Sierra Nevada Pils

I had seen a few social media posts this past week about draft releases of this but curious on the package release approach they will use later in the year. Certainly interesting is the can size (8.4 oz). Will it be only DTC or will it see retail distribution? Hope the latter, anyway.

 

An ‘interesting’ story on the label:

“I’ve enjoyed beers all over the world, but there is something special about a proper Pilsner at a European Pub.”

Well, I can agree with that! I had many a “proper Pilsner” in pubs in the Czech Republic. One example being a ½ litter mug of Únětické Pivo 12° at the brewery’s beer garden:



“…served in a smaller glass to keep it at the ideal temperature and flavor – it’s how Pils is meant to be enjoyed.” Hmm? I can sorta get the concept of a smaller glass to ensure the beer is not warm for the last few sips. Reminds me of how they serve draft Kölsch in Cologne (Koln), Germany but I haze zero issues of drinking Pilsners in non-small glasses (e.g., ½ liter mugs in the Czech Republic.

There are also some interesting details in the linked article:

“Outside of Sierra Nevada’s sour (Wild Little Thing) and wheat beer (Kellerweis), it’s the lowest on the International Bitterness Units scale — which measures bitterness — of any beer in the portfolio at 25, including Sierra's previous attempts at pilsners (Nooner, Southern Gothic Unfiltered, Foam), which were all 36 IBU and above.”

It appears that at 25 IBUs, they are seeking easy drinking with this brand. The value of 25 IBUs is on the low end for a German Pilsner and almost in the range for a Helles.

“The beer, which is being distributed to select markets across the U.S. this month (including San Francisco) for its draft-only launch, will be available in a packaged version later this year, according to the company.”

It would seem that unless you are in a “select market” it will be a while until this beer is available.

Cheers!

P.S. In today's NBW thread I discussed a Bohemian (Czech) Pilsner that was brewed locally (Von C Brewing):

 

Image courtesy of mybeerbuzz.com


https://mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com/2025/01/sierra-nevada-adding-premium-pils-craft.html

 

To double check: Sierra Nevada Pils will later this year be released in two can formats? A 12 ounce can and an 8.4 ounce can?

Cheers!

 

You mean image courtesy of the federal government (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau). Shoot, I've hosted scores of their label images on imgur and posted them on the forum and neglected to thank them as well. Guilty as charged.

 

Good question. Looks like there are two approved labels as you mention. Guessing the 12 oz might be more for retail distribution possibly? Will be interesting to see how the 8.4 oz packaging is sold.

 

I dont know about "later this year." This should be a spring or summer product. Im not too familiar with Sierra Nevada's history of pilsners. I only know Summerfest and Nooner and those were good. Waiting for Summerfest to show up this year.

 

Sierra has pretty much priced me out I'm seeing 13.99 6pk at my stores and that's just for pale ale. Pils has been over done by every brewery same with Helles beers, Now if they did a Dunkles now that's something else.

 

In parts of Germany I've gotten pilsners served in an especially small'ish (but tall) pils glass that only holds around 10oz. Typically those are the places where they give you a bottle and a glass. Still, even in those cases you still have the other few ounces still in the glass and they're still well over 8.5oz. I dunno. They're saying it's to keep things at the ideal temperature, so hopefully the places serving it have lots of Köbes.

 

I don't think it's based on a glass size, but what can manufacturers offer.

Only catch with that idea, tho' - some (but not all) of those cans are listed as 250ml/8.3 oz.
https://www.crowncork.com/beverage-packaging/products/beverage-cans/83oz-250ml-standard
https://www.ardaghmetalpackaging.co...ortal/can-templates/design-format-slim-250ml/

EDIT- Hmmm...maybe not. Ball Corp's SLIM can labeled 250ml/8.4 ounce.

 

John, another example from the ‘olden days’ is the sham glass. I have three of these sorts of glasses from past beer festivals (see photo below). For science I took out my graduated cylinder (@moodenba ), filled them to the brim with water, and they measure out to 6 ounces.

These are the sorts of beer glasses that would have been used by my father at the ‘corner bar’. My understanding of their utility was both to ensure that the consumed beers (e.g., an AAL like Schmidt’s) were always cold but also so the bar could provide an economical product (maybe 15 cents a beer?). I have no personal experience here so maybe some of the BA elders can provide better insight here.

Cheers!



And an example of a glass with a brewery logo:

 

John, it would appear that draft beer in a sham glass is before our time:

“There was a time in America when the vast majority of draught beer was served in a sham pilsner, a flat bottom glass with a sort of hour-glass cut designed to mimic the look of more expensive footed pilsner glasses. The sham pilsner is still used in some locations, but in many it has been replaced by the “pint,” which often is really not a true pint—holding something less than 16 ounces of beer.”

https://allaboutbeer.com/not-any-glass-will-do/

I am still awaiting a post from one of the BA Elders to regal us by telling how they used to go to Kelsey's Bar and buy draft glasses of (insert cheap AAL brand name here) for a dime (or some other spare change value).

Cheers!

 

Yeah, but that's also the case with 12 oz. cans ("355ml" actually 354.882ml) and 16 oz. cans ("473ml" actually 473.176ml).

US malt beverage labeling law:

So I guess US brewers set their fill quantity for the ounces listed, rather than the milliliters.

 

For completeness, back in the day you could also get draft beer in larger containers. I wonder what was the price for a pail of draft beer!?!