Prima Pils
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown

Prima PilsPrima Pils
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From:
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
German Pilsner
Ranked #29
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
90
Ranked #9,592
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 11.94%
Reviews:
2,187
Ratings:
5,522
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 26, 2024
Added:
Jul 27, 2001
Wants:
  339
Gots:
  955
Prima! It’s a German exclamation of joy. It’s a recognition of accomplishment. It’s what escaped from our lips the first time we sampled this mighty pilsner recipe. With heaps of whole flower European hops and fine German malts, we achieved the bracing herbal bite and smooth malt flavor that we sought. Prima… an exclamation of Victory! Prost!

44 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by RoyalT:
Photo of RoyalT
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan

4.46/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - Very light in color with a beautiful foamy head that left a gorgeous lacing on my glass.

Smell - Light, grassy hop aroma with a balancing sweetness. It looks and smells like a pils, but how does it taste?

Taste - I've found it very frustrating that American brewers can't seem to mimick the exceptional smoothness and traditional flavors of a German Pils. This one hits the nail on the head.

The malt flavors are in the background, of course. The grassy and floral hops caress the tongue gently but distinctly. There's some sweetness to be had, but it's the signature hop flavor that leads this one to the Promise Land.

Mouthfeel - Masterfully light and smooth. Be careful of your first sip - you might empty the glass with it.

Drinkability - I used to love drinking a pils outside in the middle of the day, walking around cobblestone Bavarian streets in search of the tastiest bratwurst stand. This one takes me back. Another winner from Victory!

Update - I first rated this with a 2003 vintage to thought it would be fun to re-review it with an '04. This really is an amazing Pils. It's on the big side, mind you, but has to be one of the best session beers sold in the US. I'm upping my Drinkability rating by half a point and praying to the empty bottle.

Update - I took a studious look at this beer again in 2009. Six years now I've been drinking this Pils and it hasn't lost it's luster. I reviewed three bad beers in a row tonight, dumping most of them in the sink, so need something reliable.

The Prima Pils is just a beautiful beer. The head especially comes up just right and is one of the prettiest beer toppings I've ever seen in my life. The rest of the beer is top-notch as previously reviewed, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better American-made effort at the style.
Oct 08, 2003
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by AbeO

Feb 26, 2024
Photo of DDiFran
Reviewed by DDiFran from Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: straw with a slight haze. Thin white head with decent lace
S: not getting a strong smell. Some bread but this weather is affecting my sense of smell
T: crisp. Biscuit with pine hop finish. Very tasty
F: crisp. Might be slightly too cold
O: solid Pilsner.
Feb 22, 2024
 
Rated: 3.75 by PaleAleWalt from New York

Jan 17, 2024
Photo of untitledeuphoria
Rated by untitledeuphoria from New York

3.79/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Not the best, not the worst. Solidly above average in the world of craft pilsners.
Dec 27, 2023
Photo of Davidstan
Rated by Davidstan from Alabama

4.36/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Great pils!
Dec 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.05 by Jcreason569 from Washington

Nov 11, 2023
Photo of AGU313
Reviewed by AGU313 from Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A: yellow gold, full head, slight haze, tiny bubbles
S: fruity, bready
T: hop forward, some malt
M: full and foamy, crisp
O: great example of the style
Oct 29, 2023
Photo of MrOH
Reviewed by MrOH from Maryland

4.56/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Brilliantly clear light gold, dense white head, excellent retention, rings of lace
Herbal/floral/spicy hops over bready malt
Flavor follows aroma, clean bitter finish
Light bodied and appropriate carbonation
This was my after work beer for a bit, surprised I hadn't reviewed it before. One of the best made German pils in the US.
Oct 28, 2023
 
Rated: 2.9 by HabaJohnTheReal1 from Illinois

Oct 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Taenim from Maine

Oct 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by ctbeerman1 from Connecticut

Sep 05, 2023
 
Rated: 3.72 by sbradley41 from Pennsylvania

Aug 26, 2023
Photo of Tomx
Reviewed by Tomx from New York

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I like a pilsner with a little funk, that taste of the cellar or cave and Prima has a little funk. It also has a slight skunkyness which I am less enamored with. But the slight skunkyness is dissolved by the hoppy bite at the end. All in all one of the best pilsners I've had. and one of my favorite brews.
Jul 30, 2023
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.16/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is generally considered an American classic take on German pilsner, and there's a darn good reason for it.

There's a wonderful hoppy bite, but it carries the almost spicy neutrality of Noble hops, not the over the top citrus or tropical fruit of New World varietals. It's hoppy and bitter, but it's by no means an IPL. Drinks crisp and clean, with a bready, grainy deliver of the malt bill. Fairly dry finish.

It's also less complex than the best pilsners, but at the same time, it's not exactly a low volume boutique offering. Getting this kind of quality from a readily available six pack is, frankly, pretty impressive.
Jul 30, 2023
Photo of highdesertdrinker
Reviewed by highdesertdrinker from Arizona

4.02/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The second time I’ve had this so time to review. Pours a golden orange with good head. Smells a little funky, skunky, and sweet. Tastes like citrus, a little spicy, grassy, a little skunky but it’s a good skunk, and a nice bitterness from the german hops. A good pilsner and a refreshing beer, cheers!
Jul 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.7 by HarlotBronte from District of Columbia

Jul 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.85 by craigbelly from Iowa

Jul 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by dd53grif from Michigan

Jul 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.5 by db9000

Jul 07, 2023
Prima Pils from Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 5522 ratings