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I don't even know when Yuengling started producing a pilsner. If you had told me that they produced one, I would probably have accused you of lying. Much like Samuel Adams is known for Boston lager, Yuengling is known for their lager. The consequence is that you may have a brewery that produces, in the case of Sam Adams, roughly 12,000 beers that is still only known for one particular beer. If a bartender says they have Sam Adams on tap, I just assumed that it's the Boston lager. If a bartender says they have Yuengling on tap, I'm going to assume it's their traditional lager.
I'm not even sure what a golden pilsner is, but this is it. This is a very gold beer that is also very clear. I mean it is very clear for such a dark shade of gold. I believe I have had golden ales that have been unable to achieve the level of gold that this pilsner has. The fluffy white head boils to nearly nothing except for the ring around the sides and a few scant bubbles coming from the depths. The aroma is sweet malt that smells very good, and it smells very much like a lager. Going in blind, I would probably have peg this as a golden lager. Don't judge me.
First sip does not remind me of a pilsner in any way. The malt is heavy with this, and I'm not really tasting any citrus. This tastes like a lager. Yeast is a little more forward than most lagers, but I'm not sure that's going to save it. I guess the question should not be if this is a proper pilsner, but is this a proper beer. As a beer, it's not bad, but I wouldn't say it's great. The bitterness in the aftertaste seems unfounded based on the lack of any kind of hops. The sweetness of the malt at the beginning doesn't seem to jive with the rear end of the beer. It's unbalanced.
Tip-in is bread crust, carbonation, and a hint of lemon that I didn't pick up in the sip. The middle sends all the carbonation to the back of the throat while the bread is joined by yeast in the center and lemon goes entirely away. The finish is a wave of bitterness that leaves an aftertaste that I can only describe as incomplete.
Bottom Line: They should have another run at a pilsner.
2.0/5
