Scrimshaw Pilsner
North Coast Brewing Co.


- From:
- North Coast Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- German Pilsner
Ranked #316 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #28,798 - Avg:
- 3.78 | pDev: 12.17%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 811
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 05, 2026
- Added:
- Nov 16, 2001
- Wants:
- 106
- Gots:
- 405
Named for the delicate engravings popularized by 19th century seafarers, Scrimshaw is a fresh tasting Pilsner brewed in the finest European tradition using Munich malt and Hallertauer and Tettnang hops. Scrimshaw has a subtle hop character, a crisp, clean palate, and a dry finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GreesyFizeek:
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.15/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.15/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottle purchased at Fattey Beer Company in Rochester, NY.
This one pours a fairly clear golden yellow, with a small head, and lots of lacing.
This smells like floral and spicy hops, slightly sweet crackery malt, and lemon peel.
I haven’t honestly thought about this brewery in forever, so I was quite happy to see them in the cooler at one of my favorite local bars. This is solid, unexciting, but well crafted. There’s a nice floral, spicy, and just lightly sweet character, with just enough crackery malt to help prop up the body of this one.
This is light bodied, clean, crisp, and quite drinkable.
This feels pretty classic and quite tasty.
Jul 31, 2025This one pours a fairly clear golden yellow, with a small head, and lots of lacing.
This smells like floral and spicy hops, slightly sweet crackery malt, and lemon peel.
I haven’t honestly thought about this brewery in forever, so I was quite happy to see them in the cooler at one of my favorite local bars. This is solid, unexciting, but well crafted. There’s a nice floral, spicy, and just lightly sweet character, with just enough crackery malt to help prop up the body of this one.
This is light bodied, clean, crisp, and quite drinkable.
This feels pretty classic and quite tasty.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by blueshawk69 from Kansas
3/5 rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
(review from May 2017) Very light on the palate but decent mouthfeel with a subtle malty/bready/straw-like flavor. Very quaffable & refreshing American pilsner.
Apr 05, 2026Rated by Luketheduke from California
5/5 rDev +32.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +32.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
The best beer you can get outside of Germany. Honestly better than some German light lagers.
Feb 26, 2026Reviewed by Some_Beer_Sometimes from California
3.79/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A moderate amount of fluffy foam tops a clear golden body. Smells like yeast, toasted bread, and grass. Tastes like lemon, yeast, and toasted bread/cracker. The hops mostly have a grassy and floral character, with a bit of white pepper. Pretty dry with a medium body. Classic and very solid.
Oct 01, 2025Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.68/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
RB transfer
Aug 06, 2025Reviewed by vincentalexluna
3.24/5 rDev -14.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.24/5 rDev -14.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bought a tall can of this and cracked it open. Honestly didn’t look at it much because I drank it from a can. It smells of clean barley malt, but with a actual glance at hops. The first sip greeted me with some hops and mild carbonation, and a very clean, non-sticky mouthfeel. The hop profile taste a bit woody, not super sweet or exotic and floral. Just a hint of clean hops against the backdrop of clean malt. I didn’t adore at first, as I thought it was a bit boring. But I kept drinking it, and appreciated how I could probably keep drinking more of them if I wanted to do so. I also wanted to add that I would take this over standard macro lager any time I could. Still shocked that “craft lagers” aren’t more common in stores around here. Overall, this beer has a nice hit of hops so you’re not completely bored, but is also excessively approachable. This was also my first german pilsner I’ve drank, I still need to try czech pilsner. Overall, good.
Aug 05, 2025Reviewed by fumobici from Washington
3.66/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a rich gold, nice head that leaves some lacing. Smells of malt and noble hops with a little fruitiness. Taste follows the nose, very little hop bitterness but pleasant. Overall, a nice pilsner but nothing outstanding. I think this got a first-mover advantage vs. other US craft pilsners and the earlier ratings reflect that. For a California pilsner, this is no match for Trumer Pils (which to be fair is a high bar to clear).
Jul 25, 2025Reviewed by BeerEssentials96 from Texas
3.53/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours golden with a relatively thick, bubbly head. Aroma is mostly bready with a little bit of hay, a touch a funk, and a nip of sweetness. Taste basically follows suit, fairly bready with a bit of honey-like sweetness and slight malt. Really nothing special.
Jun 29, 2025
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