What Sierra Nevada’s New Brew Says About the Future of American Craft Beer

Forget ingredients and tasting notes. The most notable thing about the brewery’s new beer might just be the can.

Close-up of a cold glass of Sierra Nevada beer with condensation droplets on the glass and a thick, foamy head on top. The text "SIERRA NEVADA" is prominently visible on the glass.

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By Jack Seemer

Published August 13, 2025

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Updated August 13, 2025

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Stats don’t lie. Your beer’s gone flat.

According to Gallup, only 54 percent of Americans say they drink alcohol — the lowest level since the analytics firm began tracking figures in the 1930s.

Meanwhile, 2024 marked the first year in two decades that craft brewery closures outpaced openings. It’s a trend that has continued through the new year.

However, if there’s a bright spot in the deluge of headlines proclaiming last call for an industry that saw explosive growth pre-pandemic, it’s in the non-alcoholic sector.

cans of non-alcoholic beer — Non-alcoholic beer is one of the few bright spots in an industry on the decline.

Sales of NAs are a soarin’, AB InBev, Budweiser’s parent company, projecting a $2 billion market in the next five years.

But if the future of American beer lies in moderation, perhaps no-alcohol options are only one part of a broader equation.

Hitting shelves this month, Sierra Nevada’s newest brew, Pils, offers an alternative solution for beer lovers looking to cut back.

Two hands exchanging a tall glass of beer with a foamy head, one hand wearing a black wristband and the other in a red and blue plaid shirt. The background shows a bar with bottles and a glass filled with fresh green herbs on the left side. — Hitting shelves and taprooms this month, Pils is the newest brew from Sierra Nevada.

Small beer, big idea

At face value the beer is a traditional take on a European pilsner. Brewed with Saphir and Crystal hops, the beer is bright, citrusy and floral, with an easy-drinking 4.7 percent ABV.

More notable than any ingredient or even tasting note, however, is the can it comes in.

A tall glass of light golden beer with a thick white foam head next to a green can of Sierra Nevada Premium Pils craft lager. The can features gold and black lettering and states it has 4.7% alcohol by volume and contains 8.4 fluid ounces. The background is a dark green color. — Sierra Nevada opted for 8.4-ounce cans to package the beer.

Instead of standard 12- or 16-ounce servings, Sierra Nevada opted for a 8.4-ounce cans to “maintain ideal temperature and flavor,” the brewery says. In other words, the idea is to drink it quickly before opting for another … or not.

While that decision may be guided by tradition — the half-pour goes by many names overseas, including Schnitt in Germany or caña in Spain — it might be the exact approach America needs to rediscover its love for suds.

Three hands holding tall, narrow glasses of Sierra Nevada Premium Pils Lager beer, with a light golden color and a foamy head, raised together in a toast. — Smaller servings are common in Europe. In Germany, a half-pour is called a *Schnitt*.

In fact, Sierra Nevada isn’t the only brewery thinking it. Goose Island’s newly revealed Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup includes small bottles of its flagship beer, optimized for tasting or just scaling back.

Goose Island stout — Sierra Nevada isn’t the only brewery shrinking its servings. Goose Island’s upcoming Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup features a small bottle for tasting.

All to say, if the path to drinking more turns out to be as simple as drinking less, Sierra Nevada may once again find itself at the cusp of the craft.

Pils is now available in select markets, with a nationwide rollout scheduled for 2026.

A tall glass of pale golden beer with a thick foamy head next to a green can of Sierra Nevada Premium Pils craft lager. The can features gold and white lettering and states it has 4.7% alcohol by volume. Both the glass and can have condensation droplets.

Sierra Nevada Pils

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About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.