Beer Review: Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils

Serving Type: Can

ABV: 5.3 percent

Appearance: This brew featured a straw gold body that was a little transparent, but still vivid enough in color to look great and appetizing. There was almost a two-inch head that was bubbly, white and had definitive bubbles. It was foamy at first, but faded back in quickly. Despite the appearance of the head, there weren't many apparent carbonation bubbles present to explain the head. Still, a pleasing brew to visually take in.

Smell: Very grainy and grassy. This was even a touch on the sweet side. No, make that a heavy helping of sweet!

Taste: Surprisingly, this was a bit fruity on the front of my tongue. It was an interesting flavor, but I couldn't exactly decipher what it was. The grassy flavors set in about mid-way back and helped to set up the traditional pilsner finish. I had to wait, but the hop and biscuit both bit me just as everything went down the pipe. These two flavors became more apparent in the aftertaste after a few seconds. Texture was definitely there, given the lack of carbonation that was visible.

Overall Rating: 

Definitely one of the best pilsners I've ever had. Certainly my favorite Oskar Blues offering. Sweet, yet it bites you before everything goes down. Maybe just a little more carbonation to help in the texture department. I'd also like to figure out what that fruity flavor was exactly!

Beer Review: Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

Serving Type: Can

ABV: 6.5 percent

Appearance: This brew was a lighter copper chroma that had many subtle gold hues.There was an inch of vivid white head that had some great staying power and what I could accurately describe as "cakey" lacing that clung to the inside of the glass. It was thick enough that it ought to have been cake! There was also a few sets of big bubbles slowly rising throughout the beer towards the top. This looked somewhat light, yet not actually heavy either. It appeared to be very balanced.

Smell: My nose was hit with a ton of pine and citrus, Still, this was not to the point of burning away the sense of smell that I have left. This did scream IPA in a good way. It didn't come off as completely saturated in citrusy hops.

Taste: The hops and pine were quite dominant all of the way across the tongue, for the most part. I also picked up an intriguing toasty and nutty flavor that peaked through along the middle portions. This was a flavor that I hadn't picked out in prior times having this beer. This really helped to balance things out and make the intensity of the pine and hops a little easier to come to terms with.

Overall Rating: 

This was one of the first craft beers I was able to try back in college. It was in a lot outside of PNC Park and I remember almost gagging due to the strong hop content. I didn't finish my can the first time. This summer was the first time I reunited myself with this beer and I found myself strangely enjoying it. That nutty roastiness was something I never picked up on the maiden drink. I guess it was a coming of age for my taste in beer once I was able to try it again. I picked out flavors that I never would have noticed years ago.