Sunday Night Suds - Redhook Rope Swing Summer Pilsner

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Redhook's newest summer offering, Rope Swing Summer Pilsner.

This summer, the folks at Redhook decided to change up their summer line by brewing a Czech Pilsner. They indicate that this is the first pilsner that Redhook ever brewed. To borrow a line from Gordon Ramsey, the attempt was "spot on".

As explained by the experts at BA:

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.

The Rope Swing Summer Pilsner has many of the qualities in the BA definition, although not exactly in the same balance. The beer poured a golden yellow, not as pale as some other pilsner that I have encountered. The hops were there, but it was not as spicy as I expected. Still, the beer was quite crisp and the malt was delicious. I had my first on Friday night and shared it with Mrs Kosher Beers and a friend who was visiting with us and we all really liked it. I had my next with my July 4th BBQ dinner, after patriotically attending the B-Mets Fireworks Night with Mrs KB and Moshe and Tali (Mets win, Mets win!) and the beer was still holding my attention.

Redhook Rope Swing Summer Pilsner is under the kashruth supervision of the Orthodox Union. For the experts' take on the Rope Swing, please click here http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/18134/56977.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

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