Ding Points: 60.00
Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00
Tasting Notes:
Very light, straw colored pour. Actually the beer is incredibly pale, almost to macro, low quality standards. Not necessarily an issue, but it really isn’t the best looking pilsner that I’ve seen by quite some distance. The hue is certainly not the most important part of the beer, but there is lack of depth here that subconsciously starts to say ‘macro’ which is not helping my mind. Not the end of the world, but I would take comfort with more gold and pale less straw!
Jailhouse Brewing Co., Prison Camp Pilsner
Nose is also a touch lackluster as well, and fails to offer any definition or potential bitterness.
On the plus side this is NOT sweet (so it lacks the potential vegetal element that would be a disaster), but it doesn’t impress. On the downside it lacks a really serious Saaz/Noble like bitter snap that I look for in pilsners.
Mouthfeel is OK, but it feels slightly under-carbonated to me. Almost CERTAINLY a function of the fact it is a growler and was filled a few hours ago. As a result of the carbonation issue, the head is not well-retained, nor is there much lace. Drinkability is OK, but because of the lack of noble snap, I think this beer would appeal to the BMC crowd just a little too much, and perhaps not for the best reasons.
When I started this review, I originally wrote the following; “Everyone knows I have enormous admiration for Glenn and his beer. This is nowhere near his best, and not by some distance.” After a quick Twitter exchange, I learned that Glenn was not responsible for this beer, rather it was brewed by the Jailhouse ‘inmates’, who I assume are a bunch of people that hang out/work/volunteer down in Hampton. Frankly, it shows a bit.
I think I want Glenn at the helm.
Other: 5.50 % ABV. Czech Pilsner.
Pilsner is the lightest malted base barley a brewer can use aside from some wheat malts that would be totally inappropriate to style. By definition, a pilsner should be extremely pale, and in comparison to a classic Pilsner Urquell, this beer fits the bill.
You would expect to find noble hop character in German and Bohemian style pilsners but not necessarily in an American style pilsner, which is really what this beer is about. You could technically ding this beer for the lack of corn or rice adjucts which would be true to the style of an American Pilsner, though I think that would dry the beer out too much and take away from the pilsner malt flavor.
I was comparing to a Czech Pils, which I thought was the intent. BTW, I’d challenge the whole idea of an ‘American’ Pilsner. I don’t think such a thing exists, unless that’s your new name for ‘American Adjunct Lager’!