Beer Review: Avery Brewing Company’s Joe’s Premium American Pilsner

Joe’s Premium American Pilsner, Avery Brewing Company, Boulder

Style: Pilsner

Serving Type: 12-ounce can

ABV: 4.7 percent

Malty? Hoppy? A little bit of hops.

Reviewed: July 2013

At 5280, we’ve sampled Joe’s so many times for our beer coverage, that it was about time that we put together a review of it. The trouble—a good problem, really—is that the most consistent comment our staff reviewers had was “it’s a solid beer.”

And it is. Joe’s is truly a pale pilsner, with a light yellow color that reminds us of hay. We love that the sometimes-cloudy head holds up in a glass, a too-rare feat for this beer style. However, we prefer to drink this brew directly from a frosty can, as it stays cooler a bit longer and we like the crispness (when it warms, the lemon-y flavor flattens out). True to Avery’s hop-forward brewing style, Joe’s has an edge that you don’t typically find in a pilsner. That addition leaves a tart aftertaste that won’t make you pucker up, but will remind you of Colorado craft beer.

All of which leads us back to our original comments: It is a solid beer. Give it a try.

Would we buy it again? Yes, but we tend to purchase it more often in the winter, as it shines when we need a break from heavy stouts and porters.

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