Pilsners have returned to Hale’s Ales! The beer style your dad, and his dad, so enjoyed is receiving new attention from craft brewers all over the region. Hale’s Ales Brewery is excited to be part of the Northwest resurgence of this old-world beer, making their own Bill’sner Pils locally and fresh, to be released in kegs and 22 oz bottles starting in March.
This new direction for Hale’s, with a 32-year history of brewing primarily English-style ales, is named after long-time employee Bill Preib. Preib, along with other Hale’s crew members, developed an appreciation for the crisp, cool taste of pilsner, especially as an alternative to the ubiquitous India Pale Ale (IPA) with its strong, assertively hopped taste.
“Strike that from the bucket list,” said Preib, “…a beer with my name on it. If only mom could see me now!” Straw in color, clean, light, crisp and finishing dry, Bill’sner Pils is true to the pilsner style. Made using Czech pilsner yeast and 100% Heidelberg pilsner malt, “we experimented with many different malts,” observed Lincoln Zmolek, Hale’s head brewer, “but this one gave us the clean, flavorful pils we were looking for.”
Hale’s Ales will be brewing this new beer throughout most of the summer (including during the Moisture Festival run at Hale’s Palladium.) Look for Bill’sner Pils at your favorite pub or bottle shop. For more information stop by Hale’s Ales on Leary Way, or contact Hale’s Director of Communications at kelsy@halesbrewery.com or 206/706-1544.