Try?
Don’t you just love it when a retro brewery opens, or should I say, opens again? I know I do. There are numerous notable examples, of course: Narragansett, Rheingold, and now National Bohemian. The latest example that I’ve come across is Chattanooga Brewing Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Just yesterday, I enjoyed a mug of their Chattanooga Imperial Pilsner, little knowing the history of the brand.
Actually, a few weeks ago I had checked out the online draft list for my local Taco Mac here in Canton, GA and saw Chattanooga Bock on deck. That got me excited, partly because I really love bock beer, but also because Chattanooga is only about an hour north of Canton. Sadly, when I got to Taco Mac a few days later, the keg had already kicked.
Luckily, the Chattanooga Imperial Pilsner lasted a little longer. Don’t let the name confuse you: this isn’t an Imperial Pilsner by today’s standards. That part in fact confused me when I ordered up my mug for a reasonable $5.50. I’ve seen some bashing of the beer over this, but those opinions are uninformed and do not reflect the history of the beer.
Which brings us back to the retro brewery theme. You see, The Chattanooga Brewing Company operated from 1890 to 1915 in Chattanooga. The current incarnation opened in 2010 and is a celebration of that local brew. One of their brands was called Imperial Pilsner, hence the beer I write about today. “Imperial” was simply a brand for Chattanooga Brewing’s pilsner beer; the uber-hopped and malted mega pilsners of today that call themselves “imperials” were not even thought of yet.
Here is what the brewery says about their Imperial Pilsner:
A heartier version of the light bodied German style pilsner, and our flagship brew. This beer is an homage to the original Chattanooga Brewing Company.
ABV 5.5% IBU 30
You can see the design of the old Imperial Pilsners from this period matchbook linked from the Chattanooga Breweries Museum on gono.com.
This is a year round beer available on draft, in bottles and in growlers at the brewery.
My mug of Chattanooga Imperial Pilsner arrived a bright golden color with a medium creamy head formation and a fantastic fresh biscuit malt nose. I got more of that in the palate, crisp bready malt followed by a big minty grassy hop aroma and lingering bitterness in the finish.
I really enjoyed this beer, it was much akin to chewing a handful of pale malt and fresh hops all at once. I am pretty sure that the original Imperial Pilsner back in the 1890s or after didn’t taste as hoppy, but that’s OK. This is still a fine tribute to that company’s history, and I’ll be looking to find more beers from Chattanooga Brewing Company in the future.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
