Lagunitas Brewing Night Pils
What the brewers say
“Night Pils marries everything we know about making black IPA and Pils. The dark malt backbone brings notes of chocolate and dark fruits while the lager yeast provides a crisp, clean finish. The result is a beer that looks like a stout but drinks like a lager.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Moderately hoppy up front with a citrus and herbal character. There seems to be a mix of New School and more traditional hops. Behind the hops, there’s a bit of chocolate, rich Munich-type malt, and a touch of roast.”
Flavor: “More citrus in the flavor up front with lemongrass and herbal hops. The malt is fairly light, and there’s background chocolate and rich malt. Moderate sweetness up front into high bitterness in the finish that’s quite astringent. There’s a low alcohol warmth in the finish as well.”
Overall: “An interesting attempt at hybridizing styles. Has aspects of the clean, dry, crisp drinkability of a Pilsner, with a unique color and harsh roast malt flavors.”