Summit - Pilsner

Another day of Summit Brewing Week, another Summit beer to taste!  Tonight's brew is a Bohemian style Pilsner.  This style of Pilsner is known for its smooth mouthfeel when compared to its German style brother which is generally on the crisper side.  Saaz hops provide an additional layer of spice in both the aroma and flavor while the overall profile is clean and slightly bitter.

There is a neat fact about the procurement of the barley used to brew this Pilsner on Summits website.  Apparently all of the Moravian 37 style barley purchased is harvested from Mark Stutrud's, the founder of Summit, cousin Jim and his son Todd's North Dakota farm.  I'm willing to bet you wont find very many breweries that purchase their grain directly from their family members farm!  Good work Summit.

This Bohemian Pilsner starts out just like any other within the category; a brilliantly clear pale yellow with a fluffy white head.  I was surprised to notice the aroma right away after I finished pouring.  Nice and malty with those prominent saaz hops right in the forefront.  A little spice from those hops adds a bit of complexity to this otherwise straight forward and clean aroma.  The flavor comes through with a clean malty base for the spicy, bitter and slightly grassy hops.  The carbonation is just right as it helps to smooth out the overall mouthfeel and accentuate the spicy hop bitterness.

Overall - Dunz reviewed this Pilsner back in March and had good things to say about it.  I also found this to be a great addition to the Autumn sampler.  I think it was a good decision by Summit to include the Bohemian style as opposed to the German style here.  In the Fall you want a smoother beer that warms your palette instead of a crisper profile that tends to refresh your palette.  This would be a great beer for tailgating or any other outdoor event this Autumn.  And lucky for us, it also comes in a 12 pack year-round!