River Horse Brewing Company is located in Ewing, N.J. and has been producing a fairly wide variety of beers for a few years now. They have grown since 2007 when the current ownership group bought it and have focused on growing and reaching a wider audience. One of their year-round brews is Roly Poly Pils, a Czech-style pilsner which we will review. If you want to read the review on River Horse’s Summer Blonde Ale click here.
Roly Poly Pils pours a hazy gold, almost light honey color. There is a nice, thick white head that was about two fingers deep. This beer looks great off the pour. The creamy head looks like something you would top a dessert with. There are a bunch of small bubbles rushing to reinforce the head. The aroma features a little malt, some bread or cracker notes, a hint of lemongrass or light citrus.
The taste pretty much follows the nose. Very consistent in that regard. You get malts, a little hops, a light citrus sweetness, a light note of pepper, some bread or cracker notes as well. The carbonation is just right for a pilsner. It has a light to medium mouthfeel. The more of the head you get the heavier the mouthfeel. However, the beer maintains a slight head throughout the process. It does finish a bit dry which just makes you want another sip.
Overall, this is a very nice beer. Americans tend to see their pilsners more in the Miller Lite category. River Horse is bringing a lot more flavor and has produced a flavorful beer that packs multiple layers of flavor and was consistent throughout the process. This is a beer you can drink any time of year at any occasion. At just 5.3% ABV it is perfectly suited to be your companion at any occasion too. This is a beer worth trying.