Bay Brewing Pilsner is a 5% Czech style pilsner from Yokohama Bay Brewing, based in Kanagawa, Japan. Since moving to the new premises in Totsuka, a small suburb on the outskirts of Yokohama, Yokohama Bay Brewing have been able to bottle some of their beers, with this signature beer being their first. It’s brewed using imported Czech hops and a triple decoction method, where the mash is heated to three different increasing temperatures.
Bay Brewing Pilsner Aroma and Taste
I’ve had Bay Brewing Pilsner on tap at the Kannai shop and enjoyed it. So I came across Bay Brewing Pilsner in Takashimaya – of all places – in Yokohama and wanted to see how it compared.
I wish I hadn’t.
Bay Brewing Pilsner poured out a murky golden brown colour – not the usual colour of a pilsner. The head was nigh on non-existent, with a few bubbles lining up around the outside of the glass. And the aroma – this must have been a bad batch or not bottled correctly as Bay Brewing Pilsner had a huge sour, diacetyl / buttery aroma to it – akin to someone’s first attempt at making a homebrew version of a lager. There was no sense of hops nor malt.
I wish I hadn’t drunk it.
It’s not often that I rag on a beer, besides Virgo Beer as they ARE bad, but something really went wrong with Bay Brewing Pilsner, either during brewing or the bottling. The sour buttery funk reigned through and it ranks as one of the worst pilsners I’ve had in my life – if it could be called a pilsner. There was no malt no hops coming through, just an oxidised sickly mess. Safe to say that Bay Brewing Pilsner came out as a drain pour.
Bay Brewing Pilsner The Bottom Line
I like Bay Brewing Pilsner on tap, and you would too, but this bottle has tainted my opinion. If you’ve had a bottle then let us know how it turned out so we can have some of our faith restored in Yokohama Bay Brewing.
Where to Buy Bay Brewing Pilsner
Bay Brewing Pilsner can be bought online at the following places:
