Daniel Drinks the Styles: Glass Castle Pilsener

Continuing to leverage my time at home during the coronavirus pandemic, I am studying for the second level of the Cicerone Certification Program for beer professionals. To stay honest in my studies, I am publishing reviews of DMV beers brewed in the classic styles and comparing them to the official style guidelines.

This week I’m drinking Silver Branch’s flagship Czech-style Pilsner, Glass Castle. The Silver Spring brewery has made its name brewing traditional styles, um, traditionally, and producing some of the area’s most authentic lagers (as well as other German, Czech, and Belgian styles). Let’s see what it’s up against:

Czech Premium Pale Lager Guidelines from the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP):
Rich, characterful, pale lager, with considerable malt and hop character and a long, rounded finish. Complex yet well-balanced and refreshing.
Appearance is gold to deep gold color. Brilliant to very clear clarity.
Aroma is medium to medium-high bready-rich malt and medium-low to

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