Built on the Dream

Located just a little over 100 miles south of Berlin, Germany, lies the Radeberger Brewery, where in 1872, five men with a united dream of brewing better beer came to life and the Radeberger Pilsner was born. While several decades have since passed, the Radeberger Pilsner is still admired and savored around the world by craft beer enthusiasts and newcomers alike. This brewing dream laid the foundations for the German pilsner culture that is still being celebrated today. Over time, the brewery expanded throughout Germany and ultimately landed “on U.S. shores, making its way to key cities like New York and Chicago in 1903,” explains Christian Arfert, Velvet Nation, agency lead behind The Tastemaker Collective. (Radeberger Pilsner launched the Tastemaker Collective in 2015 as a way of giving back to New York City’s diverse community of entrepreneurs and creators).

Radeberger Pilsner was, and still is, brewed by purist standards of the Reinheitsgebot (also known as the “German Beer Purity Law”), which Duke Wilhelm IV of Barvia issued in 1516. The regulation stated that only barley, hops, and water could be used to brew beer. These natural ingredients are still in the pilsner today, with “only a few updates and additions to the Radeberger’s recipe.”

Radeberger Pilsner is a goldenhued delight, with a nice, mediumsized head that dissipates fairly quickly. Each whiff provides aromas reminiscent of a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios complemented by floral hops and a hint of orange peel. The initial sip is smooth and soft, with a slight touch of hop bitterness at the end, supplying flavors of lightly toasted grains and balanced by a touch of honey sweetness and a bit of a citrus back end that is refreshing and easy to drink.

By Michael Thacker