Bill Covaleski, president and brewmaster at Victory Brewing Company in Downington, Pennsylvania, first thought about pitching a Pilsner as the style to pursue when Sierra Nevada suggested a collaboration for their Beer Camp Across America 12-Pack. But he eventually had a change of heart.
“A collaborative Pilsner from our two breweries is almost expected,” Covaleski says, “when the craft beer community sees the two of us in the sandbox. Altbier is a style of beer that is often overlooked. [Victory] wanted to give a national focus to a beer that’s not played out very well.”
“One of the things we recognized in the opportunity to work with Sierra Nevada,” Covaleski continues, “was that it is a classic, essential American craft brewery that pays attention to German traditions, equipment, and techniques. It doesn’t scream Germanic brewery, though.”