Stiegl Pilsner

     With a history dating back to 1492, Stiegl is the oldest brewery I’ve tried so far. The first mention of Stiegl in Salzburg’s historical records is when owner Hans Peuntner left the brewery to his daughter In law after his son’s death. Sold In 1819 to Johann Schreinner, Stiegl is named after a small staircase that led up to the brewery. For the next ninety years, the brewery expanded to include a cellar and beer garden. In 1909 the original brewery was sold to the city of Salzburg who In turn sold part of the building to the Ursuline monastery

During World War I, Stiegl’s sales dropped, but the company recuperated during the 1920s, becoming one of Austria’s most popular beers. Sadly, the stock market crash negatively affected sales which didn’t start to recover until World War II. After the war, Stiegl was able to focus on the quality of its beer again and began regaining sales. Stiegl pours into my glass very pale amber in color, reminding me of ripe hay. The head is thick, rocky, and bone white in color. Head is also pleasantly lasting.

          Delicate malt aromas lead the charge, smelling like biscuits or soda crackers. Biscuit malts lead into a center where I’m picking up a few contradictory, but enticingly balanced aromas. On the one hand I’m getting a faintly citrus quality, reminding me of lemon drops. This mingles with a very faint earthiness coupled with just a hint of sulfur which can be okay for this style of beer. All of this fades into the background where there might be a subtle note of European hops.

          On the tongue, Stiegl is light bodied with an up front rounded quality promising me something refreshing. Flavor starts out sweet and lightly bready, kind of like bread fresh from the oven. Mouthfeel becomes somewhat more rounded in the center where the breadiness increases a bit before fading into a barely hoppy finish. Unlike the aroma, the flavor gives me bread coupled with that slight earthiness and no hint of lemon drop or sulfur.

          Overall, I’m happy giving Stiegl a 7.5 out of 10. It’s very much what I would look for in a lager. There are some genuinely pleasant flavors and aromas. The flavor especially is rounded, balanced, and refreshing. There are no off flavors from adjuncts like your more mainstream lagers. As a well put together, balanced beer, I would happily add this to my summertime drinking rotation.