pilsener

In addition to Hill House, the annual fest beer release, selections include Change Tomorrow, a Bavarian-style Pilsener; Before Sunrise, a Märzen; and Always Wonder, a low-alcohol schankbier, or table beer.

The previous year, Kern River Brewing took silver in the International Pilsener category with its Mexican-style lager, Rioveza.

They ordered a pinot grigio and Pilsener, chatted up the bartender they got to know before the pandemic and regaled a couple seated nearby with their firsthand account of the streaker who slid across a rain-soaked tarp at a Washington Nationals game last week.

I have some go-tos, but my absolute favorite right now is good old pilsner, sometimes called Pils or Pilsener, all after the city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic where the style was invented in 1842.

We tasted 20 options in a variety of categories — IPA, stout, Pilsener, golden ale — and these were the favorites.