Professional Pilsner from the Drafting Table; Wixom, Michigan
Sometimes in the craft beer world we need a break from pushing every boundary, There’s a million different flavors of IPA out there, stouts that have been aged in practically every barrel imaginable, and sour beers that still manage to make even the most avid beer drinker say “they put THAT in a beer?”.  To me Pilsner is the reset button, it’s a style of beer that is often forgotten about by the community as a whole but is sought out and held up in high regard when brewed properly. Pilsners are beer that are refreshing, approachable, easy to pair, and are less likely to blow out your palate (like an ipa or sour) or sit heavy on the stomach like a stout.  After winning 2 medals at this years World Expo of Beer it seems like it was overdue for us to talk about Drafting Table Brewing Company’s Professional Pilsner.

Professional Pilsner is a German style Pilsner brewed with Noble hops that is one of the flagship beers made by Drafting Table Brewing Company in Wixom Michigan.  Pro Pils is available year round and has earned the astute honor of becoming the only beer that I have been comfortable calling my “go to” beer since discovering the world of craft beer.  The beer itself is very true to style while still being uniquely distinguishable from any well made pilsner that comes to mind. Pro Pils pours a perfect translucent golden color and has a pristine white head.  On the nose Pro Pils has a remarkably fresh aroma that is backed by a pleasant herbal maltiness, light floral notes, and just a hint of a lemony citrus. Nothing is overpowering, and once you take your first sip of the beer you’ll find an extremely well balanced and refined achievement in brewing.  You get a nice malty mouth feel that is just slightly sticky that is backed up by a light biscuit flavor. The floral notes come back out while you enjoy the beer creating a bright and vibrant drink that finishes slightly dry and completely refreshing. Claiming that a beer is “well balanced” has kinda become a cliche when it comes to talking about beers, however Professional Pils is balanced out so well it’s a quality of the beer that can not go unmentioned.  Every aspect of this brew works in harmony together and the end result is an amazing enjoyable Pilsner.  

Professional Pilsner is truly a game changer in craft beer, on a personal level this beer changed my entire outlook on what I want when I go out to have a beer. The beer proved to me that things like consistency and drink-ability are far more valuable characteristics in a beer than necessarily chasing the latest beer trend or seeking out something that doesn’t sound appealing but is new so it must be experienced. I’ve seen Professional Pilsner turn beer drinkers who are outwardly against the idea of Pilsner and Lager being in the craft beer world and convince them that this beer is worthy of being a fixture to keep stocked in their bar at home.  I even went as far to plan my entire wedding around making sure this beer would be available on the big day. Professional Pils is also a wonderful option for people who say they don’t like craft beer, for those of us who want to just enjoy a beer without contemplating tasting notes or hop variety Professional Pils is still a beer that tastes like beer, which might sound silly but has an understated value. I frequent the Drafting Table tap room and when I was getting set up to write this article I started chatting with a fellow regular, local legend and avid hat aficionado Dave Cox was insistent that I quote him for this article. “This beer is just f****** phenomenal!” said Dave, we don’t often include quotes like this in articles on Sommbeer, however it’s hard to argue the man when he is so remarkably correct.