Hopfenkönig, meaning “hop king”, pours a bright pale golden color capped by a robust head of white foam that persists well and drops some lace. On the nose, look for a prominent undertone of biscuit-like malt, overlaid by a hop profile that’s quite grassy and earthy, lightly herbal and spicy, and shot through with a hint of lemon. On the palate, we liked this brew’s balance between malt and hop character. That bready, biscuity aroma character comes through nicely in the flavor too, offering a doughy core component that forms a sturdy backbone while staying light on its feet. There’s a distinctly Central European hop character here, offering brightness and zing with touches of lemon and melon, herbaceous grassiness, some white pepper, and maybe even a dash of green apple. German-style pilsners like this are quite food-friendly, so pairing options are many. Classic Austrian and German sausages and schnitzel are a no-brainer, along with pizza, hot dogs, burgers, and grilled chicken or pork. Crabcakes are another.
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