Brickway Brewing & Distillery - Pilsner

Brickway’s Pilsner presents a bright golden color in the glass with good clarity and a head of energetic and rocky white foam. In the aroma, look for a touch of lightly bready malt overlaid by moderate hoppy tones tending toward mild lemony citrus, grassiness, and some herbal spice. On the palate we found the core malt component quite tasty, with a nice bready character joined by the slightest perception of toastiness. The hop contribution easily keeps this pils dry and refreshing with an herbal-spicy edge and a moderately bitter bite that lingers a bit in the super crisp finish, which is a hallmark of the style. For food pairings, it’s hard to go wrong as pilsners are quite food-friendly, which has contributed to their worldwide popularity. We’d steer towards breaded and fried foods, along with burgers, pizza, and moderately spicy seafood dishes. Cheers!

Opened in December 2013, Omaha’s Brickway Brewery & Distillery was founded by Zac Triemert, who was no stranger to the craft brewing scene. A founder and former president of the nearby Lucky Bucket Brewery (which we’re also featuring this month), Triemert decided to turn his attention to a new venture with his fiancée, Holly Mulkins. The pair chose to locate their new business in downtown Omaha’s Old Market area, famed for its cobblestone streets and old brick buildings which house numerous art galleries, restaurants, and bars. Though originally known as “Borgata,” the duo chose to change the business’s name after hearing of possible legal action coming their way from the Atlantic City resort of the same name. We like their choice of “Brickway” to honor and reflect the historic district the company calls home.

With a masters degree in brewing and distilling from Edinburgh, Scotland’s world famous brewing school at Heriot-Watt University, it’s no surprise Triemert is pursuing a vision for a dual brewery/distillery, especially considering Omaha had a rich distilling industry prior to Prohibition wiping it out. The similarities between brewing and distilling lead to a lot of synergies, and we’re honestly a little surprised more brewers don’t embrace craft distilling as a complementary business. Brickway’s tasting room embodies this, serving their own handcrafted beers and whisky, and, of course, cocktails – some of which are made with beer. For more info about the brewery and scheduled tours, visit their website at www.drinkbrickway.com.