Sep 6, 2012

Blue Mountain Brewing Barrel House Uber Pils

I’ve had a few of Blue Mountain Brewing’s Barrel House series of beers now — Dark Hollow, Local Species, and Mandolin. All of them have been pretty good in their own right, but nothing really stood out as the one that I would buy repeatedly given the opportunity, though I have since purchased a couple of bottles of Dark Hollow since first trying it.

The latest offering in the limited run of beers that I secured is the brewery’s Über Pils, an Imperial Pilsner weighing in at 7.6% ABV. The style of Imperial Pilsner can be hit or miss. I’ve had some tremendous examples of the style, but I’ve also had some that were just too cloyingly sweet for my own personal liking.

Where does Blue Mountain’s take on the style reside? Not only is it a great example of an beefed up pilsner, but I’m pretty sure it’s now my favorite of the Barrel House series — sorry, Dark Hollow.

Appearance

Über Pils pours with a large, rocky head that crowns the light amber liquid.

Aroma

Cereal, grain, bread, light fruit, a hint of earthy honey and an oddly present Belgian yeast note all come together for a clean aroma. Not sure if the beer actually uses a Belgian yeast strain, but it’s there in my nose.

Taste

Thankfully, this brew isn’t overly sweet like many Imperial Pilsners I’ve had recently. It’s surprisingly light, full flavored and deceptively drinkable. Grain, bready malt, grassy hops, a touch of citrus and a light, lingering sweetness come together wonderfully on the tongue. There’s a subtle presence of hop bitterness in the clean, refreshing finish that is balanced nicely with the earthy honey hinted at within the aroma. There’s little to no alcohol present throughout.

Overall

This is one of the easier drinking Imperial Pilsners I’ve ever had. It’s fuller than your traditional pilsner, but not overly boozy or sweet. It’s not the most robust or complex of the brewery’s Barrel House series, but that may be what makes it a standout amongst the group. I will most certainly be purchasing this one again.

Rating: 4/5

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