Of the emerging styles seen over the last year (or two) West Coast Pilsner looks to be the one gaining the most traction. Whether this new style is outpacing the previously emerging Cold IPA or merely presenting the same thing with a more fashionable name is a matter for debate but, by the rule of: ‘if Emerson’s is doing it then it’s probably a thing’ — then West Coast pilsner is here to stay, for the time being at least. In Emerson’s Once Upon a Time in The West (5.6%abv) Amarillo, Cascade and Citra hops all lend their weight here, but it’s the Citra that leads on the nose, with a tangy lime and mandarin-focused aroma that leads into more tropical (but still sharp and clean) and nectarine notes. The palate is crisp and clean; weighty, but keenly focused on its sharp hop character and snappy bitterness. A drier, tighter and intrinsically more American-tuned take on the New Zealand Pilsner style.
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