Beer of the Weekend #267: Honey Pilsner
Lost in the whirlwind excitement of my Great Adjunct Adventure and casual enjoyment of Bavarian hefeweizens (oh, and how I have enjoyed tall weizen glasses filled with Ayinger, Schneider, Weihenstephaner, and Franziskaner these last few weeks) are beers brewed right here in the Hawkeye State. I have been neglecting them. Last week, while browsing the shelves at John’s, I wondered if I should put the GAA on hiatus. It is not like any of those beers will be unavailable soon, and there are so many other, more worthy, beers to review. (Thinking about it now, I should turn the GAA into a monthly feature, allowing me to enjoy a brew from BotW past for one weekend. That sounds like a good idea.)
Anyway. Today I decided to buy an Iowa beer I have seen on shelves recently: Honey Pilsner, brewed by the Madhouse Brewing Company of Newton, Iowa.
Serving type: One 22-ounce bomber. No freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pilsner glass. The color is a clean and clear gold with slight amber tones. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated immediately to leave a thin lacing and ring of foam around the edge.
Smell: I could smell the honey and grassy hops immediately after popping the cap. Sure enough, both are there in force in the glass. However, the honey gives way to a very flowery aroma, which I suppose is fitting. There is fruit sweetness in there as well, which reminded me of strawberry.
Taste: The flavor runs a gauntlet. Up front is the honey/flower from the smell — which, for whatever reason, made me think of honeycombs. Next comes an alcohol sting that lasts for just a half second. Then, at the end, comes a mellow citrus/metallic bitterness reminiscent of a mild pale ale.
Drinkability: Honey Pilsner is not a bad brew, but… You get the idea. It’s another “next step up” brew from Madhouse.
Fun facts about Honey Pilsner:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Czech Pilsner.” Here are the details:
-Price: $2.99/bomber at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: I have no clue if these will go well with Honey Pilsner, but BA recommendations for Czech Pilsner are curried cuisine (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese) and sharp cheeses (Blue, Cheddar).
-IBU: 20.
-According to the beer’s Madhouse webpage, “A delicate floral aroma is achieved with addition of honey, which is sourced from the Ebert Company, an Iowa-based apiary.” (My iMac dictionary’s definition of “apiary” is “a place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.” Who knew? Madhouse and the bee guy, apparently.)
-I like the “honey” version of the Madhouse logo. It looks pretty stylish.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
Anyway. Today I decided to buy an Iowa beer I have seen on shelves recently: Honey Pilsner, brewed by the Madhouse Brewing Company of Newton, Iowa.
Serving type: One 22-ounce bomber. No freshness date.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pilsner glass. The color is a clean and clear gold with slight amber tones. Two fingers of eggshell-colored head dissipated immediately to leave a thin lacing and ring of foam around the edge.
Smell: I could smell the honey and grassy hops immediately after popping the cap. Sure enough, both are there in force in the glass. However, the honey gives way to a very flowery aroma, which I suppose is fitting. There is fruit sweetness in there as well, which reminded me of strawberry.
Taste: The flavor runs a gauntlet. Up front is the honey/flower from the smell — which, for whatever reason, made me think of honeycombs. Next comes an alcohol sting that lasts for just a half second. Then, at the end, comes a mellow citrus/metallic bitterness reminiscent of a mild pale ale.
Drinkability: Honey Pilsner is not a bad brew, but… You get the idea. It’s another “next step up” brew from Madhouse.
Fun facts about Honey Pilsner:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Czech Pilsner.” Here are the details:
The birth of Pilsner beer can be traced back to its namesake, the ancient city of Plzen (or Pilsen) which is situated in the western half of the Czech Republic in what was once Czechoslovakia and previously part of the of Bohemian Kingdom. Pilsner beer was first brewed back in the 1840's when the citizens, brewers and maltsters of Plzen formed a brewer's guild and called it the People's Brewery of Pilsen.
The Czech Pilsner, or sometimes known as the Bohemian Pilsner, is light straw to golden color and crystal clear. Hops are very prevalent usually with a spicy bitterness and or a spicy floral flavor and aroma, notably one of the defining characteristics of the Saaz hop. Smooth and crisp with a clean malty palate, many are grassy. Some of the originals will show some archaic yeast characteristics similar to very mild buttery or fusel (rose like alcohol) flavors and aromas.
-Price: $2.99/bomber at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 40-45ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: I have no clue if these will go well with Honey Pilsner, but BA recommendations for Czech Pilsner are curried cuisine (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese) and sharp cheeses (Blue, Cheddar).
-IBU: 20.
-According to the beer’s Madhouse webpage, “A delicate floral aroma is achieved with addition of honey, which is sourced from the Ebert Company, an Iowa-based apiary.” (My iMac dictionary’s definition of “apiary” is “a place where bees are kept; a collection of beehives.” Who knew? Madhouse and the bee guy, apparently.)
-I like the “honey” version of the Madhouse logo. It looks pretty stylish.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
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