Pilsners!

Very good, and I'm happy that I pointed out your bias and generalization, that's all. You are not talking specifics, so no need to go into it. I too shall stick by my point in that there are American pils' that are better than some German versions and can absolutely stand up next to them..... and I base that on my own experiences too.

Have a nice day.

 

I also like the system of reviewing in Sight &Sound.

 

Xenophobia, Xenophillia, they both abound.

 

Opposites attract, right?

 

Or birds of a feather flock together. Take your pick.

 

Ok, that doesn't mean I am out to trash US pilseners. And I agree there are some American pilseners that are better than crappier German ones, but if we are comparing the best American pilseners to the best German counterparts there is no contest, and if we are doing a generalized look it is also no contest.

 

jinx proof by 3floyds. i think its a pilsner

 

Funny you mention that beer, because when I said "there's some decent examples of American hefeweizens" I had Kellerweis and Dreamweaver Wheat in mind. And I certainly was not referring to any of the "American Wheat Pale Ales", I dislike most from that "style." I don't think either Kellerweis or Dreamweaver can compete with fresh Weihenstephaner. That being said, more often than not I pick up Kellerweis because I can get it fresher than Weihenstephaner.

 

“That being said, more often than not I pick up Kellerweis because I can get it fresher than Weihenstephaner.” I do the same. Nothing beats “FRESH”.

Cheers!

 

Ah, I also forgot Penn Weizen, I discovered that last year and really dug it. Can't find freshness dates on these bottles though. I've also tried Penn Dark which was very easy to drink, and the Penn Pilsner. The Penn Pilsner tasted like apple cider to me, so I've never purchased it again. Would love to try Penn Gold. Anyone think any of these are fair examples of their respective German styles?

 

Penn Pils is pretty good and shouldn't taste like apple cider. If you want to know good ones from the US try Olde Mecklenburger, Live Oak, New Glarus, these are the best ones I have had.

 

It's listed as Vienna Lager, if I can get some fresh that isn't apple cider, should it taste like a pils or a Vienna Lager? Unfortunately none of the others are distributed to my area, I'd kill to be able to get New Glarus/Live Oak though.

 

oops I meant the Kaiser Pils, i dk if I have had the other one. Yeah, you will have to trade for those but it is worth it.

 

The Penn Pils is indeed a Vienna Lager. The Pilsner from Penn Brewing is Kaiser Pils.

I think that Kaiser Pils is good. I much prefer Sly Fox Pikeland Pils, Victory Prima Pils, Stoudt’s Pils and Troegs Sunshine Pils over Kaiser Pils. That is just my opinion.

Cheers!

 

We should meet up sometime. I think Prima is fine, an old school Northern German Pilsner in my book. The ones of today are actualy dumbed down and are not as crisp and assertive as they were 14 years back when I lived in Germany, or to the 80's when the brewers at Victory were doing their travels in Germany. I was just back in the Vaterland and even Jever did not have the intense dry and bitter finish it had when I lived there.

If you guys look up the last World Beer Cup, you will see that the Gold in Pilsner went to Sierra Nevada. That was brewed by the pilot brewer, and he had been making batches for years to dial lit in (R&D for those that say they want more R&D). I had one in Chico and it was a great Pilsner. This is not in the SN production lineup.

 

Yup, Prima Pils is an excellent ‘old school’ Pilsner:

“7. Victory Prima Pils – You might not expect to find a pilsner on this list of divine hoppy brews, but we would be remiss to exclude one of the greatest liquid treats of our time in Victory Brewing‘s Prima Pils. With boatloads of divine hops, the secret to this beer is in striking a distinct balance in the hops and steering from unleashing too much grassiness of skunkiness exhibited in many overly hopped American-brewed pilsners. Victory brewmaster Ron Barchet says “Prima is a term used in Germany to mean ‘excitingly good’ literally. Generally when you taste a Prima Pils, you are going to have this exclamation of joy.” Barchet and fellow Victory brewmaster Bill Coveleski traveled throughout Germany in the late 80′s in search of the perfect recipe. With Prima, they found it. A New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov dubbed this beer as the best Pilsner in the world. Big words that the 5.3% pale lager backs with 2-row German pale malt and German and Czech whole hops. The beer is bolstered by a double hopping of Saaz hops and then with Northern Brewer hops from Germany.”

http://brewpublic.com/beer-releases/50-must-try-hoppy-beers/#more-22835

Cheers!

 

Good for you. I think you may be one of the very few people in these discussions who is willing to acknowledge that the preferences of German beer drinkers and the "classic" German styles and recipes have not been completely stagnant over the last 20-50 years.

 

Anyone else base the change in season on Sierra's seasonal releases? Celebration=Christmas, Bigfoot=spring, Summerfest=summer, Tumbler=fall.

It seriously makes me happy when a new one comes out.

 

Except Victory didn't open it's doors until 1996, and this also only describes what "old school Northern German pilsners" were. This leaves out other parts of Germany, and Czech pilsners. I'm not sure when Hopdevil/Hop Wallop came out, but it is entirely possible they figured the beer scene was slowly gearing towards hoppier offerings, and adjusted Prima Pils accordingly. It's also possible the recipe was created back in the late 80s in Germany, and then was finally brewed for Victory in 1996. I'd be inclined to believe the former, especially considering his training was in Weihenstephan. Which is a brewery that I doubt has changed recipes in any of their beers in the last 20 years.

Just playing devils advocate here.

 

Yes Pikeland Pils is very good and worth a try.