Beer of the Weekend #1,130: New Glarus Pilsner

The beer last weekend was the beer I passed over earlier this summer: Pilsner, brewed by the New Glarus Brewing Company of New Glarus, Wisconsin.

Serving type: 12-ounce can. No freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color was clear, clean gold. An off-white, bubbly, buttery head settled slowly and evenly.

Smell: Malty and simple. Pale, malt, light toast, a tough of earthy hops. Light zest, a touch of grass, and rye spice.

Taste: Big bite. Earthy and bitter, much more bitter than a usual pilsner. The bitterness faded slightly to give way to light malt, honey, light grass, and a touch of zest.

Fun facts about NGP:

• Style: Pilsner

• Price: $17.99 for a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans at Lucky’s Wine and More on Brakke Drive in Hudson, Wisconsin.

• Alcohol content: I can’t find the alcohol content on the can or brewery website, but 5 percent ABV is listed on BA.

• Here is the description from the brewery’s website:

Quests of unobtainable perfection exist. Brewmaster Dan’s Holy Grail is the perfect pilsner. His ideal being an old school blur of German and Czech styles. Heirloom pilsner malted barley and a double decoction mash begin the maddeningly complex journey. Joined by Bavarian royalty Diamant, Mittelfrüh, Saphir, Select and Hallertau Blanc hops that gracefully weigh in a quaffable 35 IBU. The simplicity of a six week lager forges this pilsner treasure.

I like that the quest is a perfect pilsner. Pilsner seems simple but it is so good and hard to get right.

• Though I did not buy NGP during the lake house trip, I bought it a few weeks later when The Foxy Lady and I camped at Willow River State Park near Hudson.

• One needs to buy a vehicle pass (if you bring a car, I guess) to get into Wisconsin’s state parks—which is probably one reason why they are so much nicer than the parks in Iowa. One can buy a daily pass or a 12-month pass. I opted for the 12-month pass, which cost $38 when we camped (the price increased to $50 for those with out-of-state plates on August 19). The 12-month pass is a sticker that you stick to the inside of your windshield, and I am oddly proud of ours. It’s like a badge of honor. This year’s design is pretty cool, too. Each year, the Wisconsin DNR sponsors a design contest open to all high-school-age students in the state and the winning design is used for the next year’s pass.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B.