{"id":36495,"date":"2019-12-01T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-01T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=375233"},"modified":"2019-12-01T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-12-01T18:00:00","slug":"summit-suds-exploring-the-popularity-of-pilsners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/local-news\/summit-suds-exploring-the-popularity-of-pilsners\/","title":{"rendered":"Summit Suds: Exploring the popularity of Pilsners"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Modern Healing Pilsner by Frisco’s Outer Range Brewing Co. and Modern Times Beer from San Diego, California, is one of the latest additions to local brewery’s menu.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Growing up in a half-Slovak household, the classic Pilsner Urquell \u2014 the pale lager brewed in Pilsen, Czech Republic, and originator of the style \u2014 was a very common beverage at social gatherings.<\/p>\n

It was so ubiquitous that I didn\u2019t give it much thought and looked at it like any American domestic lager. Yet with each local brewery currently offering or creating a Pilsner, it\u2019s time to revisit the style and see how they stack up.<\/p>\n

The pros and cons of having so many stellar breweries in Summit County is that comparing and contrasting each Pilsner on tap is a bit difficult since the Pilsner is, well, a Pilsner. But that means the brewers are knowledgeable about the style and know how to execute it properly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t cover up a lot of your imperfections and mistakes with a Pilsner,\u201d said A.J. Brinckerhoff, owner and brewmaster of Angry James Brewing Co.<\/p>\n

Jake\u2019s Pils is a best seller at the brewery, and it\u2019s easy to see why. Though only 4.8% alcohol by volume, the traditional German Pilsner feels heavier than expected. The beer is well-balanced and isn\u2019t extremely grassy or malty, with noble \u2014 meaning they\u2019re more aromatic than bitter \u2014 hops like Hallertau, Tettnang German Perle slightly lingering on the end.<\/p>\n

This fall, Angry James released Pilsner Per Favore, an Italian-style lager made with the Italian Eraclea malt grown near the Adriatic Sea. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s similar to a German style Pilsner that just uses Eraclea Pilsner malt, but there\u2019s much more late, noble and traditional German hop additions,\u201d said Brinckerhoff, who is a fan of hoppy Pilsners like Firestone Walker Brewing Co.\u2019s Pivo Pils. \u201cThat\u2019s really what I think distinguishes it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The double dry-hopping of Hallertau Mittlefruh and Hallertau Tradition gives it a more floral and minty nose along with an orange and lemon citrus flavor that\u2019s bright and clean.<\/p>\n

\n
Jefferson Geiger<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Over in neighboring Dillon, the Dillon Dam Brewery\u2019s Paradise Pilsner is bready and has a spicy zing of German hops. At 5% ABV, it is a bit more sessionable than Pug Ryan Brewery\u2019s 5.8% ABV Peacemaker Pilsner. The bubbly Pilsner\u2019s recipe containing Czech Saaz hops is unchanged since John and Judy Jordan took over.<\/p>\n

So with the Dam and Pug Ryan\u2019s brewing those two for years, why are Pilsners suddenly spiking in the zeitgeist, especially the Italian versions?<\/p>\n

Brinckerhoff theorizes that it is partly due to consumers being more educated about the effort required for the style and therefore judge a brewery based on the Pilsner\u2019s quality. Since it is a lager, which means it is conditioned at a cold temperature for a long period, it can take months to get to one\u2019s glass instead of weeks like an India pale ale. <\/p>\n

\u201cLagering clarifies the beer, naturally filters it, makes it more crisp and complex,\u201d Brinckerhoff said.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Jimmy Walker of Breckenridge Brewery believes it could be caused by a shift in palate. As more people develop a taste for hops, it\u2019s then natural to want the flavor in lighter beers such as Italian Pilsners.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get balance in the beer with the increased hops, and I think the world is discovering hops, and they want it in everything, like dry-hopped kombuchas and dry-hopped seltzers,\u201d said Walker, who makes a seasonal Bohemian Pilsner. <\/p>\n

Called Summer Pils, Walker thinks that, somewhat paradoxically, people want the hoppy flavor in an easier-to-drink package.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat craft spectrum went from the biggest, hoppiest, heaviest beers and is now swinging back to these more drinkable beers and now everybody is trying to make this light, drinkable Pilsner lager,\u201d Walker said. <\/p>\n

Breckenridge\u2019s other brewery, Broken Compass Brewing Co., also makes a Bohemian Pilsner. The crisp, 4.5% ABV beer is aptly named Czech Pilsner.<\/p>\n

\n
Breckenridge\u2019s Broken Compass Brewing Co. frequently has their Czech Pilsner on tap.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The folks at Outer Range Brewing Co. in Frisco, which is known for intense, high-ABV beers, agree with Walker and said that many brewers at festivals drink Pilsners because they want a break from what they\u2019re pouring. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re home, we either have wine or a Pilsner just because they\u2019re more light and lower ABV,\u201d co-owner Emily Cleghorn said.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve branched out from their standard IPAs and Belgian beers before, but it wasn\u2019t until recently that they made their first Pilsner in a dream collaboration with San Diego\u2019s Modern Times Beer. The pair was initially going to do an IPA, but Modern Times \u2014 brewers of the popular Ice Pilsner \u2014 excitedly shifted gears when they heard Outer Range hadn\u2019t brewed one yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it wasn\u2019t just about Modern Times,\u201d co-owner and brewmaster Lee Cleghorn said. \u201cI was born in Germany, lived in Europe a lot and really loved good Pilsners and other lagers. We knew we were going to do it eventually. It was just a matter of finding the right partner, and they\u2019re amazing brewery that we really look up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hoppier and more effervescent than a traditional German Pilsner but doesn\u2019t get as flowery as an Italian one. I picked up notes of cereal and muted peach from the Grungeist hops. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a weird, versatile hop that you can use in a lager and use it in a New England IPA,\u201d Cleghorn said.<\/p>\n

Also in Frisco, HighSide Brewing has two Pilsners. There\u2019s the standard Swim Beer that\u2019s nice and biscuity at 5.2% ABV, and then it has the 4 Pepper Pils. The brewery takes the same base beer and infuses Anaheim, poblano, Serrano and habanero peppers. For the heat-adverse, it smells spicier than it tastes. There\u2019s enough pepper to make the profile interesting but not overpowering.<\/p>\n

\n
Swim Beer is one of HighSide Brewing\u2019s Pilsners. The brewery also has the spicy 4 Pepper Pils.<\/strong>
Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be Angry James\u2019 Pilsner Per Favore. That\u2019s not to say the others are bad, but since this was made in the Italian style, it was refreshingly different and unique.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s one I haven\u2019t had yet, however. The Bakers\u2019 Brewery is fermenting its second Pilsner ever that is slated to come out sometime next month. Though co-owner Cory Forster often has a guest tap that fills the need for those looking for lagers, he hasn\u2019t brewed them much himself since they can be time-consuming. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe last batch was Ariana, which has subtle notes of fruit in it, and this time its Saphir, which has notes of tangerine, mixed into the more classic, spicy German hop character,\u201d Forster said. \u201cShould be kind of fun. Crisp and light with a little hop zing and a nice balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jefferson Geiger is the arts and entertainment editor for the Summit Daily News and managing editor for Everything Summit. Have a question about beer? Send him an email at jgeiger@summitdaily.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Modern Healing Pilsner by Frisco’s Outer Range Brewing Co. and Modern Times Beer from San Diego, California, is one of the latest additions to local brewery’s menu.Liz Copan \/ ecopan@summitdaily.com Growing up in a half-Slovak household, the classic Pilsner Urquell \u2014 the pale lager brewed in Pilsen, Czech Republic, and originator of the style \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-36495","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-23 19:50:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIFT - The LIFT FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36495"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36495\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kift\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}