[hopfenundmalz]

Hersbrucker is the 5th hop that is used.  There are the 4 Noble Hops and ones that are "close".  You can debate if Hersbrucker is a Noble Hop.

Doesn't say on their site if they are using Hersbruck Hersbrucker or Hallertau Hersbrucker.  Region then variety.

FYI, the 4 major hop growing regions are the Hallertau near Ingolstadt, Tettnang near Bodensee (Lake Constance), Spalt southwest of Nuernberg, and  Hersbruck northeast of Nuernberg.  There are some other smaller hop growing regions near Bitburg in the west, and near the Elbe River in the former East.

Probably more than you wanted to know...

[blatz]

really interesting Jeff - thanks for the info.

what'd you think of it, being quite the German pils expert that you are?

[1vertical]

Also wondering if anyone knows which hop is giving the slight citrus/tropical fruit notes that I'm picking up.  Wasn't aware of a noble hop giving this flavor?

Could be yeast giving those notes.  I have yet to try this beer....but if I see it I'll give it a go. Thanx for the mention

[hopfenundmalz]

really interesting Jeff - thanks for the info.

what'd you think of it, being quite the German pils expert that you are?

I haven't had it yet.  It is on my list to buy, when I go to the store soon.

We lived in Germany for a while.  Drank a lot of pils for sure.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Today I bought my sampeling bottle. I also got me a bottle of Winter Lager.
I will taste them later this week

[Thirsty_Monk]

Its okay I guess but I think its overhopped and finishes astringent rather than dry.  jmo... 

I just had my bottle and I would agree with this.
For pils there is too much hops.
Other then that I think it is fine beer.
May be if you buy beer in two months it will be just right 

[bluesman]

I just tried this beer for the first time today and it was good. The Noble German hop flavor is pretty good, but I think it's missing that spicy element that is typically found in that particular variety. I give it a "real nice try" and enjoyed it but not a "German" Pils by any means.

[euge]

This was the first SA beer that I thought was tad "homebrewey"- and it appears a trifle over-hopped. It's good but not spectacular.

Definitely go out and get a sixxer. Good with BBQ.

[lvinwc]

Agree with the last several reviewers - not quite an authentic pilsner.   Two years ago I spent a month drinking my way from Prague, across northern Austria, then southern Germany.   None of the Bohemian / Bavarian pils I tried had nearly as much hop bite as SA Noble Pils.   That said, it's still a fine beer that's quite enjoyable to drink.

And a note to those debating the authenticity of Hersbrucker as a true "noble hop":  One of my beer geek sources tells me that Hersbrucker (both the Hallertauer and Hersbrucker regional varieties) were used extensively in place of Hallertauer in years when whole harvests of Hallertauer were wiped out by the verticillium fungus.  It took twenty-some years for better, disease resistant strains of Hallertauer to be developed, and during that time, Hersbrucker was used in place of Hallertauer as necessary.   Hersbrucker proponents feel that, (1) since Hersbruck is an old, traditional hop growing region, and (2) Hersbrucker filled in admirably when Hallertauer couldn't answer the bell, Hersbrucker has earned the distinction of being a "noble hop."    Their point of view, not mine.   Y'all can decide on your own.
    

[weazletoe]

OK
Where are you guys finding Noble Pils?

I think the question is, where AREN"T we finding it. It's every where here in NE Ohio. Gonna have o snag a sixer this weekend.

[novabrew]

A good beer, IMO.

[Kaiser]

So, I finally had this beer and must say it is more a display of noble hops than a typical German Pilsner. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be the latter but German Pilsners don’t tend to have the fresh hops taste and aroma that this beer exhibited. German Pilsners don’t tend to smell like a bag of hops.

I just read through the latter part of the thread and it seems that others got the same impression. I second Euge’s statement of being “homebrewy”.

I still think it is a good beer, though.

Kai

[bluesman]

German Pilsners don’t tend to smell like a bag of hops. I still think it is a good beer, though.

Kai

 

Funny you mention that because I could pick up on the same thing as well.

It was certainly enjoyable eventhough it really doesn't represent an authentic German Pils. Maybe they don't even care to represent that. 

[euge]

German Pilsners don’t tend to smell like a bag of hops. I still think it is a good beer, though.

Kai

 

Funny you mention that because I could pick up on the same thing as well.

It was certainly enjoyable eventhough it really doesn't represent an authentic German Pils. Maybe they don't even care to represent that. 

I think with this beer it is more about the Noble Hops than the vehicle they arrive in. Of course it has to be a Pils but obviously the style is secondary.

[Kaiser]

Let me make a controversial statement though:

If home brew judges out there happen to consider this beer as a good example of the German Pilsner style because of its name, doesn’t that change what taste aroma is expected from a German Pilsner in competitions. Let’s assume I was to enter a competition with a more subtle and possibly more authentic version and someone else brews a bee along the lines of SA’s Noble Pilsner. I could easily see the Noble Pilsner like beer win b/c its traits are more pronounced.

Kai