Saturday, March 06, 2010

Three Times the Brewers Equal One Unique Libation: Juxtaposition Black Pilsner

Stone/Cambridge/BrewDog Juxtaposition Black Pilsner
12 oz. capped bottle
10 percent ABV
Brewed: Escondido, Calif.
Sampled: March 6, 2010

With oak-aging now almost passe, the latest trend in brewing revolves around collaboration. Five years after Avery and Russian River first produced Collaboration Not Ligitation, the big-name craft brewers and sometimes sage brewers from Germany and Belgium have paired up to produce unusual hybrid beers.

Brooklyn Brewing and Schneider gave us two Hopfen-Weisse varieties made with local ingredients; they'll make believers of anyone doubting a hoppy wheat ale can massage the taste buds.

This collaborative series has brought together Stone (California), Cambridge (Massachusetts) and BrewDog (Scotland) to craft the world's first black pilsner, at 10 percent ABV no less.

Whoa - give it a second in a glass and the dry-hopping becomes apparent - from across the room. The lace is thin yet creamy, and I smell fists of toffee, chicory expresso and black pepper. On first taste, any thought of the laid-back Contintental pilsners quickly evaporates.

But the biggest surprise, knowing Stone's history, is the hop bombardment that never arrives. The finish throws a bitter punch, but not with the strength of 100 IBUs. In fact, the scorching hop presence that had me cringing never materialized. This is hoppy, but not obnoxiously so. Perhaps the use of hops from New Zealand and Japan contributed to their balanced display. They do make your acquaintance, but don't sear the palette - a subtle creaminess sneaks in front of the hoppy finish to slightly mute that effect.

Smooth and opaque, this partnership should be renewed. Black pilsner might share little with the august Bohemian originators, but it has created a class just for itself.

Rating: 9/10

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