Prima Pils

Since first firing up the brewhouse in 1996, the good people at Victory Brewing have continually delivered some of the finest beers in America, displaying their considerable skills in every bottle and keg that reaches their devoted public. Prima Pils, one of Victory’s flagship beers, is nothing less than the quintessential German-style pilsner, rivaling anything that Germany has to offer. The aroma, overflowing with flowery, spicy Saaz hop notes, permeates the room as the beer slips into the glass. Pete was immediately taken by the perfume-like hop notes, underpinned by the merest hint of peaches, that played counterpoint to a firm, cracker-like malt in the aroma. Tom found the bright, spicy hop aroma appetizing, commenting that they invite you to settle in and take a sip. Holding true to its Germanic antecedents, Prima Pils is topped by a pillowy, pure white head and fairly glows in the glass, bathing the room in a suffused golden wash of light. As expected, a pleasantly stinging hop bitterness dominates the flavor, but there are gobs of flowery, faintly resinous hop flavors as well. Riding underneath the prodigious hop presence is a refined, somewhat biscuity malt character. Rick noted the hops presented themselves as “spicy and lightly wintergreen,” while Tom honed in on the almost punishing bitterness balanced by a “beautiful foundation of clean Pils malt.” The panel members were effusive in their praise of this brilliantly executed, world-class pilsner, agreeing that this is one of very few beers that is perfectly suited for anything, anytime, anywhere.