Let's talk Pilsners

I have to disagree. Anyone who has had Urquell in Prague or the cellars of the brewery in Pilzn know that this beer is exceptional. To say it is crap is absolute hyperbole.

 

New Glarus Two Women, Bent Paddle Venture Pils, Schell's Pils, SN Summer, Staropramen, Czechvar. Used to like Lagunitas Pils, but I feel like it's not as good it used to be. Maybe I've gotten some old bottles or something.

 

I would be willing to bet that Shelton Brothers is the importer of the Franconian beers you made mention of.

I have a beer bar local to me (Teresa’s Next Door) that throughout the year will have Franconian beer on tap (regular draft and cask). On several occasions I have had cask Kellerbier from Mahr's Bräu and Klosterbrauerei Weissenohe.

One November they had Firkin Fridays where they had a different Mahr's Bräu beer on cask. I missed two of those Fridays but I was able to have Mahr's Bräu Bock and Mahr's Bräu Ungespundet Lager on cask.

Much more frequently they have Franconian Lagers of ‘regular’ draft.

I enjoy drinking Franconian Lagers on ‘regular’ draft but those beer really ‘shine’ on cask IMHO.

Cheers!

 

Probably my favorites and the two I buy the most of in the spring and summer and are:

Lagunitas Czech Pils
FW Privo Pils

And oddly, I also like Steigl out of a can.

 

Great Divide Nomad is solid. It came out on top in our pils blind tasting.

Left Hand Polestar is also nice—strong on the hops.

My favorite is SA's Noble Pils, but now that Pilsner Urquell cold ships, I think theirs is extremely tasty and not very expensive.

 

Just recently got into pilsners and I'm loving Wernesgruner, especially the price. $5.99\sixer, seems I can only find it at Aldi's though.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3966/8653/

 

Vermont Pilsner by Lost Nation was excellent

 

What else did you have in that testing, and what were the other results?

 

I had a Smog City Lil Bo Pils yesterday since it was 80F in Los Angeles, and the beer was just perfect for the weather. That is right up there with Reality Czeck for me

 

When I saddled up to the bar at Lost Nation and had their pils, I had to call over the brewer (who was tending the bar) to tell him how much I enjoyed it (never felt the need to do something like that). Hearing him then talk so sincerely about it with me, saying how he babies that beer more than any other he makes… it was just great to see his enthusiasm around it. That’s what it’s all about, ya know?

 

Between this and all the love Kneitinger is getting in the Germany forum lately I guess I'm just going to have to order a 10er of the Pils and a 10er of the Dunkel. The nice thing about Germany...brewery-to-door delivery...

 

Narragansett Bohemian Pilsner is good stuff. Six packs of 16 oz. cans for $8 too!

Berkshire Brewing does a Czech Pils that runs $5 for a bomber, which is worth it in my eyes.

 

what I am planning on doing now... though get the .5l bottles and avoid the horrid green bottles

 

Mikkeller - The American Dream. It showed me how bad the Dutch regular pilsners taste. And Belgium, lots of German too.

 

Well, this has become a familiar thread topic lately -- and a welcome change of pace!

Worth mentioning in brief the Thirtieth Anniversary Pilsner series from August Schell. Schell isn't widely-distributed (and maybe Charlie Finkel can help 'em with that...), but I'm sure some of the locals in their range will be willing to trade locals for locals: http://growlermag.com/august-schell-30th-anniversary-pils/

 

Southern Tier Krampus is very far from a traditional pilsner, but is very tasty nonetheless. Same goes for Great Lakes Silver and Gold.

I've always thought Bohemia was a really tasty Mexican-made Pilsner. Anybody agree?

 

Can't really go wrond with Czech pilseners...

 

True! Well, maybe when they sit in the distributor's warehouse for a year -or two- past their prime.

Two which I used to drink a good deal of are Kozel Premium and Rebel, neither of which is currently available in my local marketplace.

 

Felsenkeller Pils, Gemuender Pils. For something I can actually get in U.S., unskunked Jever, Noble Pils, and for an extreme Pils, Prima. Summerfest is decent for the price. I want to try the Sly Fox, I hear they're getting distro to VA.

 

I thought it was an imperial helles?