PORTLAND — In a pilsner competition featuring some of the most respected lager brewers in the Northwest, the inclusion of Deschutes Brewery drew more than one sideways glance.
But in the end, it was the Bend brewery that took home the hardware Sunday, winning Pilsner Fest, The Bitburger Challenge, at North Portland German beer bar Prost.
The competition featured eight breweries — four from Oregon and four from Washington — battling to see who could create the best German-style pilsner. Each created and brewed a recipe that was judged over the three-day festival, with equal weight given to public balloting and an eight-person panel of industry experts.
Deschutes won both the public vote and the panel’s vote.
