Here it is October, and we still have some reasons to sit outside and Grill and some lighter summer type beers to just help keep that summer going. For instance, at least as of Tuesday evening, there is still some baseball being played by a Chicago team. So I’ve broken open a pack of hamburger patties and sat out by the grill with a summertime craft beer that’s been sent to me for review just a few days before. In this case, I’ve got a “variety pack” of Two Brothers beers from just down the street in Warrenville.
Appropriately, I’m starting with their brand-new year-round beer, Twenty-Plus Pilsner lager. The Bros have packaged their share of lagers so far, including the Dog Days Dortmunder and Atom Smasher Oktoberfest, plus an Imperial Pils or two. But this is their first regular style Pilsner, offered to note the brewery’s 20th anniversary, and their expansion onto 20+ acres of land.
The beer pours from its can with a clean, fizzy yellow looking body, with a nice puffy head that dwindled away before I could take the picture. Now, this is probably just me, but I always get a somewhat soapy smell with what’s supposed to be properly-made Pilsner. Anyone else? I dunno.
But the taste is immediately nice and crisp a little bit of a wettish palate. The hop bill is noticeably larger than the style calls for, giving us lots of peppery Noble hops. And the aroma settles in more to a hoppy, slightly sweet malt note once I get my nose into the glass.
So we have one more remnant of summer to keep the season alive, which, as of my typing this paragraph, will now go one for at least four games of the NLCS.
Suggested pairings: fish, sharp Cheddar cheese, panini, Dijon mustards.
Note: This beer was provided as a sample by the brewer for my consideration.
