28 Feb Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pilsner

Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pilsner

Equal Parts Brewing

Second Ward
Italian Pilsner
ABV: 5.1%
IBUs: ?
Packaging: Draft, 4 pack 16 ounce cans

Over the last few years, as I’ve done more and more work with breweries, it’s become a bit of a gray area between putting on for their breweries and pandering.

I never want to come across as pandering, but I also don’t want to not write about a brewery just for fear of how it’ll be seen. SoOoOo I’m here to tell you that Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pilsner is one of my favorite light beers of all time. And I’d say that even if my team and I didn’t have a hand in re-designing their brand new website. 

Some of my favorite beer styles are lighter ones that used to be underrepresented in Houston. Mexican Lagers, which I’ve ranted about a few times, Czech Pilsners (dang you, Saint Arnold, I miss 5-O’clock Pils), and most recently, Italian Pilsners.

Around this time last year, I sat with Matt Peterson one afternoon at Equal Parts to hear his vision for a website project. We shared a few beers, and I grabbed a few cans to go.

When he handed me the cans, the first thing I noticed was the gold rings on the sides of the cans. Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pilsner rocks an all white label with big gold rangs like an elderly Italian man’s Sunday best. Their new labels are pretty minimal altogether, but this gold treatment was a kiss of premium.

*Chef’s kiss*

When I got home and cracked open a Gorlami, I was right back up there that weekend to buy a case. No joke.

I drank the first four within a few days. I vowed that when I got more, I’d put pen to paper (or thumbs to Apple Notes app, as it were). When I poured it for this review, it was masterpiece-picture-perfect. Brilliantly clear straw yellow with a chalk white effervescent head and spotty white specks of lacing like freckles on my glass. I’m over here waxing poetic about this bad boy, and after the shining review of Exotica Zombie, I didn’t even wanna write this! Sheesh.

I’ve got kind of a big nose, and people have asked if I was Italian all my life because my last name sounds like it. I’m not. I’m Hispanic. There’s a funny story about this Italian/Spanish stuff, but I won’t bore you with that. Ask me if you see me. I said all that to say, I’ve got a big nose, and I’ve been told that helps the whole you-could-pass-for-Italian bit, so when I stuck my beak into the glass, I got a nose full! It smelled like an ultra light pale ale from the dry hopping. Spicy, floral, and clee-eee-eean.

The irony here is Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pilsner is more German or American. German Pilsner malt, German Yeast, German hops, American water… but the thing that makes it Italian is the dry-hopping. Whatever, take me to Italy. Each sip starts off bright and clean. It evolves into a mildly bitter finish that’s both dry and full of the dry-hopped notes.

The clean finish is accentuated by the effervescent carbonation and medium-light body. Everything about this beer says drink one more, and I love it.

As I made my way through the evolution of a beer drinker, one of the first beers that caught my eye was Peroni Italian Pilsner. One of the first dates I remember with my (now) wife was at Tony Russo’s on 1960 and 290. We shared an Italian sausage, onion, bell pepper pizza, and my side had jalapeños, of course. I’ll never forget the taste of that Peroni. Equal Parts Gorlami reminds me a bit of Peroni, but it’s not quite as effervescent, and there’s a bit more body and none of the skunkiness from the green glass.

Equal Parts Gorlami used to to only be available at their Second Ward taproom, but I see it on grocery store shelves every now and then, and I grab another 4 pack to savor! Holler’s is dang good too, and I haven’t had Back Pew’s yet, but I’m for the Italian Pils year-round.

Beers to you, Houston! 🍻