Beer Review: Duquesne Pilsener

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Five percent

Appearance: Duquesne Pilsener pours a slightly hazy straw gold. Most of the body has portions that are that expected hay color, but a few sectors of the brew are more of a deep gold. Both factions of the beer's color was attractive. The head was bright white and foamy, but disposed of itself quickly and didn't leave any lacing at all. With the color taken into the equation, this did end up showing a few signs of weakness.

Smell: This smelled very sweet. Knowing that I enjoy a pilsner/pilsener with some biscuity bite to it, this struck me as a bit odd. It was hard to pick up the notes of yeast and grain that I also got, but I still was able to get those.

Taste: That odd sweetness that I noticed in the aroma was the main feature of the taste of this brew. There was also a little bit of graininess on the finish of the beer, but there wasn't much of a signature hoppy/biscuit bite on the back of my tongue like I usually enjoy with beers of this style. This did taste a bit watery to me.

Overall Rating: 

I'm not disappointed if I go to a place in the city and have to fall back on this beer. It's a local beer and I'm happy that it's back on the market. I'm a bit closer to understanding why people in my father's generation enjoy this beer and others like it. Some of them grew up drinking watered-down lagers. Maybe this appeals to them?

All Pixelated

I'm not too sure if Duquesne Pilsener is any popular with the online craft community here in the Pittsburgh area, but it sure is with my father's generation. At least that's the case from what I can tell. I know he was really excited when the beer made its return to the Pittsburgh market in 2010.

Taking what I already knew into account, I bought him a case of Duquesne Pilsener a while back. I haven't had it in a while and decided to try one for myself. I was surprised to notice that it looked like the same guy on the label was being used. I don't know this for sure, but when you look close at the man hoisting the glass of beer on the label it's all pixelated.

My discipline in college was in the communication department. So, I have a little experience with design stuff. Still, I went to school with people that probably know a lot more than I would on this subject.

The res of the label looks fairly modern, but the figure looks like an original due to its lack of clarity. Maybe the brewers were so set on keeping with the original roots that they felt the need to drag the original image in there? Not dissing. Just noticing. I'm all for tradition.

Just Pour It

Remember when I was all worked up about the Dogfish Head hybrid wine glass that was supposedly for hop-centered brews? I wasn't the only one, but to get to my point for this post the purpose behind my many rants about the ramming of such a glass down our throats is that it really doesn't matter to me what glass I'm drinking my beer out of.

Flute or Pokal? I drink, you decide.

With that said, I still am attracted to fancy beer glassware like a college kid that has his eyes set on a crush. A big part of that is because some glasses have history and stories behind them. Others have memories that tie us to them.

One of my best beer friends (the always mentioned Beer Snob Sr.) has an imperial pint Guinness glass that he stole from a pub in England. Prying it from his hands is a challenge. That's exactly what I mean. When my grandmother has some of us over for dinner there are two glasses there that I like consuming a beer from.

There's one of the old Duquesne Pilsener flutes along with an even older Miller Lite hybrid flute. I'm not sure exactly what the Miller one is. So, you can correct me if I'm wrong.

I obviously don't enjoy Miller Lite, but I have a deep affinity for that glass. Hey, I just love beer glasses. Sometimes the logo doesn't matter. Just what you put in it.