Beer of the Week: Perfect Pilsner

Talk about being ahead of one’s time. Long before lagers were the in thing–coveted crushable quaffs of the moment–there was a locally based brewmaster crafting them with great regularity, refining his technique with each of his hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of batches. Those lagers were largely of the German variety, produced in line with the theme of the Gordon Biersch brewpub chain. While craft-beer consumers were largely unaware of this individual’s prowess with bottom-fermenting beers, San Diego’s brewers knew him well, and sought out his advice on how to create quality, to-style lagers. Kind as he is, he happily lent them the lessons he’d learned over his decades in the brewing industry. That brewer is Doug Hasker, and when San Diego restaurant group, Puesto, took over Gordon Biersch’s Mission Valley brewpub following its shuttering in 2019, they made the shrewd move to retain the veteran’s services. And it’s paid off. Hasker was able to pivot from lagers of European heritage to corn-infused Mexican-style lagers, so well that Puesto Cerveceria has earned numerous awards for those core beers of the clara and negra ilk. But theres’s nothing like a good Pilsner, and Hasker recently went back to his roots to craft one so impressive he was inclined to give it the hyperbolic handle, Perfect Pilsner. Light in body, but not in flavor, it brings the light cooked-cereal notes and the snappy back-end bite Pils fans love. When tasting it, one might notice that it’s not quite like other local Pilsners. That’s not because Hasker’s fallen short. This Pilsner is right in line with what one would experience drinking prime examples of the style across the Atlantic. Rather, Hasker is able to achieve what most, even with his generous tutelage, are still trying to master. Lagers aren’t easy, but thanks to Hasker and his open-book approach to assisting those who ask for his help, San Diego County’s lager game is not only strong but on the rise.

Puesto Perfect Pilsner is a medium hoppy light lager, using bottom-fermenting lager yeast and noble hops from Europe to create a crisp, clean and refreshingly complex beer. Mexican brewers have long learned from their German and Czech heritage to create one of the most sought-after beer styles on the market today. The version me and my right-hand man, Jacob Bauch, came up with here at Puesto uses malted two-row barley and Pilsner malts for the texture, color and body of the beer, while using Hallertau Blanc and Czech Saaz hops for the bittering. This produces a well-rounded cerveza that anyone will enjoy. This Pilsner comes in at 5% alcohol-by-volume, making it a perfectly balanced beverage for satisfying any cravings in Southern California at any time of the year.”

Doug Hasker, Head Brewer, Puesto Cerveceria