This seasonal Bohemian Pilsner style beer is, as its name suggests, a hoppy beer. It's made with all five of the Noble hops (all of which are traditional Bavarian hops), which are responsible for the noticeably hoppy flavor, as well as the distinct citrus notes. I actually thought at first that my beer had a lemon wedge on it. I say beer, wincing a little, because technically, this is a lager, inspired by the medieval style of Bavarian lagering, a long and cooler temperature fermentation stage. Plus, Sam Adams uses Bohemian spring barley and medieval style floor malting, both crucial in terms of creating a traditional golden, clear Pilsner. It's also a fabulous cusp-of-spring beer seasonal, available from January to March. and at 5.2% ABV, just a whisper away from being a session brew. I note that serving temp is especially important for this brew; not warm, but not icy cold, either.

I'm not even a little bit surprised that in the Samuel Adams' 2009 Beer Lover's Choice poll, their fans voted Noble Pils as their favorite Sam Adams brew. This is a lovely brew on it's own, but it's complex characteristics cry out for clever food pairing. I'm liking Samuel Adams Noble Pils with Asian-inspired stir fry, with just a touch of Russian sweet and sour hot sauce. I think this would work really well with Thai food, as well as traditional brat and kraut meals. Most of the reviews appear favorable, though some Beer Advocate reviewers have reservations.