First U.S. beer in 2.5 years: Capital WI Amber

[Sladek]

Hey all! I'm now posting to realbeer from Minneapolis, MN. Farewell, Prague :(

After 2.5 years of Prazdroj and other pilsners, I've had enough pilsner. I've got pilsner comin' outta my f!#kin' ears! Although, if served well from an establishment that knows what they're doing, it's damn good, and I will greatly miss Pivovarsky Dum.

As I've said before, Czechs are arch-conservative beer drinkers. This is because, it seems to me, of the pub culture and the culture of "stamgast", i.e., bar regulars. They go to one place and have one beer and drink many.

I'm not like that; that's why I joined this forum!

So, 2 days ago, hours after touching down at the airport, I cracked open a bottle of Capital's Wisconsin Amber. The first whiff of the pour, and I knew I had been gone a long time. Just the first smell took me back to Madison. I'll never forget drinking this glass of beer. Wonderful.

I've since had a glass of the 1900, and it was OK. Not a great beer, but drinkable, certainly.

I can't wait to start visiting Surdyk's!!

Who wants to go to Town Hall sometime?

[steveh]

Welcome back! Time to drink your way across Wisconsin? ;)

When you get to Northern Illinois, let us all know!

S.

[chazwicke]

And keep us posted on the other styles that you are now enjoying again.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by chazwicke
And keep us posted on the other styles that you are now enjoying again.
Summit Pale Ale, as I type this. Man, I miss a good American Pale Ale; Summit isn't up there, I don't think, with Sierra Nevada or Anchor Liberty, for example, but a good Pale. They are the only Twin Cities micro (James Page R.I.P.) so I always support them. I hope I can still get their Winter Ale.

Also looking forward to having their Grand Pilsner again, just to, you know, compare...

By the way, last night I had Sam Adams Boston Lager. It tasted...fruity to me. As I've said, I've been drinking Czech pilsners for 2.5 years. No such flavor profile there; Pivovarsky Dum's pilsner can have grapefruit-ish overtones, but that's it. Anyway, this "fruitiness" I usually associate with American Pale Ales. Am I crazy? Anyway, I was surprised how good the Boston Lager tasted. Time will do wonders, sometimes.

[Seymour]

Sladek, I've always thought SA Lager tasted a little fruity, which is one of the reasons I've generally avoided it. It's not bad, it's just not my favorite beer. At any rate, I don't think your taste buds are playing tricks on you!

[Sladek]

Originally posted by Seymour
Sladek, I've always thought SA Lager tasted a little fruity, which is one of the reasons I've generally avoided it. It's not bad, it's just not my favorite beer. At any rate, I don't think your taste buds are playing tricks on you!
I've just had Capital's Pilsner, and that too tasted "fruity" to me! I loved it, a wonderful beer, but after soooooo many glasses of Prazdroj, I wouldn't call it a Pilsner! It reminded me of their Amber.

So what's with the fruitiness? The hops?

[steveh]

Originally posted by Sladek
So what's with the fruitiness? The hops?

I had Cap's Pilsner last week, and while it's not a favorite Pils of mine, I didn't find it at all "fruity."

I'm just guessing, but maybe your palate has been sampling too many very hoppy-dry Pils' in the old country? Then again, I'd bet Kirby isn't triple-decoction mashing either...unfortunately.

S.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by steveh
I had Cap's Pilsner last week, and while it's not a favorite Pils of mine, I didn't find it at all "fruity."

I'm just guessing, but maybe your palate has been sampling too many very hoppy-dry Pils' in the old country? Then again, I'd bet Kirby isn't triple-decoction mashing either...unfortunately.

S.
Hey Steve! Hmmmm....I dunno! This was a lone bottle, so I'll get more from Surdyk's. It was striking to me, how different it tasted from a real Pilsner. That "fruitiness"...I don't know how else to describe it. It must be the hops. To me, it had a flavor profile similar to American ales. But, as I drink Sprecher Amber, it has it, too. Most of the hops used in American beers are Cascade, right?

Czech pilsners tend to be on the sweeter. maltier side; PU/Prazdroj is known for being more bitter. I usually drank Prazdroj (not exclusively) because most others, well, are second-class. I am used to more bitterness, true, but most Czechs drink some, to my palatte, rather sweet beers.

"triple-decoction mashing"--what's that? I'll look it up, of course...

[steveh]

Originally posted by Sladek
Most of the hops used in American beers are Cascade, right?


Not at all! There are many varieties available to US brewers - micro-brewers usually use the proper hops to a style of brew, though often a US grown version. For example, US Mt. Hood hops are a derivative of German Hallertauer.

Also, when you're finished perusing the locals, revisit an Urquell and peel away the flavors; the Saaz impart a fairly fruity flavor - maybe not as citric as Cascades, but still not malty.

S.

[steveh]

Sampling a fresh Cap Pils as I type - in my learned opinion, the "fruitiness" you're tasting is a combo of different hops other than Saaz - guessing Tetnang or a derivative - and the lack of a double (or triple) decoction mash that would make this a much smoother beer.

Nonetheless, this is a mighty fine Pilsner, considering it's brewed many miles from the original source. There's a slight graininess present, but it's not at all offensive, and the hops and malt nose is terrific -- great bitter hop aftertaste - that could definitely be misinterpreted as fruity when you're used to drinking precision lagers with malts and brewing from the mother country of the style.

S.

[Vienna Lager]

James Page still exists, it is now brewed at the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by steveh
Sampling a fresh Cap Pils as I type - in my learned opinion, the "fruitiness" you're tasting is a combo of different hops other than Saaz - guessing Tetnang or a derivative - and the lack of a double (or triple) decoction mash that would make this a much smoother beer.

Nonetheless, this is a mighty fine Pilsner, considering it's brewed many miles from the original source. There's a slight graininess present, but it's not at all offensive, and the hops and malt nose is terrific -- great bitter hop aftertaste - that could definitely be misinterpreted as fruity when you're used to drinking precision lagers with malts and brewing from the mother country of the style.

S.
Thanks for the notes, Steve. It's funny, how things can you really notice things when your pallette is used to one particular thing. Time get to broaden the spectrum!

I did notice that nice hop aftertaste in the Cap Pilsner. In fact I really liked the "fruitiness"; it added a pleasant complexity to a style that I'm a bit bored of (yet can't seem to stop drinking!). I've been trying some American pilsners again because they taste different from every brewery, and have some interesting flavors. Cap Pils, Schell's, Victory Prima, Lagunitas, etc.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
James Page still exists, it is now brewed at the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI.
I thought Schell's in MN was contract-brewing it.

[Vienna Lager]

The Schell deal apparently went sour so Point picked up the brewing rights.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
The Schell deal apparently went sour so Point picked up the brewing rights.
Huh! Good for Point! Speaking of, their flagship brew is piss, but as I have family there, I'm fond of them, and I'm glad they're still around. I do like their specialty beers, particularly their Bock.

Where are you, fellow Cheesehead?

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by Sladek
I've been trying some American pilsners again because they taste different from every brewery, and have some interesting flavors. Cap Pils, Schell's, Victory Prima, Lagunitas, etc.

Wait until you try some of the Imperial or Uber Pilsners. Yikes!!

[Vienna Lager]

At this moment? About 2.5 miles from the brewery.

Try their Point Amber or Cascade Pale Ale which is fairly drinkable. Also try Augsburg Golden that is in the Helles style or Augsburg Dark that is in the Schwartz style.

[Vienna Lager]

My bad. The correct spelling is 'Augsburger' but locally it is called Augie or Augsburg more often than not.

[Sladek]

Originally posted by Vienna Lager
At this moment? About 2.5 miles from the brewery.
No shit? So you live in/near Point? I plan on blasting through Point in the coming months to visit the fam. There's a brewpub near campus, right?

[Sladek]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Wait until you try some of the Imperial or Uber Pilsners. Yikes!!
Chaz, I can get Rogue's Imperial Pilsner here in the big ceramic bottle (12 bucks...ouch...but what a cool bottle!), I can't wait.

[Vienna Lager]

The Isadore Street Brew Pub is now just a pub and the equipment is dormant. Do the brewery tour then go to 'The Square' and crawl the pubs. If you don't watch yourself you may end up with a Tatoo or body part pierced. There are two such facilities within 1/2 block of 'The Square'. Hehe