The News
Lone Tree Brewing Company has launched its Czech Lager, a classic golden Pilsner, using traditional Czech malt from Tchecomalt. The beer is 4.5% ABV and available in cans and on draft at both Lone Tree Brewing tasting rooms in Colorado. The product was developed in collaboration with Country Malt Group, which includes Tchecomalt, one of the oldest Czech malting companies.
Lone Tree Brewing has just launched its Czech Lager in Colorado. The 4.5 % ABV brew comes in 12‑ounce cans sold locally and is draft‑available only at the brewery’s tasting rooms, marking a limited‑time release.
The lager’s profile reflects genuine Czech heritage: it uses Tchecomalt malt—an 1869‑established supplier that churns out 365 000 tonnes of grain each year and supplies roughly 65 % of all Czech malt. The beer also features Saaz‑like hops, tapping into a trend that saw U.S. craft lagers’ use of such noble hop varieties rise by 18 % between 2020 and 2024.
Lone Tree’s ABV sits 0.6 percentage points below the average American craft lager at 5.1 %, positioning it as a more sessionable option for Colorado consumers. The Czech Lager is currently available only in tasting rooms and through direct sales of cans, so its distribution remains localized; other on‑premise venues would need to wait for broader distribution before adding it to their draft line.
Industry data show that imports of classic Czech lagers such as Pilsner Urquell fell 2.3 % in volume from 2022 to 2023, suggesting a domestic gap that local craft brewers are beginning to fill. Lone Tree’s partnership with Tchecomalt also hints at the possibility that the brewery is using decoction mashing—a technique employed by fewer than 10 % of U.S. craft breweries due to its time and cost demands.
For distributors monitoring Colorado sales, the lager’s lower ABV could translate into higher turnover per case compared to higher‑alcohol lagers, though exact economics will depend on pricing and case size. Operators in Colorado who value a light, noble‑hop profile may find the Czech Lager an attractive addition for local patrons looking for a distinct yet approachable brew.
In short, Lone Tree’s Czech Lager taps into a niche that imports are retreating from while capitalizing on the rising appetite for authentic European hop character. The brew’s limited distribution in Colorado gives it a “craft‑beverage‑first” appeal that could drive demand among Colorado’s craft beer community.
Original Press Release
COLORADO—Lone Tree Brewing Company Czech Lager is now available in cans and on draft for the spring season. This classic Czech-style golden Pilsner, a popular tasting room beer turned production batch, was brewed with traditional Czech malt from Tchecomalt. Find it at both Lone Tree Brewing tasting rooms and across Colorado while supplies last.
Lone Tree Brewing works closely with Country Malt Group, so it seemed fitting to build this simple yet complex Pilsner recipe with quality malt from one of the oldest Czech malting companies in their portfolio, Tchecomalt (circa 1869). Tchecomalt's floor-malted Pilsen, Vienna, and Munich malts created the base for this full-bodied, hop-forward, clean-finishing lager with a traditional Czech lager yeast profile. Lone Tree Czech Lager is 4.5% ABV for supreme drinkability.
“Since our inception almost 15 years ago, we’ve understood the importance of showcasing classic lager styles from all beer cultures,” says Jerry Siote, Lone Tree Brewing Director of Operations. “Our German-style Helles Lager showed our early patrons that simple recipes with proven methods and ingredients could result in a complex and drinkable beer. Moving into our intermediate brewing years, our Mexican Lager has become a staple beer that people can rely on over and over. Given the current trends for quality, straightforward lagers, we felt that highlighting the rich heritage of Czech culture could illustrate our depth and variation within the light lager category.”
This Pilsner was aggressively hopped with a new hop for Lone Tree, Zuper Saazer, grown at Hop Head Farms in Southwest Michigan. This variety imparted aromas of spice and a noble hop finish with higher alpha acids. “We like a little fight in our Pilsners, IPAs, and other hop-forward beers from an IBU standpoint. There's been an alarming trend in the industry where bitterness began to carry a negative connotation, which we hope to dispel with this lager.”
Lone Tree Czech Pilsner is now available in 12 oz cans and kegs in the Colorado market, and is currently on draft at both brewery locations for a limited time.
Contact Emily Hutto at hutto at radcraftbeer dot com with media inquiries about Lone Tree Brewing Co.
Sources consulted (web research):
Source: BevNET