When a wet hop Pilsner by the Pacific Northwest breakout stars at Matchless Brewing landed on our tasting table, excited murmurs spread through the office like wildfire. How often do you see the unrestrained character of wet hops show up in one of the world’s best loved Lager styles? Simple answer: basically never.

Winning 5 medals at the Washington Beer Awards before their taproom even opened, Matchless is the perfect fit to craft a “Northwest Pride” beer: Crosby Hop Farm Sterling Pils. Here’s how their dream of making a wet-hopped Pilsner came to fruition with the help of local ingredients:

• They got Sterling Hops from Crosby Hop Farm, a 5th generation farm set in Oregon’s Willamette Valley that provides high quality hops to a smattering of breweries throughout Oregon and Washington. Sterling is a hybrid of Czech Saaz Hops, the classic Pilsner hop, and Cascade Hops, the quintessential citrus-spice hop of Pale Ales and IPAs.

• They got 100% Copeland Pilsner Malt from renowned Skagit Valley Malting, which has brewers throughout Washington state pumped for their local, top-quality specialty malts.

• A shortened lagering time allows Sterling Hops’ mild earthy, floral spice tones to shine through the crisp and sessionable body.

A pale amber-hued pour releases subtle grapefruit and pine aromas. Biscuity malt character provides a light base for a floral hop bitterness, which imparts a bold peppery finish rarely seen in a Pilsner. This beer brings a hoppy kick that pleases Lupulin lovers, while its easy-drinking nature is tailored to anyone looking for clean refreshment.

Try this exciting Northwest twist on a Pilsner to see why Untappd users like @alex777silva are saying it’s “one of the best Pilsners I’ve ever had, if not the best.”