Our 3rd and Final Stop on the USA Mouth Holiday...

One of the greatest things about exploring other countries is the people you meet (and drink beer with) along the way. Our final stop on the 2023 USA Mouth Holiday is about to land, introducing not just a taste of America, but the culture of a classic American brewer too. Kevin Ashford of Figueroa Mountain has won over a dozen medals for his lagers, making him the perfect person to team up with for a lager-than-life West Coast Pilsner.

“I met Kevin on a beer judging panel years ago and we just clicked,” says Balter’s Head Brewer Scott Hargrave. “It turned out he loves our XPA and we share a lot of like-minded thoughts on brewing philosophy. We kept in touch and he eventually invited me to make some beer for their Lagerville festival in The States. One of the conditions was that we clear the decks afterward and make something together in his brewhouse. That was the seed for this collaboration West Coast Pils. A real mash of minds.”

For this beer, the two experimented with dry-hopping, working to bring out different flavours while keeping things crisp and clean. The idea was to breathe new life into a style that has been replicated, industrialized, and even derided in recent decades. The approach lent a Modern West Coast IPA vibe to the beer, hence an intention to be a West Coast Pils.

“It was all about making Pils fit for the times,” explains Scotty. “We wanted to create a flourish of hop character with balance. Expressive yet still in context with the easy-drinking style. It’s now one of my favorite beer styles. One that both Kevin and I have been experimenting with for quite a while and it’s great to come together and see what happens when our individual philosophies are combined.”

For those wondering if the Balter x Figueroa Mountain West Coast Pils might be their new favorite as well, the beer goes a little something like this:

Pilsners are the pinnacle of beer. The most made, most sipped, yet, in craft circles, often the most underappreciated style for its seeming simplicity. Our final stop on your USA Mouth Holiday takes things to the Lager summit with Figueroa Mountain. Made in collaboration with brewmaster Kevin Ashford, who’s won more lager medals than we’ve had cold tins, this West Coast Pils expresses exhilarating hop characters and precise bitterness that keeps you sipping. A taste destination worth revisiting. 

To get your hands on this taste of the USA, exclusively available through the IBA, head to your local beer agent from October 18th. For your closest local option visit balter.com.au/beer-locator