(Courtesy East Brother Beer Co.)

The Winter holidays are ON. And American craft brewers are addressing things with an exciting roster of lagers that serve as a worthy alternative to all those heavy Winter Warmers that seem to dominate retail at this time of year.

Bodacious (Richmond, CA) – East Brother Beer Co. is a San Francisco Bay area brewery which was founded by two friends and excels at brewing classic styles. And they’ve a traditional lager that absolutely nails it. Crafted with German Lager yeast using a deft medley of Styrian, Aurora and Tettnanger hops,  East Brother Bo Pils is a 5% ABV Bohemian-Style Pilsner with an uber-clean finish and mild hoppiness.

Czech Pilsner, or the Bohemian Pilsner, was the result of a shift in brewing mentality in early 1800s Czech brewing brought on by contamination issues with the ales they brewed at the time. A German brewer brought to the city of Pilsen lagering method and bottom-fermenting yeasts perfect for cold fermentation. Pilsner Urquell is considered the original example of the style.

A Proper Pilsner Canned (Chico, CA & Mills River, NC)  – Sierra Nevada Brewing has begun rolling a new European-inspired PIL lager in an all-new can format – an 8-pack of 8.4-ounce cans dubbed ‘proper pilsner cans.’ The size is rooted in the European tradition of a premium pilsner drinking experience, where it is common to serve pilsner beers as a small pour to maintain ideal temperature and flavor from first sip to last.

(Courtesy Sierra Nevada Brewing)

Deftly balanced with bright citrusy, floral flavors and a touch of sweet malt character to round out things, Sierra Nevada PILS is  a 4.7% ABV European-inspired Pilsner that pours a crystal clear golden straw color in the glass

Printed on each can is a quote from Brian Grossman, Chief Brewer and second-generation brewery owner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. that further explains the intentionality and inspiration behind the can size:

“I’ve enjoyed beers all over the world, but there’s something special about a proper pilsner at a European pub. Crisp, refreshing, and served in a smaller glass to keep it at the ideal temperature and flavor— it’s how PILS is meant to be enjoyed.”

The new 8.4-ounce cans (which the American Craft Beer crew absolutely loves!),  is rolling out to select markets now, with plans for a nationwide ‘proper pilsner can’ roll-out in early 2026.

Time to Get Wicked (Asheville, NC) – One of our favorite breweries, Wicked Weed Brewing is very much on the comeback trail after the devastating floods that brought Ashville to its knees last October. And although the brewery is renowned for its Sour Beer production, they also brew a serious Pilsner that was ten years in development.

Righteously crafted using German malts Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, Wicked Weed Pils is 5.2% ABV Pilsner with a bright, crisp character that gives way to a soft,  pillowy finish.

###

Want more beer suggestions?

We’ve got ‘em…

New Beer Alert: Mexican-Style Lagers And Carrot Saisons

New Craft Beer Pilsners And Dark Ales

New Beer Alert: Mexican-Style Lagers And Carrot Saisons

New Salt & Lime Lagers And Irish Dry Stouts

 New Beer Alert: Best Non-Alcoholic Beers

Got Something We Need To Know About? Send Your Press Releases to: pr@AmericanCraftBeer.com