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There is nothing quite like a couple of beers and a couple of smash burgers.

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Few things in life is as good as a couple of beers and a couple of smashburgers. For this #BeerSaturday, I found myself confronting, devouring, and thoroughly enjoying a couple of pilsner beers for the second round of the pilsner standoff! Last week, I had a couple of pilsners with a toasted cheese sandwich.

Smashburgers have been a very trendy thing throughout the years, but it really hit the South African market recently. I have been making them for many years. And I always have a couple of good pints close by when I smash some beef patties!

Because, is this not what life is about, enjoying a beer and some good food? And what better way than sharing a burger and some beer?

My family is addicted to smash burgers. I have a not-so-secret blend of beef that I use, but sometimes I need to buy because I could not make my own minced meat. This time around, the family wanted Wagyu Beef Patties. So, I obliged and made some. But I could not have done it without my trusty beer in my hand!

I had a couple of incredible craft pilsners from some of the leading craft brewers in the South African scene. Herewith then my tasting notes.

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Saggy Stone: Blind Mole Pilsner

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Pilnser | 5% ABV | 28 IBUs

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The beer had a nice and sweet nose as I poured it. It had no real upfront bitterness, but only a slight sight maltiness.

The first sip had a slight bitterness. The aftertaste had some hoppiness but nothing of this on the nose.

It was slightly cloudy but it had a nice head with some good lacing.

I love Saggy Stone's beers, and this was a solid one! I am not a heavy pilsner drinker, but this was good.

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Paternoster Brewery: Pilsner

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Pilsner | 4.5 % ABV | 21 IBUs

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I was not supposed to have this beer, as the brewery did not have anything in stock. Or they had in stock but they did not label it. But I persuaded the salesperson to give me a couple of unlabeled bottles. For the purposes of the photographs, I used a box cut out of their label.

It had a pleasant sweet malted nose, and again no bitterness. I also got some yeast on my nose, with a hint of freshly baked bread.

The first taste was very malty which I really appreciated. But it also had a kind of fruitiness from the yeast, and no real hop taste at all. The more I drank the maltier it got.

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Darling Brew: The Wanderer Pilsner

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Pilsner | 5% ABV | 32 IBUs

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The last beer also had a sweet nose, with slight hint of hops coming through. There was a well balanced delicate dance between the hops and malt. It was a beautiful clean beer, no yeast, no cloudiness. However, the head quickly dissipates.

I get some slight hops on the tongue, a sweetness from malt, and overall it was just a well balanced, crisp, and clear beer. It was heavier on the malt as I drank more of it. It was a very nice beer. Not too heavy not too complex.

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