Beer Man: Too sweet Mama's Little Yella Pils misses the mark

— -- Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world. This week: Mama's Little Yella Pils Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, Colo. www.oskarblues.com

My last beer run was devoted to beverages to help me cool down while I did yard work in 90-plus degree temperatures.

I was especially in the mood for a quality German or East European lager but was disappointed by not being able to find a single one on the shelves. There were mediocre ones, such as Beck's, Heinekens and Stella Artois, but that was about it.

To the rescue came Oskar Blues with its Mama's Little Yella Pils, a true pilsner that has excellent credentials, winning a silver medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival and a gold award at the 2009 World Beer Championships. It's sold in cans, but that is no detriment, as Oskar's Ten Fidy Imperial Stout proves.

The term "pilsner" is one of the most abused in the beer industry. It is a sub-style of lager known for pronounced maltiness, crispness and bitterness compared with regular lagers. Most importantly, it is made purely from barley malt, with no corn or rice added. For Miller Lite to claim on its label "True Pilsner Beer" is an insult to one of the world's great styles. It's like a creator of a velvet Elvis claiming to rank on par with Michelangelo.

Mama's Little Yellow Pils poured into the glass with an intense golden color and bright white head. The effervescence was interesting, with the bubbles starting out slow from the bottom of the glass and increasing in speed as it traveled upward, keeping the head from dissolving.

Sweet malt, biscuits and grassy hops were easily noticeable in the aroma. The flavor tended to sweet malt and hops, with a punch of hop bitterness at the end and a dry finish. It had a solid mouthfeel while still remaining light, and the carbonation gave a bit of a tickle on the tongue.

I found Mama's a bit more sweet and bitter than I typically find in the great European pilsners, such as Pilsner Urquell or Veltins. Since I typically like beers with a tad of sweetness, I was surprised that this quality didn't float my boat in Mama's. It also had some roughness at the end instead of a nice clean finish. A good pilsner, but not quite a great one.

Oskar Blues beers are distributed in about 26 states. Find it in your area here: www.oskarblues.com/about-us/beer-locator.

Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability. Contact Todd Haefer at: beerman@postcrescent.com.