High Point Brewing Company in Butler, N.J. was founded in 1996 and has been brewing German-style beers. The name Ramstein comes from the German town with a large American military base as a nod to the German style with some American influence. Ramstein Imperial Pilsner is one of their seven year-round offerings.
Imperial Pilsner pours a clear gold with a bubbly, white head that was about one finger high at its peak. The head disappeared rather quickly but there was a little layer on top and around my beer. The aroma was one of malt and hops with some subtle bread notes and also a note of grass.
This beer has some life to it. You will definitely notice the hops and malt as you sip. There is an earthy tone to the beer that is soft and pleasant but also a very subtle sweetness and a little kick. It has a medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation. It is very crisp and finishes relatively dry with herbal hops lingering ever so slightly. There was some very nice, sudsy lacing on the glass as it drank.
The flavor held up throughout the experience. It is definitely European in taste but with a little extra hops to give it some distinction.
Overall this is a pretty solid beer. It definitely is a little more distinct in flavor than your typical pilsner. It also clocks in at 7% ABV so it has a little more kick than your typical, run of the mill pilsner. I wasn’t sure what to expect before the first sip and was pleasantly surprised with the flavor profile. You can make this a session beer but definitely take the time to savor the flavor because this beer has a very interesting flavor profile that is worth experiencing.