The Sip #9 - Artisan Reserve Pilsner
Long-time beer drinker Ross Lewis puts some of Australia's top drops to the test.
Catch up with other beers on The Sip Archive
Coopers have taken time to develop their latest top shelf beer.
In many respects it is the result of 152 years of toil.
The Artisan Reserve Pilsner is part of the Thomas Cooper Selection, which was established two years ago to reflect the century and a half of producing some of the country’s best brews.
Indeed, Coopers like to promote that they “wrote the book on ales” and believe this latest entry is a special chapter in their history.
The brewery set out to produce a drink that while considered craft in nature, was also in the upper echelon of taste.
South Australia has a rich German influence so it was fitting that Artisan Reserve Pilsner features two hops, Hallertau Tradition and Hallertau Hersbrucker, which were sourced from Bavaria. There are two other hops involved but they are a secret to maintain the beer’s originality and prevent copycats.
There is a nice pour from the 330ml bottle. It generates a nice frothy top to the golden liquid.
The Artisan Reserve Pilsner has a citrus aroma. It has a crisp taste with a slightly stronger bitterness than from the normal beer of this variety. There is a splash of lemon on the tongue.
This drop hits 5.5% in alcohol volume, which is quite high for a pilsner, but it helps maintain the integrity of the beer.
It would be a superb accompaniment to another high-class serving – grilled barramundi.
The Sip Snip
Artisan Reserve Pilsner
Brewer: Coopers Brewery, South Australia
Style: Pilsner
Alcohol content: 5.5%
Standard drinks: 1.5
Bitterness: 35IBU
Bottles: 330ml
Hops: Hallertau Tradition and Hallertau Hersbrucker
Estimated calories: 165
The Sip Tip (rating): Straight to the man cave
Average prices: $55/carton of 24. $18.50/six-pack.
