Pilsner Hate

I'm seeing more seasonal lagers but also lots of places adding at least one lager to their year round line up. Especially in warmer climes.
One of my favorite even comes in 6 packs for $8! That's downright competitive pricing right there

 

Ok.

Try Mason Jar outta Fuqua Varina distro is triad area and obviously Raleigh

 

For sure, at least for me. Summer is about lower alcohol more "refreshing" beers and the pils fits squarely into that category. I have a keg of Sunshine Pils at home right now and I've been crushing it, in fact it's almost empty. Nothing like doing yard work and coming in a pouring a nice cold pils. It just feels right.

 

I thought Pilsners were just loathed by small brewers because you can't charge 9 bucks a pint for a pils

 

I totally forgot about them. Thanks! I still need to make a trip out there.

 

I just bought a six, good stuff.

 

Not sure where in NC your are, but fresh summerfest can't be hard to find. I just tried the Burial Kolsch and that should be another fresh option that suits 95 degree afternoons

 

To repsond to OP's original question:

At least in the US, customers like big, bold flavors. We can see it in the beer reviews, the top rated pilsner of all time doesn't even sniff the Top 250 in beers.

In fact, the Top 250 can be broken down into stouts (almost all of them either barrel aged or with adjuncts or both), IPAs (bold flavors from the hops) or barleywines (again, mostly barrel aged).

For right or wrong, when US customers think of pilsners or lagers, their immediate thought goes to beers like Budweiser, Milwaukee's Finest or Keystone, not exactly great company to be in. And when they think of "premium" lagers, it's beers like Heineken.

Additionally, a lot of craft breweries just don't brew that many lagers/pilsners. It's a longer, more rigorous process where you can't simply add hops or adjuncts to mask weaknesses and customers immediately assume it should be sold for $5 a pint.

To me, the easiest way is to take people to either the Czech Republic or Germany so they can understand what a good lager/pilsner tastes like, but given that most people don't even travel outside the US....yeah.

 

responding to OP

I love a good pilsner. Over the past few years, i have become exhausted with crazy BA stouts (dont get me wrong, i still love some of them) and the NE IPA Haze craze. My beer buying has swung way back to some of the more simple/original styles. Heater Allen Pils made here in Oregon is simply fantastic

 

Have you tried Shadowclock from Burial. It has become the star in my fridge.

 

That's the first time I've seen the German accent described as "sophisticated"

 

It is all relative!

 

My love of the Pilsner has only continued to grow since this thread was started. I now always have at least one brand of pilsner in my fridge, and it is my second favorite and second most consumed beer style after IPA.

 

And this website is but a small, niche segment of the craft beer consumer side (and even then, people are more focused on subtle differences in taste, like tobacco and toffee, versus true subtlety like in lagers. Again, there's a reason that the top rated pilsner of all time can't even sniff the Top 250 and it's not because it's not well made.)

Go look at a beloved brewery like Tree House. Compare how many IPAs they'll have on tap versus lagers and pilsners. At best, you'll be lucky to see one lager or pilsner out there while there will be at least 4-5 different IPA options (the joke being that they're all the same IPA just renamed, but still).

For another example, there's a local bar near me that focuses on importing German beers like Weihenstephaner or Veltins and yet their most ordered beer is an IPA brewed by a local brewery.

American craft drinkers, like it or not, simply do not regard pilsners and lagers as highly as pale ales and stouts, and some of that is due to the more subtle flavor aspects of pilsners and lagers.

 

Wait, this web site? Or do you mean this thread?

 

But those are the only kind I have!

 

Always find it interesting when someone doesn’t really like a simple Lager or Pils, it kinda what we grow up on and desire something different as we get older. I can see if there’s an aversion to hoppy beers, and things like stouts and sours are preferred, but these lighter styles are usually the building block where most of us come from. But obviously not all, and I definitely support partake what you like, but I’m just curious how your beer drinking has evolved over the years, what you like, what you don't.

 

Obviously I love Pils, but there’s nothing better than sitting on a beach watching and listening to the waves break, tunes on and crushing a couple of Heady Toppers.

 

My brother is a Bud Light drinker and can’t get into craft beer. Whether it’s a New England IPA or a well brewed Pils.

I don’t really equate beers like Bud and Bud Light with Pilsners.

And then walk home?

 

I dont know alot about this but i have been drinking Miller High Life to safe money. I would like more flavor I have even been drinking it warm. But im sure there things you can do to add flavor. Mix it into more flavorful beers, boiler maker. I know in history they added spices... ive never done it buy if it saves you dough