Mascot Pilsner

Downtown Toronto’s Mascot Brewery is the source of Mascot Pilsner. Sold in 473mL cans, this unfiltered bräu chimes in at the standard 5%. It’s a clear, effervescent beer with a sunny golden colour and a fluffy cloud of white head.

MP has an intriguing nose—there are grainy elements, but also a damper, stickier, and more floral hops scent than many pilsners. While the smell might be a bit “damp”, the mouthfeel of this lager is quite dry, but also thin. Its flavour dances from sweet cereals initially to a short, but insistently bitter finish.

 

I’d have liked this beer’s flavour to have a deeper front end. That said, the finish is pretty much exactly what I want from a Czech-style lager: hoppy and dry. According to the copy on the can, this pilsner eschews “Old World” hops for citrusy “New World” hops. While citrus wasn’t particularly prominent to my palate, I did find the switch from traditional noble hops to something a bit more “North American” lended the beer a bit of swagger. That, coupled with hearty crispness make for a beer I’d revisit—though likely not until the snow is gone.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.