This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
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Welcome to the first Hop Review Beer of the Month! Each month, we’ll share with you a beer that we think you should pick up. We’ll be working with a local establishment to find a beer that’s seasonably appropriate, accessible, affordable and, most importantly, something we’d pick up ourselves.
During May, The Hop Review’s Beer of the Month is 5 Rabbit’s Gringolandia Super Pils, brought to you by Bottles & Cans in Chicago’s Northcenter!
For those not familiar with 5 Rabbit, they hail from nearby Bedford Park, IL. The guys at 5 Rabbit have been pumping out Latin-inspired libations for a number of years and have just recently premiered their series titled Gringolandia: their interpretation of some popular American styles.
Super Pils is the first in that series and impressed us enough at a recent event to make it our premier Beer of the Month. You can find our impressions below but first, some specs…
- Brewery: 5 Rabbit Cerveceria
- Beer: Gringolandia Super Pils
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Style: Imperial Pilsner
- ABV: 7.2%
- IBU: 65
- Price: $10.99 per 6-pack at Bottles & Cans
You can pick up some Super Pils for yourself at Bottles & Cans, at 4109 N. Lincoln Avenue in Northcenter. The small shop offers a huge collection of both local and import craft beer. Stop in for a recommendation from owners Joe and Carly and tell them we said hi!
Tom says…
Beautiful looking beer but not what I expected from a Pils. Hazy enough when poured that it could easily be confused with a Heff. Citrusy nose with a far more bitter taste than I was expecting from this style. Really well balanced, however, and I thought this might be a sessionable beer until I noticed the ABV (7.2%!). Overall, would never have guessed this was a Pils and would have leaned Pale Ale. Will make for a great hot summer’s day deck beer, though I’d advise you split that sixer with a friend.
Robert says…
This one is quite the trickster. The aroma screams Pilsner, with a little lemony citrus note. Traditionally, Pils are super clear but this one was a bit on the hazier side of the spectrum as 5 Rabbits doesn’t filter their beer. For the higher ABV, this beer is really quite refreshing in the way that most Pilsners are, but be careful when drinking a few back to back as they pack a serious punch. Super Pils walks the line of both Pilsner and an IPA. The aroma says Pilsner, but it’s taste resembles an almost sticky and hoppy IPA. I’m a big fan of beers that blur the line between styles and this one does it exceptionally well.
Jack says…
A hefty Pilsner that might prove best for your spring BBQs. This guy is shareable, in 6-pack form. Normally a beer style I’d reserve for hotter days or longer drinking sessions, this one weighs in at roughly double your normal Pilsner ABV (hence the name, get it?). I echo most of the same sentiment as the other guys on this: a somewhat deceptive Pils with a rather cloudy appearance, and packs a punch. For someone who normally chooses an IPA over Plsners and Lagers, the Super Pils is a surprisingly pleasant drinker. And to that, I say bring on the Pils!
