a bit vague.
I really enjoyed this beer - the malt is really nicely balanced with the hops, which stand out enough to be distinctive but without stealing the show
