Beer of the Weekend #1,145: Confluence Pilsner

The beer of the weekend last weekend was Confluence Pilsner, brewed by the Confluence Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa.

Serving type: 16-ounce can. “CANNED OCT/29/2025” was printed on the bottom.

Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color was pale to medium gold. A fluffy, dense, bubbly head dissipated slowly and left foam stuck to the glass.

Smell: Sharp and grassy with a nice dose of earthy hops and a touch of zest. A pleasant mélange; a solid pils.

Taste: Light and toasted malt and grass. Earthy hops. Honey and lemon zest. It was not super sharp or as grassy as the aroma; it was more muted than the smell. There was also a touch of spice.

Fun facts about Confluence Pilsner:

• Style: Pilsner.

• Price: $10.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans.

• Alcohol content: 4.9 percent ABV.

• IBU: 28.

• Here is the description via the can and Untappd:

The beer in early 19th-century Plzen was bad. So bad that the angry citizenry dumped 36 barrels of the local wheat ale in the streets in protest. They could import Bavarian lagers, but good locally made beer was just as important to the peoples of Plzen then as it is to us today, so they sent for help. They sent an architect to Munich to learn brewery design, and he returned to construct a state-of-the-art brewery, including a new malthouse with the ability to produce newer, light colored malt. He also returned with Bavarian-trained brewer, Josef Groll. By 1842, Groll unveiled his “Pilsner,” and the rest is history. The light colored, crisp, clean lager has become the most popular beer style across the globe. Confluence Pilsner is our faithful take on this timeless and perfect style, brewed with authentic German malt and hops. This golden-hued elixir is clean and refreshing, with cracker malt character, a touch of floral bite from Noble hops, and a crisp finish. It’s the beer the people demanded, and who are we to stand in the way? Prost!

The Quiet Man’s grade: B.