Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth
In a recent issue of Zymurgy Magazine (May/June 2025) there was a 9-page article about the past and present of pilsners made in Alsace. The timing was fortuitous as I was about to leave for a conference in Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace. What follows are my notes on beer culture in Alsace and the... Continue Reading →
In it's 5 year history Gemüt Biergarten has done much to distinguish itself from the pack. Their location in Columbus' Olde Town East neighborhood is a gorgeous, inviting location with sturdy communal tables, stained glass windows that tell the story of their core beers, and one of the city's best beer gardens. In a world... Continue Reading →
Ever wonder what attributes define a perfect Pilsner beer? Do you prefer the complex malt character of a Czech Pilsner, or the hoppy bite and crisp finish of a German Pils? Maybe more recent iterations like the New Zealand Pilsner an Italian Pilsner are more to your liking. In this episode we explore the nuances... Continue Reading →
Despite the ubiquity of IPAs on the American craft beer market, craft lagers are ascendant in a way that would have seemed improbable a few years ago. In this episode, which contains previously unreleased material from the spring of 2018, Mark, Hans and I take you on a journey back to the source of all... Continue Reading →
Pilsner occupies a rather unusual spot in the pantheon of beer styles. When people first get turned onto craft beer their instinct is to gravitate to something dark or hoppy or fruity. Lagers are generally none of those things, in fact they are almost the antithesis of what casual observers think craft beer is about,... Continue Reading →
For reasons that are not completely obvious to me Czech beers have had less impact on American brewers than beer styles from elsewhere in Europe. Have a look at the commercial examples listed with each of the four subcategories of Czech lager in the BJCP style guidelines and you won’t find many familiar names. When... Continue Reading →
Pilsner’s occupy an odd place in the beer world. Casual drinkers confuse them with macro lagers. Beer geeks tend to view them with ambivalence. Have you ever been to a pilsner release party? Yet many brewers have a special place in their hearts for them. No place to hide off flavors, no wild ingredients to... Continue Reading →
Piercing Pils is a new seasonal release from Dogfish Head. Ever fond of going against the grain, DFH have released a Czech Pilsner as their winter seasonal. After all when the temperature drops to single digits who doesn't reach for a Pilsner? There are many boring Pilsners out there that give the style a bad... Continue Reading →
Pat's Pints 