Sam Adams Noble Pils

Noble Pils has entered the spring rotation for SA beers, replacing White Ale in the Brewmasters' Collection. According to its label the brew's ingredients include "all five noble hops". I'm not sure what the five are, as there are only four hop-growing regions in Germany with the "noble" designation.

Anyway, I'm wondering if Noble Pils has made its way to Chicago area stores yet, and if any LTHers have tried it. For my taste it's an everyday beer with typical Pilsner characteristics; not as hoppy as some 3F varieties, but a definite contender for space in the cooler by the grill. I must admit if I travel through PA a boatload of Prima Pils will come back with me and take all the cooler space for awhile.

Here in GA it's about $8/sixer at Kroger. Not surprisingly, retailers here don't have many sales on beers other than Bud/Miller and their ilk.

Never had the noble pils, but I am a big pilsener fan, so I'll have to check it out.

I've liked what I've tried from Terrapin. Are they fairly easy to find in Georgia?

I have tried it, and it is yeasty and hoppy, but a bit light for my taste. On sale at Whole Foods and other places for 12.99/12 pack.

-Will

turko: Terrapin is brewed in Athens, which is in the far eastern part of the state, but it does have wide regional distribution. IIRC, they make more ales than anything else. Nothing wrong with that.

WillG: I've found most pilseners to be on the lighter side; that's what the style is designed to produce (there are some stronger versions, like Terrapin's Imperial Pilsner). Goes great with food. Noble Pils is very much like the beers I enjoyed while living in Germany. I like the price at $12.99/twelve pak for sure.

thanks for your comments

I've seen it at a number of stores and bars at this point. All around it is a nice clean, solid beer. It is certainly worth the ~$12/12-pack I've seen it going for.

little500 wrote:Noble Pils has entered the spring rotation for SA beers, replacing White Ale in the Brewmasters' Collection. According to its label the brew's ingredients include "all five noble hops". I'm not sure what the five are, as there are only four hop-growing regions in Germany with the "noble" designation.

Yes, but isn't Saaz in the Czech Republic also considered a noble hop?

Anyhow, this is a very, very nice pilsener from Sam Adams. It's not quite up to the standards of my favorite American pilsener, Victory's Prima Pils, but it's up there. Quaffable and sure to be a good middle-of-the-road beer to bring to parties.

edited to add: Looks like the five are: Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz and Hersbrucker. I hadn't heard of Hersbrucker before, but it appears to be grown in the Hallertau region.

Binko wrote:Looks like the five are: Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz and Hersbrucker. I hadn't heard of Hersbrucker before, but it appears to be grown in the Hallertau region.

I, too, was mystified by the notion of the five noble hops. Hersbrucker has always been considered Hallertau's poor cousin ... I've never heard it described as noble. I've sometimes heard of British hops - Fuggles and Goldings - described as noble, but I don't think there's a commonly-agreed-upon definition. And all this is somewhat irrelevant these days anyway, with so many new hop varieties coming out, each with its own distinctive characteristics. (Is Cascade the American noble hop?)

Binko wrote:

little500 wrote:Noble Pils has entered the spring rotation for SA beers, replacing White Ale in the Brewmasters' Collection. According to its label the brew's ingredients include "all five noble hops". I'm not sure what the five are, as there are only four hop-growing regions in Germany with the "noble" designation.

Yes, but isn't Saaz in the Czech Republic also considered a noble hop?

Anyhow, this is a very, very nice pilsener from Sam Adams. It's not quite up to the standards of my favorite American pilsener, Victory's Prima Pils, but it's up there. Quaffable and sure to be a good middle-of-the-road beer to bring to parties.

edited to add: Looks like the five are: Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz and Hersbrucker. I hadn't heard of Hersbrucker before, but it appears to be grown in the Hallertau region.

Binko, you'll note in my OP that Prima Pils is favored over Noble Pils as well. At a military unit reunion at Myrtle Beach the hospitality room had two kegs of Victory...it was gone in a flash. The unit had been based in Germany.

As to the hop regions, I though Hersbrucker was introduced as a replacement for Hallertau (?) due to production concerns or plant disease, or something like that. I could be completely wrong, though.

little500 wrote:Binko, you'll note in my OP that Prima Pils is favored over Noble Pils as well.

Oh, yes. I was joining the chorus in the love for Prima Pils.

I actually had some Noble Pils on tap last night and I dare say, the noble hop aroma may be a bit overdone on the Sam Adams. It's quite grassy. Not a bad thing, but I prefer the gentle nose of the hops of European pilseners a little more. It's also my one complaint about Prima Pils, and otherwise perfect beer, but it seems a little stronger in the Sam Adams. I'll have to try them side-by-side one day.