Gassan Pilsner is a 5% pilsner from Gassan Beer, based in Yamagata, Japan. It’s part of their all-year round offerings and can be found in both bottles and on tap at several locations in Yamagata. It’s brewed using locally sourced water from an aquifer 10m underground Mount Gassan and unlike many other touristy beers, Gassan Pilsner is classified as a beer, rather than happoshu.
One of the clearest beers we’ve come across in Japan from a craft beer brewery.
Gassan Pilsner Aroma and Taste
First things first – zoom in on that picture. Look how transparent Gassan Pilsner is – it’s not a mistake. It’s not another beer in its place. That is truly the beer that came out of the bottle. I’ve never seen a pilsner from a craft beer brewery come out that clear. The golden straw colour with frothy white head – literally a picture perfect pilsner in a glass. The bubbles flowing up the side with life and extending the head ever upwards. Then the aroma kicks in – the sweet malt biscuit grains flow up your nose but the hops lacked bite. The floral and earthiness I was hoping for never came and the slide into disappointment began.
Gassan Pilsner was drunk cold at first – and provided a crisp clean bite, with some hints of sweetness but as it got warmer, the flavours took a turn for citrus town. While there was an initial flourish of hoppy bitterness, it didn’t last long before the malts came along again and washed them away. Such a shame as that is how Gassan Pilsner continued to be and as the drinking carried on, so did the slight disappointment of it turning into another bland macro-like pilsner.
Gassan Pilsner The Bottom Line
Gassan Pilsner started off so well and then tasted like a macro-pilsner. Not a bad thing to have on a cold day but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed in it.
Where to Buy Gassan Pilsner
Gassan Pilsner can be bought online at the following places.
