The BrewHaHa: Summer calls for light, exciting Pilsners

I’m not going to lie – the imminent end of the BrewHaha’s inaugural year is something that has caused me a great deal of emotional distress – enough emotional distress to drive me to drink fine beer at a far more rapid rate than usual. It has also made me think about how to send the BrewHaha off right, with dignity. So it was decided that the BrewHaha would properly prepare their diligent readers for the upcoming summer. 

When reminiscing about fond summer memories, whether they be lakeside, poolside or behind the counter of a fast food establishment, one can vividly picture the beers of the season: Corona, Budweiser, Coors Light—light beers that refresh and hydrate and aren’t weighed down by too much flavor. But beyond these cheaper counterparts is, of course, the world of fine craft brews. 

The Pilsner is one of the most popular American brew styles. Beers like Budweiser and Pabst are American Adjunct Lagers, which are essentially bastard brothers to the Pilsner as they are brewed with corn and rice rather than in the true German style with pure wheat. So, in order to prepare for the inevitable warm weather, here are our reviews on some of the finer Pils out there. Have a safe summer, my friends. Keep drinking.

Lagunitas PILS
Czech Style Pilsner, 5.3% ABV
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA

It’s true that I’m a sucker for Lagunitas. There’s something about having a “bite” to your beer that I absolutely love, and Lagunitas satisfies that craving. True to their typical brewing style, a Czech Pilsner is more bitter than the traditional German Pilsner—more like an ultra-light Pale Ale than a straight-up light beer.

Once you crack open one of these beauties, your nose is almost overwhelmed with lemony citrus and grassy, earthy herbs. There is no question that this beer holds far more character than the typical Pilsner. Upon first taste, it’s easy to think that the hops are providing the sharp tones that prickle your tongue, but it’s the brilliant blend of soft hop oils and finely chosen malts. 

This Pilsner finishes in a way that is surprisingly crisp. I know Pilsners are supposed to be refreshing, but the PILS really seems to crack the whip at the end, tying off its bitter complexities with a fierce, clean snap. I’m usually not all that impressed by the complexities of Pilsners, but Lagunitas sure as hell does a number on this one. This beer is something like a much-needed nighttime breeze to finish off a sweaty, sticky day of gallivanting about in the summer air.

Prima Pils
German Pilsner, 5.3% ABV
Victory Brewing Company
Downingtown, PA

Let me start this by saying that Pilsners tend to be my least favorite style of beer and that I rarely seek them out (that is, except for when they come in tall boys or 30-racks). I often find that beers of this style are lacking in character and only have that typical “beery” taste, but I was pleasantly surprised by the extent to which Victory effectively incorporated a number of complementing flavors into this brew. 

The Prima pours a nice 2-3 finger, creamy white head that doesn’t last too terribly long but leaves a fair amount of lacing. The beer’s a lighter golden color and has all the characteristics of a classic Pilsner. The bouquet is subtle, but there are clear notes of floral, pine and toasted malts with a slight hint of yeast. The taste yields a very interesting and rich mix of flavors, the most prominent of which was the toasted malts which was complemented by a light, piney hoppiness that provided a dry crispness to the initial sweetness of the malts. 

Overall, the clean and refreshing mouthfeel combined with the very well balanced yet distinct flavors of the beer make the Prima Pils exceptionally drinkable and perfect for warm summer days and/or nights, especially if pizza is involved. I can honestly say that this is the first nice Pilsner that I’ve actually enjoyed.