Portland — Who makes the best pilsner in the Northwest?
We’re about to find out.
Legendary German brewery Bitburger will send a contingent to Portland in August and partner with Prost, the North Mississippi Avenue German beer bar, to stage a three-day pilsner competition among eight elite Northwest breweries. The breweries — four from Oregon and four from Washington — were invited to create and brew an original German-style pilsner and submit it for judging by the public and a panel of experts.
All eight accepted.
Oregon breweries entering the Pilsner Fest ring will be Breakside Brewery, Deschutes Brewery, pFriem Family Brewers and Wayfinder Beer. Washington’s representatives will be Chuckanut Brewery, Aslan Brewing, Reuben’s Brews and Georgetown Brewing.
The pugilists, by design, range from flyweight to heavyweight, as Prost owner Dan Hart said he wanted to include a range of craft brewery sizes. Each brewery was selected, though, because it has one thing in common: an exceptional lagering program.
“This is a project I’ve been trying to get done for years,” said Hart, who owns a group of German beer bars in the Northwest with partner Chris Navarra. “I wanted Bitburger, I wanted their brewmaster, and I finally got it to happen.”
Pilsner Fest will be Aug. 16-18 at Prost. Judging will be equally weighted: half by the voting public and half by industry experts. Hart hasn’t released the names of the panel yet but says a Bitburger brewmaster will be the head judge.
Hart said landing Bitburger’s participation was a coup. And it’s bringing a bonus: The brewery, founded in 1817 and one of Germany’s largest breweries, will brew a special beer for the event (though not part of the competition).
“They took my idea and ran with it and wanted to make it as big as possible,” Hart said, thus the Northwest scope. The organizers wanted to keep it to eight entries, however, because asking the public to judge, say, 20 beers, poses difficulties.
The idea for the competition evolved as lagers experience a recent revival. Once a somewhat ignored style among craft breweries, pilsners and other lagers have become common on tap lists in recent years as tastes evolve, despite being challenging and time-consuming to make.
“We believe German pilsner is the gold standard throughout the world, and we’re excited that local brewers are starting to brew them,” Hart said. “Going back to the classic, clear styles is fun, and it’s making these styles relevant again.”
Josh Pfriem, brewery co-founder and brewmaster, said the pFriem crew is excited for the competition.
“It’s just a great idea, and it’s a great group of breweries,” Pfriem told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “We’re honored to be a part of it.”
Does the steep competition, which includes Josh Pfriem’s former employer, Chuckanut Brewery, intimidate the award-winning Hood River, Ore., brewery?
“Not really,” Pfriem said with a laugh. “But we’re all peers, so it’s definitely a competitive group. We’re all working our butts off to beat each other — I can tell you, no one’s showing up to lose.”
What is a pilsner?
Many people hear pilsner and think of a mass-market, watered-down American lager such as Miller Lite. But a true pilsner is elegant and complex.
From allaboutbeer.com:
Pilsner styles of beer originate from Bohemia in the Czech Republic. They are medium- to medium-full bodied and are characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. German pilsner styles are similar, though often slightly lighter in body and color. The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is the dense, white head. The alcohol levels must be such as to give a rounded mouthfeel, typically around 5 percent ABV. Classic pilsners are thoroughly refreshing, but they are delicate and must be fresh to show their best.
For a more detailed examination, Portland author Jeff Alworth wrote a couple of years ago about “What Makes a Good Pilsner.”
To victor go the spoils
A champion will be named Aug. 18. The winning brewery earns:
• Bragging rights
• A trip for two people as a guest at the Bitburger brewery in Germany, where they will get an inside look at the operation as well as eat, drink and hang out with the brewmasters.
Back home, the winning brewery will collaborate with a Bitburger brewmaster on a beer.
