Capital Special Pils

Today I am reviewing Capital Brewery’s Special Pilsner. This beer is a German Pilsner, so we can expect a dry and crisp bitter German lager with some noble hop aroma. Capital is a Wisconsin brewery that can be found in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan so unless  you live in these states, you may have to make Capital one of your Wisconsin brewery’s to pick up, for the most part they have some great beers.

You will notice that I will be putting numbers behind each segment of the review. This is what number I would be giving each segment if I was judging this in a BJCP competition. Just keep in mind that these numbers are mine alone based simply upon my own take on the style. Generally in competition you have at least one other judge at the table and you have to come to a consensus on the beer. So there may be another judge who didn’t see things this way and we would have to debate the beer in order to come to an agreement. So in other words, my numbers are just my palates interpretation of the style and what I am drinking.

The aroma is very light, with a touch of sweetness in the malt profile. There is some DMS in the aroma, which is sort of like canned corn. This aroma is very light and is acceptable for this style because of the use of Pils malt. Unfortunately, I am not getting much for hop aroma. I get a light aroma, but not what I am expecting for a German Pils. The hop aroma I do get is mildly spicy. (8)

The color is light yellow and quite clear. There was not much in the way of head and what was there disappeared very quickly. (1)

I like the flavor of this German Pils. There is a crisp biscuit flavor in the malt profile along with a subtle sweetness. The beer’s hop profile is spot on in the flavor realm I think. There is a bitterness that grabs you in the middle and pulls you through into the finish. There is some spiciness right up front that fades to simply bitterness. The hop flavor lasts quite a while in pleasant way. There is no over the top hop bitterness that you want to wash away, but rather a soft lingering presence that lets you know you just drank some German hops, and it doesn’t want you to forget.(17)

The carbonation is very high, as it should be in this beer. The mouthfeel is a bit light for the style though, just a bit watery.(3)

Overall a great beer. I feel this is a great example of the style, but could use a bit more hop aroma. The mouthfeel was a bit lacking as well. But all the components are there and the flavor was just outstanding in my eyes. This one is a keeper. (9)

So in the end I would give this beer a 38, based on the weaker aroma, lighter mouthfeel, and I would like to have just a touch more malt in the beer. Not much more malt, just a little bit. That may also help with the mouthfeel as well. A 38 in my eyes is a B-, which is still excellent.