9 replies to this topic

[Joe]

I'm really going to show my lager noobishness here. I have always had a pretty specific taste for beer and as such have confined most of my experiences to ales. Within the past couple of years I really have started to try to broaden my horizons to Belgian ales, mead, wine, and lagers. As strange as this may seem, I have finally come to the land of pilsners. It's strange because it seems like this is where most people start - I started with stout.In any case, I have tossed around the idea of brewing a Bohemian pilsner this winter and to get an idea of the flavor of pilsners, I bought some Pilsner Urquell and Checvar - traditional examples from what I've read. So what I was really surprised by was this fairly skunky taste, and I don't know if it is from the Saaz hops or from the green bottle. I've detected the same flavor in other green bottle beers, but then again, it may have been the Saaz that I was mistaking as exposure to UV.So any ideas here? It's not exactly unpleasant, but isn't my favorite flavor. Does anyone else get a skunkiness from Saaz?

[johnpreuss]

Green Bottles - I hate Heineken for that same reason - Skunk

[Brauer]

Urquell is available in cans (1/2 liter cans!), which I highly recommend as a way to avoid skunking, to which these beers are very susceptible.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I get that same flavor from a lot of pilsners. But, I have also had some that didn't have it at all. I suspect you and I probably can detect sulfur a little better than most (though it may be something else???)Cheers,Rich

[zymot]

Look for Pislner Urquel on tap.

[Joe]

So based on these responses, I assume the 'skunk' taste is NOT from the Saaz hops and is from UV?

[SchwanzBrewer]

So based on these responses, I assume the 'skunk' taste is NOT from the Saaz hops and is from UV?

Not necessarily. Its hard to pin down when you don't know how the beer has been handled.Cheers,Rich

[denny]

So based on these responses, I assume the 'skunk' taste is NOT from the Saaz hops and is from UV?

Yes. I buy PU in a sealed 12 pack carton and it has none of that taste to it.

[BarelyBrews]

Does anyone else get a skunkiness from Saaz?

Yes i do sometimes too,taste i have not figured out-maybe that is what keeps me coming back to it.I have Saaz in the hop selection,and a Pilsner on tap that has saaz and taste outstanding.I can't taste what your tasting,but here is what im tasting.

[Big Nake]

I would say that your experience is from older and/or mishandled beer. I have read a number of articles mentioning how going to a European beer garden and sitting outside drinking one of the fresh beers that are available is like going to beer heaven. I can't imagine that with Saaz hops being grown over there for hundreds of years that 'beer heaven' would include skunkiness. I have used Saaz many times and the only time that I detect skunk is if I leave my glass of beer in the sun and then come back to it... but that can happen with any hop. Bottom line... Saaz <> skunkiness.