This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at one of the newer Shiner brews - the Shiner 101 Czech-Style Pilsner.
Another one of the beers that I picked up in Chicago at the Binny's in Lincoln Park. (If there is one thing that Chicago has over New York, its that the city has a much better selection of domestic microbrews).
Shiner has indicated that the 101 is a limited production of a Czech style Pilsner. You may recall that last year, Shiner put out its Shiner 100 Commemorator (reviewed here ) which was a limited edition Dopplebock.
The the gurus at Beer Advocate offer the following history and characteristics about the Czech Pilsner style of brew:
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.Having had some bad experiences with pilsners, I was skeptical about the Shiner 101. However, with Shiner's track record of producing quality brews (notwithstanding the Smokehaus experiment, reviewed here) I was willing to take a chance on a sixer of the Shiner 101.
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 early results on this beer are that I made a mistake, although not in buying the beer. The beer poured a deep gold with a bit of hops in the beginning. More of the beer yielded a creaminess that was almost reminiscent of a nitro, or tap poured brew. I really enjoyed this brew and regret having picked up only one six pack. Unfortunately, since its not available in NY, I will have to hope that there is still some left in Chicago the next time that I travel out there.
Shiner 101 under the Kosher Supervision of the Va'ad of Detroit, although the brew does not bear the Va'ad symbol on its label. If you would like me to e-mail you the Va'ad LOC for Shiner 101, send me an e-mail and I will gladly oblige.
To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about Shiner 101 Czech Pilsner, please follow this link http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/143/55726.
As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).
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