Beer of the Weekend #1,140: Czech Style Pilsner

I take notes in a handy-dandy Field Notes memo book when reviewing beers. It’s the same book I use to write daily to-do lists, so sometimes beer reviews get buried—like this one for Czech Style Pilsner, brewed by the Potosi Brewing Company of Potosi, Wisconsin.

Serving type: 12-ounce can. There was no discernible freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color was pale, clear gold. A fluffy, buttery, bubbly, off-white head settled slowly and evenly, leaving foam stuck to the glass.

Smell: Spicy and zesty. Lots of earthy hops. There was a touch of lemon zest and malt. It kind of smelled like an ashtray full of stale cigarette butts or a bowling alley. (I suppose stale cigarette butts and bowling alleys are forever linked if you are old enough to have been in a bowling alley when smoking in restaurants and bars was still a thing.) Very peppery.

Taste: Grass and lots of earthy spice. Wow, what a bite! It had that ashtray character, too. Sharp and dry. It mellows slowly as the beer warmed but it was still very earthy.

Fun facts about Czech Style Pilsner:

• Style: Czech-style pilsner.

• Price: $9.99 for a 6-pack of 12-ounce cans from the Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly in Port Washington, Wisconsin. I get the impression that beer is cheaper than water in Wisconsin.

• Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.

• IBU: 27

• The ol’ Piggly Wiggly in Port Washington had a pretty decent beer selection, including the Polish and Luxembourger brews mentioned earlier. However, I found some really old beer there. One had a best-by or bottling date from 2021. Yikes!

The Quiet Man’s grade: C.