Bronze in Italian Pilsener
Green Cheek Beer Co., Costa Mesa, CA
Hops
Tasting Notes
Wonderfully aromatic with a dried lemon zest vibe along with some sage. The body is light on the palate, but the hops fill it out to create a wonderful tannin…
| Form | Use | Farm or Lot | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saphir | Saphir | Not Found | Not Found | German grown | greencheekbeer.com |
Aroma
Juniper, lemongrass, bergamot, strawberry, black tea
Grown by
Not Found
Zombi Shark Fight is an Italian-style pils hopped with Saphir, brewed at Green Cheek Beer Co.'s Costa Mesa, California, brewery and named in homage to a 1970s Italian horror film.
| Category | Medal | Entries | Brewery | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52, Italian-Style Pilsener | Bronze (3rd place) | 77 | Green Cheek Beer Co. (Costa Mesa) | Costa Mesa, CA |
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Italian-Style Pils w/ Saphir | Green Cheek: beer descriptions |
| ABV | 5.2% | Green Cheek: beer descriptions |
| IBU | Not Found | Not Found |
| Hops | Saphir (German-grown) | Green Cheek: beer descriptions |
| Malts and grains | Italian coastal barley | Green Cheek: beer descriptions |
| Yeast | Not Found | Not Found |
| Adjuncts, fruit, spices | none listed | Not Found |
| Other | Listed in the beer descriptions section; not on the to go menu | Green Cheek: beer descriptions |
Wonderfully aromatic with a dried lemon zest vibe along with some sage.
Source: Green Cheek: beer descriptions
Wonderfully aromatic with a dried lemon zest vibe along with some sage. The body is light on the palate, but the hops fill it out to create a wonderful tannin structure and a legit snappy bite in the finish.
Source: greencheekbeer.com
The brewery's description credits brewer Max at the Costa Mesa site with using Italian coastal barley and German-grown Saphir hops, which it says add tannin structure to a light body and a snappy finish (Green Cheek: beer descriptions). No yeast is named.
| Hop as Published | Variety | Form | Use | Lot or Farm | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saphir | Saphir | Not Found | Not Found | German grown | greencheekbeer.com |
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Color (SRM) | Not Found | Not Found |
| Original gravity | Not Found | Not Found |
| Final gravity | Not Found | Not Found |
| Water | Not Found | Not Found |
| Process | Not Found | Not Found |
As category context only, the Brewers Association guideline for Italian-Style Pilsener calls for assertive, crisp and aromatic hop character, 4.5 to 5.3 percent ABV, 25 to 50 IBU and 3 to 4 SRM. The published 5.2% ABV fits; IBU cannot be checked.
| Year | Competition | Category | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Great American Beer Festival | Italian-Style Pilsener | Gold |
| 2026 | Great American Beer Festival | Italian-Style Pilsener | Bronze |
Generated from the loaded results for this brewery and beer name, not researched separately; years not loaded are not covered.
Green Cheek Beer Co. is in Costa Mesa, CA. Brewery type in Open Brewery DB: Brewpub.
Links checked 2026-10-14: Website, Instagram.