Pilsner for the People

Down here in Texas, lagers still are king. Considering the great influx of German/Czech influence on the food culture, from BBQ to Sausage making, no less so for Beer.

I prefer the Czech style Pilsner with Saaz hops over the German style. Bright, flavorful, bitterness with clean finish. The color of straw and nice off white head. Two of my favorites are local: Live Oak Pilz and Saint Arnold's 5 O'Clock Pils. Real Ale's Hans' Pils is also a good go-to in a pinch.

When it's a 100 degree day down here, the cracking of an ice cold Pilsner makes the heat go away fast.

 

I think "hype" is being confused with what is selling well. You are never going to see people lined up at a brewery waiting for their next Pilsner release, but what you will see (I know this, because I do it every time I buy beer) is more and more people getting a sixer of craft Pils to go along with their huge IPA/Stout/Sour. The thought process is that as more people steer away from BudMillerCoors, they still want a light drinkable beverage. So I am not surprised at all that this trend is starting to grow some legs.

 

Here, here! I'm with you!

 

Just tried that Hofbrauhaus on my recent trip from NJ to Pittsburgh. What a beautiful setting on the river! And that trip was all capped off the following night by the Penguins Stanley Cup-winning victory over the Nashville Predators. Go Pens! ("They throw catfish; we throw parades!")

 

Over the past few years I've seen in my area SEPA at least, a number of higher and higher quality traditional Pils and helles lager. Started w/ Trauger Pils from Neshaminy Creek, then Shoat from Sterling Pig in Media and finally Prosim Pils from St Benjamin in No, Philly. All express noble hop goodness.
Also I was blown away by Iron Hill's Wildcat Lager which I think is a helles. Really well done.

 

I highly recommend Stammtisch, a German pilsner from Urban Chestnut.

 

Out here on the Left Coast this has been accelerating for the last 3 years. A great craft pilsner is a beer of beauty even though some may technically be lagers. Also the emergence of Helles and Kolsch styles have attributed to poundable session bliss without feeling like you made out with a marijuana tree. Figuaroa Mnt. Paradise Pils or Pizza Port are my favorite Pils, for lagers its Craftsman 1903, Helles Nikasa, and Kolsch Figuaroant. Rt.101. BBQ plus any craft pils, lager, helles, or Kolsch is magic.

 

I'm pretty sure there is much more craft lager brewed than hazy IPA right now, and pretty sure the haze craze is not in its last breaths. Also, doppelbocks have been esteemed in America in the past decades and barrel-aged versions still get high ratings. I love pilsner and will always be saddened when it's called expensive PBR by craft drinkers who only want explosive flavor, but let's not blame other craft styles and trends for lager's perceived deficiency by craft drinkers. Let's blame macro American bastardization of lager for over 100 years (and Prohibition) for making people think it's your Grandpa's boring beer. That's what I talk about in this article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefan-anderson/the-tiny-past-of-the-ubiq_b_9789550.html

 

Also at fault is the difficulty and training required to make consistently excellent lagers. Couple that with the fermenter space taken up with them and you can see why they're not as popular as ales, especially for small, local craft breweries whose fermenter space is at a premium.

 

Same here. In my 15+ years of loving craft beer, I've been on every hype train there is (except the NEIPA style... just can't fall in love with those) and I find myself more impressed with a well made pilsner (and other lagers) than anything anymore. Super easy to find a good IPA. Very tough to find a brewery doing a great pilsner.

Cheers!

 

Drank Moonlight Reality Czech everyday when I was in SF last year.

 

It's a lot harder to make a good pilsner than a good ale because you can't hide imperfection in a pilsner. So, when you have the opportunity to have one of the classics (Budvar, Hofbrau Original, August Schell's Pils, Yuengling Traditional) to name a few, always take it because you will be drinking perfection.

 

I remember that 'plea' from a couple of years back, and it mirrored my own personal hope that Pilseners and lagers would enjoy a rekindling of interest in the craft beer universe. I typically have at least one of them on hand in the fridge, more so during the warm months. ... One of my current favorites is Pilsner Urquell, but only in the tall boy-sized cans (with the commemorative labeling that celebrates their very long history). If consumed at the right temperature, it's got a nice, snappy edge, and has plenty of body to it, making it a good pairing with food. Na zdravi!

 

Oh yes, I do miss Pittsburgh's pilsners!

 

For me this article was spot on... almost couldn't believe what I was reading... something I could have written if having the knowledge and expertise. I love the German lagers (helles, dunkels/Schwarzbier, 'maibock, festbier (oktoberfest) and especially the rauchbier). Not exactly a big German pils fan, although a few very good ones have been litered, but lean to the Czech pils as the golden standard.

 

I have to say that most of the newish American craft-beer pilsners I've tried have fairly missed the mark. Clean, crisp and refreshing is one goal, but I'm seeking the richer, golden, malty, Saazy complexity of good old-fashioned Bohemian beers made with floor-malted traditional barley mashed through rests and/or decoctions. Those of us who remember what Pilsner Urquell and Budweiss once were like are not looking for lawnmower beer!

 

My wife and I stayed in a nice inn/restaurant in Slovakia several years ago across the Danube River from Hungary. About six beers were listed on the menu. I started from the top (least expensive) and after a two was completely unsatisfied so skipped to the bottom for the most expensive one, a Plzenský Prazdroj. The bottle delivered to the table was a Pilsner Urquell but throughout Slovakia, Czech Republic and northern Hungary the name used is Plzenský Prazdroj which you see on red stamp on the label.

 

I love Pils. Just try and find Sunshile Pils in a lot of places not just down here. My dad got me a case at a place in Levittown that's a huge volume distributor, he got 3 cases in. So it's either brewed in small batches or its so popular they try to distribute over a larger area. Either way it wasn't easy to get in volume. I had one the other day and yo be honest the Hoppiness surprised me, it almost might pass for a pale ale, but side by side with Trauger I can't pick a favorite. For this style I really really love Fest beers, I love the bready notes the subtle hops, and as much as I love the PA Pils the Hoppiness pushes pale ale levels, but not quite. I'm really liking these beers above most IPAs.

 

And that is indeed a good problem to have.

If you ever get a chance while visiting the area try a St. Benjamin Pilsner Procim. The Philly area just gets better and better when it comes to Pilsners.

Cheers!

 

Yeah, we have so many to choose from lately that I just tend to get what's freshest. I've got 6 week old Trauger in the house now, and it's so damn good.