Finally a Pilsner I can get behind! Avery Joe’s Pilsner was Avery Brewings first foray into canning beer. It was their first release in cans about a year ago. I talked about it here. Well it finally made its way to Idaho (only took a year)! As soon as I saw it I picked a few up, because I have been wanting to try it ever since I blogged about it.
Now some of you are familiar with my issues I’ve had with Pilsners in the past, specifically Boulivard Brewing’s Collaboration Number 1. You can read about it here, oh and read the comments too, because I got into a good debate with Nate from Thank Heaven for Beer. In that I said I got ripped off for buying a beer for $13 that tasted like Miller Lite. However, no such problem here, The Avery pilsner is about $11 for a six pack and man is this stuff good!…
The photo doesn’t tell half the story. This beer actually reminded me a bit of Champagne in its absolute clarity and effervescence. Lots of little bubbles here. The nose on this beer is unique too for a pilsner, I got hints of pineapple and bready yeast. It was pleasant enough.
The flavor is where this beer really shines through. It had the more familiar pilsner mouthfeel, very light and carbonated, and initially the familiar flavor, and I was prepared to be disappointed. But then it really turned it up several notches by having a great almost chewy flavor. It actually did remind me slightly of pineapple and a little biscuit in there too. It really blended well, and was unexpected as I’m not used to Pilsners having this intense amount of flavor.
The nearest brew I might compare this to is a Victory Prima Pils, but if I had to choose between the two I think the Avery would win hands down. It was that very flavorful and chewy quality that really won me over. And guess what? Instead of getting one bomber for $13 I can get a whole six pack for under $11 and it is better beer to boot.
If you haven’t tried it yet, make sure to put this on your watch list. If you see it pick it up and let me know your thoughts. If you’ve tried already let me know your thoughts about it in the comments. Finally a pilsner that is as good if not better than Victory Prima Pils, and available to me. That’s a win-win in my book.
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
I would SO Agree… love this Pilsner!
It was really great. I would love to do a side by side with Prima Pils. I’m just going by memory from over a year ago, but I’m pretty certain that this is my favorite to date.
Hey Don,
Have to agree with you on Avery Joe’s. One of the best Pilsners I’ve had (though I haven’t had it in cans yet – but that could change as early as tomorrow as I head off for 2 days at the beach with my family). Victory Prima Pils is another favorite. Thankfully I can get plenty of that reasonably fresh from the brewery since they’re so close.
My all time favorite Pilsner, though, is Trumer out of Berkely. I’ve only been lucky enough to find it on tap in Scottsdale (The Yard House) and Austin (The Ginger Man). Both times I’ve been extremely impressed. Crisp, flavorful, balanced and refreshing. If you haven’t had it, seek it out.
Cheers!
@TheAlemonger
Wonder if the Trumer folks will be at GABF. One of the great things about that festival is being able to try beers you can’t try in your own state. If its there I’ll seek it out. I didn’t even know Avery made Joe’s in bottles. The cans are great tho, and so convenient!
Victory’s Prima Pils is pretty good. Doesn’t your brother send you those?
The Boulevard imperial pilsner you hated on was pretty fantastic, IMHO. You did realize that it was “imperial” and was brewed with Belgian yeast, correct? Comparing it to Avery’s or Victory’s pilsners is like comparing apples to steak.
I did know it was Imperial, and that they used Belgian yeast too. I thought for all their monkeying around with it, it tasted pretty much the same as Miller Lite. And I really don’t hate miller lite, is a matter of fact the usually run away with gold or silver medals at GABF every year, so they are at least decent and consistent beyond compare. So I wasn’t saying I didn’t like it, just that it wasn’t worth the $ when compared to the flavor and the fact that it was good, but pedestrian. I’ll bet you that if I did a blind tasting between Miller Lite and Collaboration #1 I couldn’t tell the difference or pick out one from the other with any better probability than chance. So people get really worked up about my POV here, but that’s it, and I’m pretty sure it won’t change. However the Joe’s was amazing.
Like Miller Lite? No way. Not even close. Sure, $13 can seem steep, but this beer could age or be enjoyed right away. Apparently, you’re the only one who thinks that way: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/boulevard-collaboration-no-1-imperial-pilsner/114725/ and compare that to this: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/miller-lite/403/
He’s an over-dramatic moron, Zac. But you knew that.
LULZ. At least he didn’t pour it down the drain and turned it into a blog post.
AND into a free replacement beer! You forgot that part…
And into a re-review post as well!!!
Hmmm . . .
[fills Pliny bottle with Coors, pours down drain, posts video to blog]
. . .
[nothing happens]
Nothing happens except the next morning there’s a group of beer geeks fighting over who gets to drink out of your septic system…
Well that goes without saying! 🙂
Or they beat your ass.
I didn’t really appreciate Pilsners until the couple months after enjoying the Sam Adams Noble Pils, the Oskar Blues Mama Little Yella Pils, and the Victory Prima Pils. The Avery Pilsner sounds delicious. If it’s half as good as their White Rascal, then I must pick this up.
I really like it a lot. I don’t think you will be disappointed if you do.
I’ll keep an eye out for this. I don’t like too many piilsners, but I do like prima pils as well as Lagunitas Pils. I hope it’s in cans in MN as well.
Actually I thought it was in cans everywhere, but aparently it is available in bottles too. The cans are so much easier to deal with however.
Count me among the fans of Joe’s. I also really enjoy Odell’s Double Pilsner, which is my girlfriend’s favorite beer.
I’m looking forward to an Odell’s review from you, Don!
I haven’t had their Double Pils, but I have had some of their beer on tap before. I recall I liked it quite a bit.
my interest is peaked – I love the Prima Pils so I will look for this.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised Justin.
I’m glad you can finally enjoy Joe’s in Idaho Don. After I commented on your Jura review, I had a thought about why it’s taken so long to be distributed widely, two words: Quality Control. I picked up a six pack as soon as it came out here in Colorado and instantly fell in love, the second one I got not so good. The same went for what was on tap around town, Jekyll & Hyde. They must of had some kind of QC problem early on and have since fixed it, I haven’t had a bad one for at least the last eight months.
Well it is good to know that we will only be getting the good stuff! Still I would have liked to be drinking it for the last 8 months!