Tale of Two Pilsners

As a longtime craft beer drinker, I found myself migrating to progressively dark, malty, hoppy beers (with higher ABV's...) over time. And like many of us also do, after realizing that this game pretty much ends with quadrupels, eisbocks, barleywines, and old ales, I took a look back at the other beer styles I'd tasted along the way. By exploring the broad spectrum of beer styles, I actually realized that pilsner is one of my favorites.

Pilsner is one of the most under-rated beer styles from the perspective of American craft beer drinkers. Fortunately, Victory, Trumer, and even Sam Adams artfully showcase this style with their own fantastic pilsner interpretations, which do not have to endure the long, punishing sea voyage of their Czech and German counterparts.

I first enjoyed Sam Adams Noble Pils just last year, and had since looked forward to this year's release of the seasonal. ...And then an unexpected career move brought me to Indianapolis, where Victory Prima Pils is fortunately available. Having heard fellow members expound the merits of Noble Pils and Prima Pils on BeerAdvocate.com, I decided to try them side-by-side.

Here are my quick observations (NP=Noble Pils, PR=Prima Pils):

Aroma: NP) Light, floral hop aroma and cereal grain sweetness; PR) Robust, meaty herbal hop aroma followed by less pilsner malt sweetness.

Appearance: NP) Bright white foam, which settled relatively slowly--especially compared to American-style lagers. Crystal-clear golden body; PR) Similarly bright collar of foam, which hung around for a little longer. Golden body with slight chill haze.

Flavor: NP) Pronounced pilsner malt, floral hop flavor, and balanced bitterness; PR) Far more prominent herbal hop flavor, followed by mild grainy sweetness, overshadowed by pronounced hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: NP) Light body, but much more than an American macro lager. Medium carbonation; PR) Also has light body, but slightly more than Noble Pils. A bit more carbonated as well.

Drinkability: Both beers are highly drinkable in my opinion. Depending on your preference: NP) Caters more to the masses with a very well-balanced flavor profile. Bitterness is pronounced, yet unoffensive; PR) A hop head's German pilsner which deserves the praise it receives. A decidedly "American" craft brewer's interpretation of the German pilsner style.

Conclusion: If I felt like a pilsner and only one of these were available, I'd be elated. Both are delicious, refreshing, and great in their own way!