For years I was advocating for more lagers from craft brewers. It was ales from floor to ceiling at the beer stores and across the tap handles of craft beer bars. Well, times have changed. There are pilsners everywhere. Every brewery is doing them. And you know what? Most of them suck. I mean, they don’t really suck, but for the money you’re dropping ($16/ four pack, $9 for a draft pull) they suck. Some are actually awesome (tip of the hat to Notch, Jack’s Abby, and Fix Farm), but most are beyond whack. Therefore, I recommend you follow the advice clearly given in the thread title.
Unless they become as ubiquitous as hazies, then I’m not too concerned. I’ll stick to Urquell unless I’m feeling adventurous.
Counterpoint: When you go to a brewery, don't you want them to have a lager as an option? Start the evening with a lager. Or have one as a palate cleanser between megahops and pastry stouts. I agree that craft attempts have varied, and even the good ones are a bit expensive. But I'd rather they exist.
Sorry Prov, but it sounds like you're just in the wrong place at the right time -- the lager Renaissance here in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin is providing many great ones I'd pick over Bitburger any day. Freshness and no Pasteurization are winning my budget right now.
Here we have Enegren. 11 bucks for a sixer of Nighthawk ( Shwarzbier), Valkyrie (Altbier) , Lightest One( Helles) and plenty others below 15 a 6 or 4 pack. The rest of the johnny come lately dildos can eat shit
I see more popping up around here too. Trumer is my go to with Moonlight Reality Czech for a special occasion as it's more expensive. I recently tried a single stovepipe that was new to me, Bare Bottle's Hella Hetchy, which is super flavorful for a 4% Pils. I would consider buying a six pack of Hella Hetchy but I do not see them being offered.
I couldn’t agree more @Providence all those places mentioned I enjoy and have tried. I never find them worth the cost, or any beer for that matter. The German prices are nuts, in a good way, but Tonewood, I only mention cause you’ve tried I get their lagers for $10-11 a six. Schilling and the likes, good yes, but are $15-16 a four pack, nope!
The days of $9.99 Jacks 6x16 I miss. Bitburger I have had once and enjoyed. No idea on price. We have a god amount of local Pils but as stated many are $14-18 for a 4x16. Not something I buy often. Enjoy
I’ve bitched before about Bitburger’s rating on this site, I think it had a 77 a while back, but it’s up to 80 now, so it’s moving in the right direction. I prefer it to ever American Pils short of Firestone Pivo, Like Guinness and Pilsner Urquell, I’d say Bitburger is pretty much flawless and deserves a perfect score. Bitburger runs $6.00 for a 4 pack of pints, that’s got to be the best bargain in beer!
I am not a fan of Bitburger. I'd take any one of the Great Lakes lagers if they were distributed here. I've settled on Aldi's German Pilsner. It's not the greatest beer, but I gave up trying to find a craft lager that hits the spot.
I don’t mind shelling out $15 for schilling. I don’t do it often, but I’m willing to from time to time because I know it’s good. I’m talking about all the other random breweries who are churning out pilsners left and right, none of which come close to what schilling, jacks Abby and notch can do, but all of which are priced similarly.
FYI - Dortmunder Gold has presence on Long Island at the moment, but its American character is evident compared to an import.
Never had a Bitburger in the US that actually tastes like Bitburger I’ve had in Germany. It’s pretty trashed by the time we drink it here. And isn’t it pasteurized?
I say we all move to Germany and pay $6 for a 6-pack of outstanding pils. And it sure wouldn't be Bitburger.
@Providence I don’t know if you can get pFriem Pilsner, but I think it’s pretty good and $12/6-pack at Total Wine.
