Inspired by the historic underground lagering techniques used at the most famous brewery in the Czech Republic, this beer also spent several months aging in a large format oak foudre. This allowed the beer to further attenuate and take on a subtle character from the oak aging vessel.
On the nose, it smells of cereals, shortbread cookie, wood and flowers.
The beer is a slightly foggy ochre yellow.
On the palate, it’s very good but quite unique! Honestly, I expected something fairly different. The texture is rounder than a pilsner and the taste is sweeter.
That being said, it’s really excellent! The woody character is prominent and brings a nice complexity. Several flavours intersect, including the shortbread cookie, a hint of lemon, a good dose of cereal and a drizzle of honey. The beer’s carbonation also adds a pleasant crispness.
The finish is more lingering than dry, leaves us with a lovely floral bitterness and grilled grains on the palate.
While I drink this beer, I imagine myself more in a monastery than on a terrace in the sun. That said, I’m still enjoying it because it’s very good! I would say it’s a hybrid style between the pilsner and the abbey blonde.
I have never considered myself a beer-style purist, so my rating simply reflects my overall enjoyment of the beer.
P.S. You have to drink it cold! Because as it warms up, its rounded and sweet characteristics become more accentuated.