Review: CO-OP Gold Pilsner

Living in Manitoba, we don't see many store-brand beers aside from non-alcoholic beers, which is a bit strange because in rural Manitoba you can typically buy beer and liquor at your local CO-OP or small town grocery store so you would think that store brand beer would be in rural stores but I guess since all the beer there goes through the Liquor Mart distribution system and not through CO-OP or other grocery chains.

I first tried CO-OP Gold IPA on a visit to Saskatoon eight years ago and the price was very aggressive compared to every other IPA I could find, so it was impossible to say no to buying a six pack. The IPA was tasty and pretty much on point with what IPAs tasted like back then right before the Hazy craze. More recently, I picked up a 15-pack of CO-OP Gold Pilsner from a rural CO-OP liquor store in Saskatchewan when I was in the area for a friend's wedding. CO-OP sources their beers from breweries throughout the prairies, I've been told that this Pilsner is brewed by District Brewing in Regina, but this article leads me to think it may be brewed by Great Western, but brewing contracts can change at any time, and it's possible for one beer they could have multiple brewers.

Anywho, it's a Prairie Pilsner brewed to 5.0% ABV, don't mind the photo, I can't photograph shiny silver things easily. (But not like you're reading this anyway!)

Appearance: Crisp, clear golden Pilsner with a good amount of carbonation in the body and a thick amount of snow white head on top. After a moment or two the head goes down quite a bit but there's still a bit of frothiness still clinging to the beer as it's gradually getting sampled.

Aroma: Very crisp beer with a heavy presence of straw, a bit of honey, grassy hops. Not aggressive in any way, smells like how a crisp Pilsner should be.

Taste: Very clean, smooth, crushable. The first thing I get is a presence of straw, a hint of honey-like sweetness, and lastly a grassy and slightly floral hop presence at the end. 

Overall Thoughts: This is your father's beer, your lawn mower beer, your sports beer, your "I need a beer after a long work day" beer. It's incredibly versatile, affordable and inoffensive in every way. I'd make fun of this beer a decade back but now? I had a hard time saving a can to review. I'm making a trek to Saskatchewan again soon to visit my fave localish Sask brewery in Moosomin (Skout Brewing) so I'll pick some more.