The Grifter crew love brewing all kinds of beers with all kinds of flavours. But you know what else they love? Pilsners. They can’t get enough of them. So late 2019 has seen them finally get around to adding a yellow-tinned pilsner to their core lineup.
Nope, I’m not talking about Serpent’s Kiss, their watermelon pilsner that’s got fruit for days. Nope, I’m not talking about a renewal of the 6.2 percent pilsner they brewed when they first moved into their own brewery in 2013. Nope, I’m not talking about the wet-hopped earthy and resinous pilsner of early 2019.
I’m talking about this Pilsner. A tight, bright and light pilsner. A pilsner with a subtle aroma like those wholegrain cereal rings but without the sugariness. A pilsner that introduces low levels of spice and bitterness in equal measures as it fizzles on your tongue. Granted, it’s not quite a traditional European pilsner; it’s a new world Pilsner, turning to New Zealand hop varieties rather than using noble hops. But the citrus notes from the Motueka and Riwaka are gentle and fresh rather than dominating, and give way to a dry, slightly grassy aftertaste.
When you’re after a good ol’ easy beer, it’s hard to go past Grifter’s Pilsner. And, to top it off, this is also the first beer from Grifter to use compostable four-pack carriers. The carriers are made from reclaimed sugarcane pulp, and are the result of Grifter approaching Biopak to find a more eco-friendly solution for packaging beers - both for them, and for other brewers.
A good beer in good packaging. Good job, Grifter.
Mick Wust
UPDATE 2021: midway through the year, this beer was replaced with a lager, simply titled, Lager.
Published November 19, 2019 2019-11-19 00:00:00
