Lagunitas Pils 6Pk

Lagunitas Pils 6Pk is a Czech-style pilsner from Lagunitas Brewing Company, sold in a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles at 6.0% ABV. Brewed with imported Saaz hops and a traditional bottom-fermenting yeast strain, this pilsner runs notably stronger than most examples of the style, which typically land between 4% and 5% ABV. It holds an 83 on BeerAdvocate across more than 2,700 ratings and a 3.5 on Untappd from over 106,000 check-ins — solid community marks for a widely distributed craft pilsner.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.0%  |  Origin: Petaluma, California  |  Style: Czech / Bohemian Pilsner  |  Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Lagunitas Brewing Company was founded in 1993 in the small town of Lagunitas, California, before relocating to nearby Petaluma, where it has operated ever since. The brewery built its reputation on aggressively hopped ales, but with Lagunitas Pils it turned toward old-world lager tradition. The beer is fermented with a bottom-fermenting yeast strain in the Bohemian fashion and loaded with imported Czech Saaz hops — the same noble hop variety that defines classic pilsners from the Czech Republic. The result is a bolder, higher-gravity take on the style that retains the clean lager character but pushes the ABV well above typical European benchmarks.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Soft floral notes appear first, followed by a grassy, fresh-cut hay character from the Saaz hops. Underneath sits a warm breadiness, reminiscent of a fresh loaf pulled from the oven.

Taste: The entry is slightly sweet with a toasty malt backbone that carries more weight than a traditional Czech pilsner. Mid-palate, green apple and light grain flavors emerge alongside a gentle grassiness. Hop bitterness is restrained, allowing the malt sweetness to share center stage without cloying.

Finish: Clean, crisp, and well-carbonated, drying out neatly at the close. A faint breadiness lingers alongside a subtle herbal note from the Saaz hops.

How to Drink Lagunitas Pils

Pour it cold into a pilsner glass or tall flute to showcase its clarity and sustain carbonation. This beer is best served between 38°F and 45°F, where the Saaz hop aromatics come through most clearly.

• Michelada: The crisp, dry profile and firm carbonation stand up well to lime, hot sauce, and tomato juice without getting lost.
• Beer Cocktail Shandy: Mix half-and-half with fresh lemonade — the slightly sweet malt and grassy hops complement bright citrus.
• Pilsner Spritz: Combine with a splash of grapefruit juice and a sprig of fresh herbs for a low-effort warm-weather drink that plays off the green apple and floral notes.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts and grill sessions where a flavorful but sessionable beer is needed
• Introducing hop-forward IPA drinkers to the lager side of craft beer
• Pairing with casual weeknight dinners that call for something crisp and clean
• Stocking a cooler for a day at the beach or a long afternoon outdoors

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lagunitas Pils taste like? Lagunitas Pils delivers a slightly sweet, toasty malt base balanced by grassy Saaz hop character, green apple, and soft floral notes, finishing clean and dry with firm carbonation.

How does Lagunitas Pils compare to Pilsner Urquell? Pilsner Urquell is the benchmark Czech pilsner at roughly 4.4% ABV with pronounced Saaz bitterness and a drier malt profile. Lagunitas Pils runs hotter at 6.0% ABV and leans sweeter and toastier on the malt side, making it a bolder but less traditionally balanced interpretation of the style.

Is Lagunitas Pils good for craft beer beginners? Yes — its clean lager base, mild bitterness, and approachable malt sweetness make it far less intimidating than Lagunitas's hop-heavy IPAs while still delivering more flavor complexity than a mass-market lager.

Where is Lagunitas Pils made? Lagunitas Pils is brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company, headquartered in Petaluma, California, a city in Sonoma County about an hour north of San Francisco.

What foods pair well with Lagunitas Pils? Grilled bratwurst and sauerkraut echo the beer's German-Bohemian roots. Fish tacos with a lime crema match its crisp finish. Aged Gouda complements the toasty malt. A margherita pizza works well with the herbal, grassy hop character. Roasted chicken with fresh herbs pairs naturally with the pilsner's clean, dry profile.

What sizes does Lagunitas Pils come in? The most widely available format is the six-pack of 12-ounce bottles, though availability of other pack sizes and formats may vary by market.

Is Lagunitas Pils worth the price? Lagunitas Pils positions as a mid-tier craft pilsner — more interesting and robust than domestic macros, competitively priced against other craft lagers, and offering a higher ABV that delivers more flavor per bottle than most in the category.

Why Lagunitas Pils?

In a craft beer landscape dominated by hazy IPAs and pastry stouts, a well-executed pilsner still has something to prove, and Lagunitas Pils makes a convincing case. The commitment to imported Czech Saaz hops gives it an authentic herbal and floral signature that separates it from American pilsners leaning on domestic hop varieties. At 6.0% ABV, it occupies an unusual niche — strong enough to feel substantial on its own but clean and dry enough to drink through a full afternoon without fatigue. For a brewery best known for its IPA, this pilsner demonstrates a genuine respect for lager tradition with a distinctly Californian willingness to push the dial.