Jever Pils

Review Date 7/7/2008  Last Updated 5/24/2016  By John Staradumsky

  Style: Pilsener   Brewery: Jever   Country: Germany   State: N/A   $ Per OZ: $.12 (B), $.27 (G)   ABV: 4.9%

If you poured yourself a glass of Jever Pils and set it next to a glass of Heineken, you probably wouldn’t see too much of a difference. Both beers are in the pilsner style, after all. If you took a sip of each, however, you’d surely notice a difference: the Jever has a far more pronounced hop character than the Heineken does.

Jever Pils, of course, comes from the town of Jever, a seaside community in Friesland, which is part of northern Sachsen, Germany. It’s not too far from the Netherlands (which has a Friesland of its own), and it’s not a stretch to imagine this dry hoppy pils as a staple on the beaches of North Germany. Indeed, the six-packs sent to America certainly stress a nautical theme.

Brewing beer is serious business indeed in Jever, and has been for over 150 years. The Jever brewery sells several different brews, though Jever Pils is their most famous, and sold as an “Original Friesland Pilsner”. Shipments to America come in green bottles, unfortunately, so it’s best to purchase your Jever from an unopened case that hasn’t been exposed to light. A hoppy beer like this will skunk in no time if not properly handled. And that would truly be a waste of a fine beer, indeed.

Jever Pils pours to a pale golden color with a light head formation of densely packed bubbles and a strikingly herbal hop nose. The head may be thin, but a fine layer of Brussels lace does cling to the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. Right away, I’m impressed by the crisp, biscuity malt character here, a definite prerequisite in a good pilsner.

What really sets Jever apart from the pack, however, is its wonderfully dry herbal hop character. It doesn’t take long to make itself known, at first dancing on the tongue as a minty-grassy herbal Hallertau hop buzz. Gradually, though, it steadily increases into the finish, which is long, dry, and wonderfully bitter.

The original pilsners (such as Pilsner Urquell) came from what is now the Czech republic. They’re hoppy beers, too, with a distinct soft malt character all their own. They won’t be mistaken for a beer like Jever, however. A truly classic north German pils, and one that really has to be experienced to be believed. I could easily drink this one over and over again without getting tired of it. A little pricey at $9 a six-pack, but worth every penny, and then some. Don’t miss it.

Update November 15, 2013: Checking the beer list online for the Taco Mac location near my office, I noticed that they had Jever Pils-on tap. I was there that same day, a chance to try this wonderful German hoppy Pils fresh from a keg was too much to pass up on. I had to stare at it for a moment when it arrived, but when I sipped I was slightly disappointed. To be sure, this is still a great pilsner beer, with fresh crisp bready, biscuit malt leading into an assertive grassy herbal hop aroma and bitterness at the last.

It just doesn't seem as hoppy as i remember it being. Jever was never as hoppy as say, a Prima Pils, but it wasn't far off either. Today it does seem to be a bit more distant, and for that reason I'm knocking it down a peg to 4 stars.

Update 5/24/2015: At the risk of being accused of waffling, I'm about to change my rating of Jever again. I think I might have been a bit too harsh on the beer the last time I had it, so I'm giving back a half star after reflection over a 32-ounce growler (just $8.75) of Jever Pils from Stout's Growlers here in Canton. The beer is wonderfully balanced with beautiful grassy herbal German hop aroma and crisp biscuity pilsner malt. I just love the gentle lingering grassy hop bitterness in the finish. Not quite the beer it once was but still a very delicious pilsner with enough fresh bready malt and herbal hops going on to satisfy the discriminating beer enthusiast. It was the perfect beer for sipping on a warm Memorial Day weekend afternoon spent slow barbecuing ribs. It proved a heavenly match for them when they were done, too.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??