Gambrinus Excellent 11

Gambrinus Excellent 11

Style: Pilsner

Alcohol content: 4.7%

From: Pilsen, Czech Republic

Purchased from: Prague Airport

Back in November i visited Prague for the first time. As much as i would love to say that i wanted to study the culture and the buildings. My main aim was to try all the local brews. Whilst i was there i drank Kozel,
Staropramen, Pilsner Urquel and Merlin to name but a few. When i returned to the airport, i remembered that i saw a section selling beers. I naturally gravitated towards this and i was surprised to see that they had a number of beers that i had yet to try. I think i picked up about six bottles in total. Most will be reviewed on this blog (unfortunately i drank quite a few of them before started writing this blog, whoops!).

Gambrinus is a beer brewed in the Czech Republic at the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery. The brewery was founded on  the 24th January 1869 in Pilsen Inn. Twenty famous businessmen, headed by knight Emil Skoda, signed an agreement establishing the second modern brewery in Pilsen. On the 15th October 1870 the first Pilsner was launched to much critical acclaim. It is one of the most popular beers in the Czech Republic although before my trip to Prague i had never heard of it. The beer is named after Gambrinus, a legendary king of Flanders known for his mythical brewing abilities. Gambrinus is the unofficial patron saint of beer or beer brewing. The beer i am reviewing today is the Gambrinus Excellent 11.

Colour: Straw yellow with a glossy white head. On the pour it appears to be quite heavily carbonated. This settles after a couple of minutes leaving you with a lovely bright looking pint. 

Smell: Sweet Saaz hops have been used in the making of this beer. These hops have earthy grassy notes which make the Pilsner surprisingly spicy warming and inviting. It has been hopped three time to ensure that the flavor has been passed from the hops to the beer. It captures everything that you would expect from a Czech Pilsner; sweetness and richness. 

Body: Light and refreshing. For its levels of carbonation, this drink is very smooth and goes down a treat. In the mouth it feels a lot heavier than it actually is. If i had ordered this in a pub in the UK, it would of gone very nicely with a pack of salt and vinegar crisps or chips.

Taste: This beer is very sweet for a Pilsner. This comes from the caramel malts and the soft water that are used during the brewing process. The beer is not overally hopped and is very fresh with grassy notes.  If i matched it with some food from Prague, it would go very nicely with a pork chop and apple sauce. The sweetness of the beer would work very well against the sourness of the apple.  This is a lovely beer that i would enjoy again and again. One of the best Pilsner's that i have ever drunk.

Czech this out!

Follow me on Twitter for the latest news on reviews @BeefsBrewery