Croucher Sulfur City Pilsner Review

6 February 2018 - Best Beer HQ

Croucher Sulfur City Pilsner Review

I know you mustn’t judge a beer by its label, but I purchased this craft beer from Countdown Ponsonby because I liked the way it looked. It was another hot Auckland day, so I also wanted something thirst-quenching, but interesting, hopefully a pilsner with some pizzazz…

ABV: 5%

Blurb on the bottle: Powered by New Zealand Riwaka hops from the very north of the very south, drinking the Czech-inspired Pilsner in your hand is not unlike putting your face directly into a geyser. Brewed at just the right temperature with the perfect blend of new world hops, so it erupts with big flavour.

About the brewery: Born in Rotorua, and loved all over – Croucher is the taste of discovery, from the home of adventure.

Although I don’t believe that I’ve had a Croucher beer before, I hear good things about its ‘Lowrider’ session IPA, which comes in at just 2.5% ABV.

Tastes like: I’m not sure this beer could be accurately described as erupting with “big flavour” (see blurb on the bottle), but it’s okay. Croucher’s Sulfur City Pilsner is fairly passive, with a mild hop taste, medium bitterness, and some fruitiness on the palette.

The verdict: Think mild-mannered European-style pilsner, rather than a zesty, hop-forward Kiwi one. Croucher’s Sulfur City pilsner hardly sets the world on fire, but it might please pilsner traditionalists and craft beer newbies.

Beer/movie combination: Mrs Best Beer HQ and I have been binge-watching Shameless on Netflix lately. It’s a great black comedy/dramedy about an alcoholic (Frank Gallagher, played by William H. Macy) who’s in a near-constant stupor while his eldest daughter (Fiona Gallagher, played by Emmy Rossum) has to assume responsibility for looking after herself and his five other kids.

Now Frank is far from a discerning beer drinker, but I’m sure he’d love a craft beer or two (or 12) if someone else is shouting…

Craft Beer New Zealand / review /