Best Lagers in 2013

I haven't had a ton of "new" lagers this year, although Prost has only been open a year, so they've been my lager highlight for the last 12 months.
Great Divide's Wolfgang doppelbock was surprisingly tasty, too. It's one of the best American spins on the the style I've had.
People are speaking pretty highly of the FW Pivo Pils thus far, but I haven't seen it yet.
In terms of the classics, pretty much all of the lagers I've had from Bavaria have been top notch. That is their specialty after all. Saying that is easier than listing 'em all off. If I had to choose favorites, the Andechs Doppelbock is my favorite of the stronger ones and Augustiner Hell & Mahr's U are my favorite milder lagers.

 

PRIMA PILS is still up there for me,
but
Jack's Abby's Lagers are all solid.
Singlecut Beersmith's Jan Olympic White and their Dark Lyric Lagrrr! are also great newer ones.
I also enjoyed the Austin Beerworks Black Thunder

Still enjoy Brooklyn Lager especially at a baseball game..

Most dont enjoy Smoked beers, but Schlenkerla lagers are some of my favorites, just not the best in the Summer

 

Spaten is my favorite of the Munich Helles lagers. For some reason Augustiner's Helles doesn't do it for me (I think their Edelstoff Export is much better). I still have to track down a Löwenbräu Helles for the tasting to be complete though. Here in Germany Spaten comes in brown bottles, so that's not as much of a concern.

 

Prima pils is just a tad hoppy for me (for a pils, I do like a good IPA)
I like
DFH My Antonia
CCB Helles
SA Noble Piles
SA Summer
And others that aren't coming to mind
Its nice having something a little lighter and more refreshing when its 90+ deg and 95% humidity

 

Jacks abbey ABC's

 

Anything from Jack's Abby, especially Hoponius Union and Kiwi Rising
Troegs Sunshine Pils
DFH My Antonia

 

+1 to Great Divide's Wolfgang Doppelbock. A few months ago I was at one of my favorite beer bars. One of the bartenders (Kevin) told me that he really liked that beer; so I said give me one. I really enjoyed that beer and I ordered another one. I looked for bottled versions of Wolfgang Doppelbock at my local beer stores but I was unsuccessful in finding it.

Great Divide really nailed the Doppelbock style with that beer!

Cheers!

 

Jack's Abby Hoponius Union and The ABCS. I've found their Leisure Time Lager to be a refreshing option on a hot day.

 

Jack's Abbey.... End the discussion now. 100% lagers coming out of this place. They make world class lagers.

Framinghammer and Kiwi Rising are as good as any beer out there. Simply the best of any style.

They are killing it!

 

And you get a GOlD STAR for the day.

 

I can't wait for the JA new DIPL being released on June 20th

 

They should send those brown bottles over here!

As far as the Augustiner goes, the Edelstoff is all we get over here and that's the one I was referring to. My understanding is that it is an 'export' version of their regular Helles at 5.5% as opposed to 5%- the alcohol being bumped up just a bit to make it stand up to travelling a little better.

 

I see. Augustiner's Helles and Edelstoff Export are two different beers here. It's pretty common for a German brewery to offer an Export version of the Helles, even within Germany. The "Export" tag here is not literal, it's more of a style indicator.

 

Thanks. I'd love to be able to compare and contrast all of those beers on their home turf, that's for sure. Cheers!

 

Spaten used to be on tap in the lobby of the Arliington Hotel in Hot Springs Arkansas. It was good, as I remember. My favorite Spaten is their Oktoberfest.

 

Jack's Abby The ABCs has been a solid discovery this year.

 

Cricket Hill East Coast Lager and you can get it fresh at the brewery.

 

Have a hard time finding Munich Gold around here for some reason, but that is easily one of my favorites. A local restaurant puts it on tap from time to time and I could drink that for weeks.

I haven't pulled the trigger on Sam Smith's lagers yet surprisingly but based on all the love they're getting may have to make a beer run today to snag a bottle or two.

 

Is a lager a barrel aged stout? Or is it an imperial IPA?

 

Budweiser
umad?

 

Pivo Pils all day, with Anchor California Lager a very close second. Two of my favorite beers so far this year.

 

A homebrewed Classic American Pilsner!

 

Just tried Wright Pils and find that it is not as close to Bavarian pils as a Jever or similar beer,not bad just not there yet,but still a good summer time beer.Cheers

 

There it is! Fine looking beer, Jack. Prost!

 

The Bruery Humulus is outlandish material. Labomba.

 

you should know the difference between a lager and ale.

 

Death and Taxes from moonlight, perhaps not a great summer choice, but it's still cool in San Francisco. I figure it's the best euro dark lager I'm ever going to drink. mmm roasty dark chocolate...

Lunatic lager also from moonlight, really anything from moonlight is great. Happy he's going to open up a growler fill room soon.

 

Your obviously right please enlighten me as to the difference between a lager and an ale since I clearly have know idea. Or perhaps I simply misspoke. Luckly for all the "human" members of BA we have you to point out our mistakes. A second GOLD STAR for the day.

 

Pilsner Urquell in the twelve pack, Budweiser Black Crown, Konig Pilsner are my go-to three lagers!

 

look it up marty mcfly. MCFLY!!!!

 

Back at'cha (in the true definition of the term).

 

Hofbrau Original and Stoudt's Gold always works for me.

 

Agreed. They are one of the emerging top lager brewers in the US. I like all their beers.
My favorites:Framinghammer Baltic Porter - Bourbon Barrel Aged,Saxonator Dunkles Doppelbock, and Hoponius Union, and The ABCS

 

It tasted very good to me.

 

Encore!!! Chris from beergeek nation on Youtube recently reviewed The ABCs and Hoponius Union.
So the brewery is finally getting more national exposure.

 

They can "end the discussion" when they produce a a straight-up non-geekified lager that's in the same stratosphere of German classics & other highly regarded US ones mentioned in earlier posts. I like Hoponius Union & a few others from JA, but Jabby Brau is pretty underwhelming for most long-time lager fans.

I've started to see Weihenstephaner Original a lot recently where I live - one of the best IMO.

 

Hoponius Union has set the bar high!

 

Also JA is 2 for 2 on DIPL. Kiwi Rising is ridiculous and ABCS is a bitter beer fan's dream! Can't wait for 2nd anniversary DIPL.

 

I really like just about all styles of beer, however lagers/pilseners are the best to session! I'm having a Sierra Nevada Summerfest right now. I think it's technically a Czech style Pils, solid beer I would give that a whirl if you have never had it.