”Redneck in Prague” Bohemian Pilsner 2nd Tasting

I was watching my VCU Rams exact revenge against George Mason for their last second miracle we have dubbed the Valentine’s Day Massacre. I thought I might need a couple of beverages in case there was a similar outcome and I decided to do another tasting of the Bohemian “Pils” I brewed with kolsch ale yeast.

Aroma: malt sweetness and a hint of noble hop spiciness; no diacetyl, no fruity esters, clean; the fruity esters from the last tasting have definitely faded along with the hop aroma

Appearance: light gold; slightly cloudy; poured with ½ inch white head that persisted for the entire glass and left nice lacing

Flavor: neutral balance between malt and hops; slight malt sweetness nicely offset by firm bitterness; a hint of noble hop spiciness; firm bitter finish; no fruity esters

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation with medium to light body; no astringency or alcohol warmth

Overall impression: great malt/bitterness balance; a nice pilsner; I would like to see substantially more noble hop flavor; A BoPils should be very clear and this has some haze/cloudiness. Use a clarifying agent such as whirfloc or irish moss to clear

In comparing my first tasting to the second, the main things that jump out is the hop flavor/aroma that has definitely faded as well as the fruity esters that were too prominent in the first tasting; Head retention has definitely improved also – I can’t account for the reason. I do know that the one I drank after writing these tasting notes poured with a 2 inch dense head that lasted the entire pint

March Madness is Here!

I love professional football. I love the NBA finals. I pretty much like most sports (no soccer, that does not include you), but nothing compares to the excitement of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament – especially if your alma mater has an invitation.

You may remember VCU as the Cinderella of the 2007 tournament. Everyone knows the story. The little guy going up against that titan, Duke. VCU kept the game close and it was tied at the end of the game when Eric Maynor, a 6-3 sophomore, hit a jumper with under a second to send the Blue Devils packing. Two nights later, Maynor was almost a hero again when #3 Pitt needed overtime to send the Rams back to Richmond, VA.

VCU has another tough draw this year, 11 time National Champion UCLA, otherwise known as City College of Los Angeles. UCLA has been to the Final Four the last 3 years. Unfortunately, after beating Duke, we’re not going to sneak up on anybody. Even the president has picked VCU over UCLA. VCU seems to be the trendy pick – I’m sure that has ticked off the Bruins and they’ll come to play. The committee didn’t do the Rams any favor by scheduling the game for 10 PM EDT, which should be perfect for UCLA and a bit late for the Rams.

If the Rams prevail, I’ll have a celebratory homebrew. If they lose, I’ll drown my sorrows (in a homebrew, of course).

GO RAMS!