Robin Shepard
Capital’s Imperial Pilsner is one of several special releases this year commemorating the brewery’s 30th year in business, made with the brewery’s original brewmaster, Fred Scheer, who worked at Capital from 1985 to 1987, and Ashley Kinart, the current brewmaster.
What is it? Imperial Pilsner by Capital Brewery of Middleton.
Style: The imperial pilsner is considered a bigger, bolder version of the core style. It's made with more of everything. Imperial pilsners are rich, golden-colored beers with a firm, hoppy aroma and a strong malty background for balance. They will range from 6.5% to 9% ABV.
Background: Back in March Fred Scheer dropped by Capital Brewery for a visit. Since leaving Capital in the late 1980s he’s had stints at breweries in Eau Claire, Milwaukee, Michigan and Tennessee. He currently works for Krones (an international company specializing in food packaging). That impromptu drop-in led to a special brew date with current brewmaster Ashley Kinart as the pair worked on the recipe and eventually brewed this beer in May.
“He was more open to nontraditional, American beer and brewing ideas than I was expecting from someone who came from Germany to start up Capital 30 years ago,” says Kinart (who also did her brewmaster’s training in Germany). “I was surprised when he okayed doing an imperial version of a pilsner, but not shocked when he said ‘absolutely not’ to dry-hopping.” Traditional German brewers tend to use hops more for balance in beer, which fits Scheer’s early training as a brewmaster near Munich.
Capital’s Imperial Pilsner is made with lots of German touches, not unexpected given Scheer’s deep German roots. The ingredient list includes German pilsner malt, with hops commonly found in German pilsners like Hallertauer Perle and Czech Saaz. While Capital does have Special Pilsner in its lineup, this imperial version is bigger and bolder, with more dryness and a touch more spicy bitterness.
Capital Imperial Pilsner finishes at 6% ABV and 27 IBUs. It’s expected to be on tap around Madison well into August. In the brewery’s beer garden it’s sold in pints for $6 and growlers for $20 (refill).
Tasting notes:
Aroma: A light floral, earthy, spicy, hoppy nose.
Appearance: Clear, deep golden color with a thick bubbly white head.
Texture: Medium bodied, bubbly, with lots of softness.
Taste: A smooth spicy hoppiness throughout, with a hint of grainy maltiness in the background. There’s a sweetness from the malt that stands out. Overall this beer has lots of flavor and nice balance.
Finish/Aftertaste: The hoppiness lingers with dry earthy spiciness. There’s also softness with very light warmth.
Glassware: This is a flavorful pilsner that deserves a sturdy footed pilsner glass to show off the deep golden color and focus its gentle aroma.
Pairs well with: Look for a dish that complements the mild, but firm, spicy bitterness of the hops. It's ideally suited for pasta dishes made with tomato sauces that have a touch of spicy heat of their own. When pairing this beer with cheese, I like the mustiness of soft brie.
The Verdict: I like this beer for what it stands for, a collaboration between brewers of different generations. Kinart has been making a name for herself in Wisconsin brewing, adding to a brewery portfolio with bigger and bolder brews. She’s not afraid of infusing some of her beers with adjuncts, breaking the century-old tradition of Reinheitsgebot, which shuns their use. Kinart’s Madtown Mule, a version of the brewery’s Lake House lager with ginger and lime, was introduced this summer. And Scheer’s experience in getting the most out of those traditional German ingredients makes this a solid beer with balance. Perhaps it was inevitable that they settled on the “imperial” version of the pilsner to combine new- and old-school brewing into a very modern and crafty beer.
This is a “meaty” pilsner — it isn’t your crisp, light-bodied, easy-chugging golden lager. There’s a hearty malty backbone that gives it balance with a subtle sweet graininess that supports the earthier qualities of the Saaz and Perle hops. Its flavor is robust; however, its strength (6% ABV), while strong for a lager, is less than I expect when seeing the imperial designation. Despite that, I really enjoyed the aroma and body, which play off the big malt bill.
