Tenaya Creek Craft Pilsner is a Czech-style Pilsner that’s brewed by Tenaya Creek Brewery, and for the purposes of this craft beer review, the lager was served in a pilsner glass from a 12 oz. can.

Packaging art for the Tenaya Creek Pilsner by Tenaya Creek Brewery

What You Need to Know

The Tenaya Creek Craft Pilsner has been in production since 1999 and Tenaya Creek Brewery took home a gold medal in 2002 at the Great American Beer Festival. So it must be pretty good, right? Well, let’s get to the review.

Appearance

The lager pours a relatively clear golden hue and is topped by a finger-thick cap of loose white foam that shows modest retention. The head’s reduction doesn’t leave behind any lace or residue. A stream of bubbles rise continuously in the glass.

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Aroma

The aroma isn’t particularly strong but offers a faint scent of musty grain and floral hops. A sweet note of caramel presents itself as the beer warms.

Flavor

The palate is led by a taste of doughy bread and then pops with a floral and peppery hops finish. A sweet note of caramel and more bready malt round out the tasting.

Mouthfeel

The feel is soft on the draw and has a rounded, dry finish. It’s smooth throughout with a medium body and medium-light carbonation. The finish offers a mild astringency.

Overall

Fortunately I initially tried this pils at the brewery and it was fantastic. The canned product, however, wasn’t quite as good. The date printed on the can indicates its over six months old. I didn’t check the dates on the cans in the brewery’s cooler and shame on them for stocking a pils that long.

The appearance is subpar but considering the beer’s age, that isn’t too surprising. The aroma isn’t strong but it is pleasant enough. Personally, I prefer a pilsner with a little more carbonation but this brew is still in line with the expectations of the Czech style. The palate is nicely balanced as expected from the style and it tastes quite nice.

Overall, the Tenaya Creek Craft Pilsner is a refreshing, easy drinking brew. It’s definitely worth a try and your best bet is to get it on tap at the brewery. But if you decide to pick up some cans to go, just check the date first.