West Coast Pilsner

Whitney Burnside—cofounder and brewmaster at Grand Fir in Portland, Oregon—shares this recipe for the West Coast pils that won silver in the 2026 World Beer Cup.

From Unsung Brewing in Anaheim, California, this West Coast pilsner—with tropical character driven by Mosaic and Nelson hops—won silver in the Hoppy Lager category at the 2025 World Beer Cup.

Hop-forward lagers are nothing new, but a new thread is emerging that more intentionally marries the great drinkability of a pilsner with the expressive hopping of a West Coast IPA. Could it be the best of both worlds?

Gather ‘round: Sam Tierney of the Firestone Walker Propagator, Bob Kunz of Highland Park, and Nick Pavlina of Humble Sea discuss the technical and conceptual underpinnings of dry-hopped pilsner, West Coast–style.