Wayfinder Czech Style Pils
No ratings yet — be the first to log it.
Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with soft, grassy Saaz hops and a gentle floral note, backed by clean pale malt. On the palate, the bitterness is firm but not aggressive — more herbal and spicy than the sharper bite you'd get from a German pils — with a light, bready sweetness underneath. The body is lean without feeling thin, and the finish is dry with a lingering hop character that keeps things interesting without demanding attention.
About the Brewery
Wayfinder Beer is based in Portland, Oregon, and was founded in 2016 by Kevin Davey, a brewer with a long background in the Pacific Northwest craft scene. The brewery has built a strong reputation for lager-forward brewing at a time when most American craft producers were chasing hazy IPAs, and their Czech and German-influenced lagers in particular have drawn serious attention. Their taproom-focused model and technical precision with cold-fermented beers have made them something of a reference point for American lager craft.
Food Pairings
Roast chicken works well here because the beer's herbal hop character cuts through the fat without overwhelming the mild meat. A simple Czech-style svíčková — braised beef with cream sauce — plays to the beer's central European roots and the malt softness handles the richness. Fried fish or fish and chips pairs naturally because the dry finish scrubs the palate clean between bites. Mild washed-rind cheese, like Havarti or Tilsit, echoes the bready malt without competing with the hops.
Style Guide
Czech pilsner originates from Bohemia, specifically from Plzeň, where Pilsner Urquell set the template in 1842. It's defined by soft water, Saaz noble hops, and a rounder, slightly fuller body than its German counterparts — the bitterness is present but smooth rather than sharp, and the malt contributes a gentle sweetness that German pils typically dials back. ABV generally sits in the 4–5% range. The use of decoction mashing and longer cold conditioning (lagering) gives the style its clean, layered character that separates it from mass-market lagers built in its shadow.