“We serve great beer with the freshest ingredients all across the county,” said Rob Vetere, chief operating officer for San Diego, California-based Bay City Brewing Co. He believes the brewery has something for everyone — from its Fiesta Island Pilsner on a beach day, to their Jucci Gang Double IPA when it’s time to crank it up a bit.

“There’s a broad spectrum of beer styles we offer,” Vetere said.

A Variety of Choices

To experience the variety of styles Bay City’s consumers can choose from, PorchDrinking tried a few. Each beer was excellent, and every style offered something different for a beer drinker’s taste buds.

It’s always good to branch out and try something different from time to time. Even if you’re stuck on the latest Hazy IPA, it’s nice to tone it down a bit and chill with a crispy lager, or try an Asian-style lager — Bay City has those, too!

But the Bay City beer we’re going to tell you about today is one of our favorite styles, one that often flies under the radar: a German-style Pilsner!

An Iconic Location

Fiesta Island is an iconic Mission Bay location, directly across from the Bay City brewing facility.

“It’s the perfect spot for all your outdoor activities,” Vetere said. It offers boating and swimming, it’s a great place to bring your dog and it’s where the nearby Old Mission Beach Athletic Club hosts the annual Over the Line tournament.

It’s the kind of setting most craft beers taste great in. There’s something magical about cracking open a refreshing, crispy Pilsner while chilling with friends and letting loose.

Fiesta Island

The beer that takes its name from Fiesta Island is a German-style Pilsner brewed with Pilsner malts, Cluster hops and German yeast, all sourced from local distributors.

If you want a beer for all occasions, then look no further than Fiesta Island. It’s one of those beers that seems to whispers to you when you open it. The aroma from the carbonation release trickles up and tantalizes the nose. Fresh floral notes arise, along with hints of grain, light bread and lingering honey. If Fiesta Island is the whole menu, then the aromas are the appetizer. Who needs chips and salsa when you’re off to such a pleasant start? OK, maybe we do. Yes, chips and salsa would be one of the many foods you could pair with this beer, and it would be delicious.

Enough talk about the aroma, how does it taste? Well, it’s impeccable! Fiesta Island is crisp and refreshing with wonderfully captured flavors of the German-style Pilsner. Like its aroma alludes to, you get nice floral notes, some toasted cracker, spices and wild honey. It’s a melting pot of Pilsner goodness! It finishes with a whirl of rich, malty goodness that quickly dissipates until the next thirst-quenching sip.

Vetere was onto something when he told us the best way to enjoy Fiesta Island is to grab a four-pack and share it with friends on a back porch, the beach, during a round of golf or just at the house while you’re cooking dinner. It’s the beer for all occasions and you won’t feel guilty for having more than one.

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