König Pilsener - König-Brauerei, Duisburg

Pilsners aren't my favorite style of beer but I've learned to appreciate them for what they are, which is crisp and light refreshing lagers. My main gripe with Pilsner beer is that it doesn't have any of the flavors I'm looking for. I'm setting my reservations aside today as I try a bottle of König Pilsener from Duisburg. I've always liked German Pilsners a bit more than their American counterparts but they're still Pilsners... just brewed a little better. When I poured the König Pilsener into my glass I could tell right away that this was spot on stylistically.

This beer has a strong pale malt and grassy hop aroma that smells like a solid Pilsner. The flavor of the König Pilsener is much better than I was expecting. I'm not sure if it was my lowered expectations but this beer is actually quite good. It tastes just as crisp and light as I'd expected, at 4.9% you could easily down a couple of these without flinching on a warm summer day. There's some definite sweet honey flavor in this beer which caught me completely off guard. A hint of lemon give this beer a nice tart finish.

In the end, this is still a Pilsner beer, it's light in texture and flavor. The flavors are great and very drinkable which makes this an ideal session beer for summer evenings. If you're looking for something with a bit more body or if you're in need of something to warm you to the core... you might pass on this one.