Badische Staatsbrauerei "Rothaus Pils" Pilsner

This is a tricky label. It has lots of things that are written in German, and the result is that I'm not completely assured that I'm getting the name of the brewery right in the first place. Badische Staatsbrauerei doesn't exactly roll off the tongue here in America, but I work with what I have. The fact that it says "Pils" in pretty clear lettering told me what kind of beer I should be expecting, so I picked the right glass. Let's see if I picked up the right beer.

There is an ever so slight haze to the beer that I don't normally associate with pilsners, but I am led to understand that a little bit of haziness is tolerable for the style. It's not supposed to be there, but it's not the end of the world if it is. The bubbles are particularly sticky for a pilsner, and I'm okay with that. It's going to leave a little bit of lacing, but it's not to be any kind of complex webwork. Malts, grass, honey, and yeast greet the nose at first whiff.

First sip is strong in flavor and gentle to the palate. Bread and honey bring a sweetness to the overall beverage while the grass in the yeast mixes together to counter it with complexity. A little bit of spice is being brought out of the hops, and it is appreciated. As a sip, it's notably good. I wouldn't say I'm jumping up and down, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.

Tip-in is light carbonation tingle with the grass, spice, and yeast taking their place. The middle spreads into a complex honey and bread base that promotes the grass and spice to a more elevated position in a way that a beer with this few ingredients should not be capable of. The finish is a little spicy and a little earth before heading into the trail off with a tinge of sweetness.

Bottom Line: A solid choice.

3.75/5