We believe that while certain beer styles fit better during specific times of the year, there are also beers that can easily be enjoyed any day and any old time. Winter, spring, summer, or fall. And there might be no better, do-it-all, any-time beer than the classic, crisp pilsner.
Just think about it…
If you had to commit to one beer style to drink in the middle of a long stretch of humid summer heat AND the frigid, winter chill, which style would you want? We think the pilsner is the only correct answer. This straw-colored, crisp, easy-drinking beer goes down easy whatever the weather.
Since pilsners are great any time of year, they’re also a perfect respite from the robust, rich stouts and porters of the season. But instead of simply grabbing just any pilsner, we suggest trying something a little underappreciated and undervalued. Keep scrolling to see eight great underrated pilsners, ranked by overall flavor.
8) Upland Champagne Velvet
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: $9.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
We know that Miller High Life is referred to as the “Champagne of Beers,” but it doesn’t have the word in its name and it definitely doesn’t mention velvet anywhere. This crisp, easy-drinking pilsner’s name conjures up images of velvet paintings, good times, and no-frills beer.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all cereal grains, sweet malts, citrus, and light pine. It’s not overly exciting by any means. The flavor follows suit with light citrus, caramel malts, and gently bitter pine. It’s not a very flavorful beer. It’s light, fairly watery, and… serves its purpose.
Bottom Line:
Upland didn’t make this beer to blow the beer community away. They made it to bring back a crisp, easy-drinking, no-frills beer. That’s all it is.
7) Destihl Normal Pils
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This German-style pilsner is named for the city where Destihl is brewed (Normal, Illinois). It’s known for its light pale color, floral hops, and bready malts, it’s a crisp, refreshing beer for any time of year.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find light citrus zest, bread-like malts, sweet cereal grains, and lightly floral hops. The palate follows suit completely with caramel malts, citrus, and herbal hops. It’s crisp, sweet, and fairly simple.
Bottom Line:
Destihl Normal Pils might be the most aptly named beer. It tastes just like a “normal” pilsner. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s pleasant enough to come back to again and again.
6) Breakside Pilsner
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $12.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
This crisp, simple German-style pilsner has been brewed by Breakside since 2012. It gets its classic flavor from the addition of Pilsner and Carapils malts as well as Hallertau, Liberty, and Mittelfruh hops.
Tasting Notes:
Before your first sip, you’ll find aromas of cereal grains, sweet honey, bready malts, and floral hops. Drinking it reveals a more bready malt backbone followed by light citrus, honey, and herbal, earthy hops at the finish. It’s well-balanced but fairly light in the flavor department overall.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for an easy-drinking, classic German-style pilsner with little to no frills, this is a great beer choice for you. If you’re looking for more flavor, look elsewhere.
5) Highland Pilsner
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This straw-colored, 5.5% ABV German-style beer is authentic as American-made pilsners can get. Brewed with both German hops as well as German malts, it’s known for its clean, crisp, slightly sweet, floral flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Bready malts, honey, cereal grains, lemon zest, and freshly cut grass greet your nose before your first sip. The palate is highlighted by notes of cracker-like malts, fresh hay, cereal grains, citrus zest, and herbal, floral, slightly bitter hops. It’s light, refreshing, and balanced.
Bottom Line:
Highland Pilsner is a great beer for authentically made American pilsners. Its German malts and hops give it a traditional flavor profile that’s sure to impress pilsner fans.
4) TRVE Cold
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This 4.9% ABV Kellerpils-style beer is made with a mix of Colorado malts and Czech hops and yeast. It’s a crisp, balanced beer that bridges the gap between old-world techniques and American craft beer.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a symphony of sweet grains, yeast, citrus peels, fruit esters, and floral, herbal hops. The palate continues this trend with more yeast, bready malts, freshly cut grass, lemon zest, and herbal, earthy hops trying everything together. The finish is dry, crisp, and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
TRVE Cold is a little different from some of the other pilsners on this list — it’s a kellerpils, sublimely dry and highly drinkable.
3) Crooked Stave Von Pilsner
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Another kellerpils, Crooked Stave Von Pilsner is brewed using floor-malted barley and German hops. It’s unfiltered, clean, and loaded with sweet malts and floral, herbal, and slightly bitter hops. It was crafted to taste like a traditional pilsner like those made for centuries.
Tasting Notes:
Cereal grains, pilsner malts, lemongrass, and earthy, herbal piney hops are prevalent on the nose. On the palate, you’ll be treated to more lemon flavor, cereal grains, bready malts, yeast, and mineral, earthy, floral, slightly bitter hops. The finish is a gentle mix of sweetness and bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This beer ticks all the pilsner boxes. It has a nice malty backbone, light citrus, and a nice hoppy bite. It’s very well-balanced and highly refreshing.
2) Urban Chestnut Stammtisch
ABV: 5.4%
Average Price: $10.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
You might have some difficulty pronouncing this beer’s name, but you shouldn’t have any problem drinking it. According to Urban Chestnut, “Stammtisch” is a German word used to refer to a table of regulars at a bar or restaurant. It’s brewed with Hallertau and Strisselspalt hops and is supposed to be enjoyed with your group of “regulars.”
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of bready malts, cereal grains, clover honey, pale malts, and grassy, herbal hops start everything off well on the nose. Drinking it brings forth flavors of yeast, fruit easter, bready malts, honey, citrus zest, and herbal hops. The finish is sweet, malty, and memorable.
Bottom Line:
While this pilsner is fairly well-balanced and loaded with flavors, it’s maltier and sweeter than some of the other beers on this list and it’s definitely not a bad thing.
1) Half Acre Pony Pilsner
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: $11.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
Half Acre is the type of brewery that makes only great beer. Its Pony pilsner might not have the accolades of some of its other beers, but it deserves your attention. This year-round pilsner is known for its mix of bread-like sweet malts and herbal, floral Noble hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is fairly light with cracker-like malts, honey, lemon zest, wet grass, and herbal, piney hops. The palate picks it up a bit with notes of lemon peel, orange zest, honey, cereal grains, bready malts, and floral, herbal, Noble hops. It’s crisp, clean, and highly drinkable.
Bottom Line:
It’s tough to pick between a handful of well-made pilsners and choose only one winner since they’re all fairly similar. But Half Acre’s Pony Pilsner is totally crushable while also being filled with flavor. A truly memorable beer.
