Brewview#18: Polonia Pils by Flying Bison Brewing Company

Hello fellow beer drinkers! Thanks for taking the time to read my Brewviews, the support means a lot. Though this is just a hobby of mine it’s nice to know there are people out there taking the time to read what I have to say. So again thank you! Cheers!

This Brewview is dedicated to one of my followers, thepastaexpress, who in a previous comment requested a Brewview for this beer. Here ya go!

So, coming at you with Brewview#18 is another beer from Flying Bison, one that is brewed only around this time of year. Available from February to April. It’s a part of what Flying Bison has come to title their Small Batch Series. I’ve done a Brewview on one of their Small Batch Series before, the MacBison Pale Scotch Ale and I really enjoyed it. And I think I’m going to enjoy this one too, mainly because of the purpose it was brewed for. Dyngus Day! Anybody else rocking some Polish pride?! So the name of this beer is the Polonia Pils, which is a Polish style Pilsner. One of the things I find admirable about Flying Bison is their traditional style of brewing and at the same time their capability to keep their beers diverse. It’s truly amazing in my eyes which I why I will never hesitate to stop by the brewery if the chance presents itself.

Well enough said, let’s drink some beer and see what there is to say!

The Beer: Polonia Pils by Flying Bison Brewing Company

ABV: 4.8% IBU: 30

Hop Profile: Saaz

Hallertau

Malt Profile:Pilsner

Vienna

Before I begin my thoughts on the beer I thought I might allow Flying Bison to do their own introduction of the beer. This coming straight off their website, ‘Polonia Pils pours a straw yellow with rich, white foam and an herbal spiciness from the Saaz hops. A soft malt note complements the spicy, floral hop characters of the Hallertau & Saaz hops.’ So let’s see what we get. I’m sure everything will be how Flying Bison describes it above!

So I have never drank a Pilsner that has produced strong or crazy aromas, if anything they are always subtle and easy to take in. That is exactly what I am getting with the Polonia Pils, a nice soft aroma that says ‘ hey sit back and relax, you’ve got a delicious beer coming your way.’ I mean, if aromas could talk I’m guessing it would say something along those lines. Seriously though, I’m getting a soft floral note complimented by a straw aroma. They go hand in hand, there is no conflict between which will be stronger or noticed first. Just a nice mouth watering aroma to build your anticipation. From what I’ve read  both of the hops are used primarily for aromas, which is great because look at what is produced! But for clarity sake, the Saaz hop is what created the floral aroma and the Hallertau brought us the straw aroma. Again it is very easy to pick up on both of these aromas and appreciate the beauty each of the hops creates.

Aroma, check! Next what does this beer look like?

It looks exactly how Flying Bison describes on their website, ‘a straw yellow with rich, white foam.’ I’m going to guess the crisp golden characteristic this beers hold is produced by the Vienna malt. This beer is crystal clear and the head lingers for quite a while. Even after the head slowly dissipates, there is still foam remaining on the glass to show what once existed. There is nothing else to say about the appearance of this beer, it is all summed up on their website. Boom!

Aromas, check!

Appearance, check!

Now the best part, what does this beer taste like?

Right off the bat I am tasting both the malts and the hops and it is perfect. Such an excellent brewing process used by Flying Bison, the malts line up perfectly with the hops. So let’s start with the malts, Pilsner and Vienna. Pilsner malts can be known to produce a sweet graham cracker and honey flavor. I’m not getting too much of the sweetness but if you sit and linger on it you can taste a bit of the graham cracker flavor. Very subtle, not meant to be the star of the show. Next, Vienna malts which are easy to notice because they create a quintessential malt flavor which noticed in the background of the beer. A bit stronger than the Pilsner malt but still not seen much in the forefront. Definitely noticeable but not meant to take center stage. Now let’s look at the hops, Saaz and Hallertau. Both produce similar flavors, but like Flying Bison said there is a herbal spiciness to the beer created by the Saaz hops. Alongside the spiciness there are some floral notes in the flavor of the beer, this is fromboth the Saaz and Hallertau.  Now I am not getting the herbal spiciness in the beginning, it comes in the back end and sits with you for a bit. Not to create a strong bitter bite, but a nice accent as you finish the sip. What is left behind from each sip is a medium bodied creamy feeling. Exactly what I’ve gotten with every Pilsner I’ve had in the past, not too overwhelming but enough to remind you of what you just drank. Again the overall bitterness of this beer is minimal, so I would agree with the IBU of 30. Not too surprised looking at each hop and its accompanying alpha acid percentage. Saaz 3-4.5% and Hallertau 2.5-4.5%.

Overall this beer was very refreshing, I could see myself sitting and enjoying quite a few of these. Which is nice with the lower ABV. But in all seriousness, on Dyngus Day you will find my fridge full of these beers and quickly emptied for my enjoyment. To sum it up the Polonia Pils gets a 4.25/5 from me. It was nice and easy to drink, Flying Bison’s description was spot on, and I’m looking forward to enjoying more!

If this Brewview sparked any interest and you’d like to grab a six pack or a pint of this beer it is out for a limited time only. As I said before this beer is available from February to April. So I wouldn’t waste anytime I’m sure this keg will tap quickly on this upcoming Monday. Thanks Flying Bison. And as always Cheers!