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Pilsner

Holy City Brewing
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🌍 United States · German Pilsner · One of 246 German Pilsners in hopIQ

A timeless German-style pilsner built from pilsner malt and Magnum hops. A well-balanced golden lager that's dry, crisp and effervescent, with a clean, gently bitter, herbal-floral hop finish. A back-to-basics beer for those who want something clean and classic.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Herbal, floral bitterness
SRM
pale gold2
See all German Pilsner alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another German Pilsner.
Hop character
hoppy
floral
herbal
Malt character
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Pilsner

Appearance

A pale golden body with excellent clarity and a bright, luminous quality characteristic of the style. The head is stable and fine-grained, leaving delicate lacing on the glass as it recedes. High carbonation is evident from persistent, uniform bubbles rising steadily through the beer.

pale goldencrystal clearfine white headhighly carbonated

Aroma

Clean and restrained on the nose, with prominent herbal and floral notes from the Magnum hops. A subtle, refined malt backdrop supports the hop character without dominating. The overall impression is fresh, mineral-edged, and free of fruity or yeasty distractions.

herbal hopsfloral and nobleclean malt basemineral-fresh

Taste

The palate opens with a crisp, dry entry and lean malt structure. The hop bitterness emerges steadily, building a gentle, herbal-floral character that integrates cleanly with minimal sweetness. A pronounced dryness dominates the mid-palate, emphasizing the beer's refreshing quality throughout.

dry and crispnoble hop bitternesslean grain bodyherbal finish

Finish

The finish is clean and relatively short, fading to a lingering herbal and mildly bitter aftertaste. No residual sweetness or heavy malt impression remains.

short, dry finishherbal aftertaste
79
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
76
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Pilsner

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C for maximum crispness. A pilsner served too warm loses its defining snap.

Pilsner glass
Recommended for this style

The tall, narrow pilsner glass preserves carbonation and showcases the golden clarity that defines the style.

Drink fresh and cold. Pilsners do not improve with age — within 3 months of packaging is ideal.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Pilsner

About German Pilsner

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a German Pilsner?

Pilsners are crisp golden lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 25–45. Defined by spicy, floral Saaz hops over a light malt backbone — bright carbonation and a dry bitter finish.

Finding a similar German Pilsner

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, hoppy, clean character as Pilsner will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other German Pilsners in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all German Pilsner beers in hopIQ →New to German Pilsner? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →