Some collaborations happen because of trends. Others happen because of timing. But every once in a while, a partnership comes together because it just makes sense on every level imaginable.
That’s exactly what happened with Luger Lager.
Peter Luger Steak House has been an institution in Brooklyn since 1887—they were in Williamsburg before there was even a Williamsburg Bridge. We’ve been selling them our Flagship Hazy IPA, Logical Conclusion, on draft since late 2022, and what started as a business relationship quickly grew into genuine friendship. These are people who understand that doing something right takes time, patience, and an almost stubborn dedication to quality. Sound familiar?
The house beer conversation began in early 2024 when the head beer buyer from Torst NYC reached out to me. Peter Luger was looking to create their own house beer, and when they asked for his recommendation, he said there was only one choice in NYC for a house lager: Threes Brewing.
Before long, our team—myself and our head brewer—found ourselves at a long table in Peter Luger’s flagship Williamsburg location, conducting what might have been the most delicious market research of my career. We tasted through two dozen different lagers: some of ours, some domestic, some imports. The Peter Luger team wanted to nail down everything—color, body, ABV, hop character, bitterness. For most of them, this was their first deep dive into the full spectrum of German lager varieties. We introduced them to Dortmunder style lagers, Vienna style lagers, dunkels, and walked through the entire range of Czech beers.
But here’s where it got interesting. Back in the day, Peter Luger used to pour a lot of half-and-halfs—half pilsner, half schwarzbier. It had fallen out of favor with younger customers over the years, but the team wanted to bring that experience to today’s drinker through a single house lager. The color alone told the story: something that evoked that classic half-and-half pour while staying true to Peter Luger’s roots as a Bavarian-style beer hall.
They particularly liked Czech dark lagers, but we all wanted to root the experience in a German lens, which led us to target a Bavarian style lager. Something with the darkness of a Czech dark lager but tied to the fact that Peter Luger originally opened as a sort of Bavarian beer hall in the early 1900s—you can still see it in the dark wood paneling throughout their building.
The brewing team went to work, riffing off one of our fall seasonals but toning down the hoppiness and turning up the color and maltiness. We built Luger Lager with German Pilsner, Munich, and Vienna malts, then balanced it with Spalter Select and Mittlefruh hops. The result is amber-toned with toasty, slightly briny notes—not too bitter, but with a floral hop presence and meaningful malt characteristics.
We released Luger Lager in September 2024, draft-only at first. The beer performed beyond expectations—so well that it quickly expanded to their Great Neck and Las Vegas locations. Both teams felt there wasn’t a better beer for drinking with a steak, and by early 2025, we decided to fast-track scaling the brand, releasing it in limited 16-ounce cans on a regular basis.
What excites me most about this collaboration isn’t just the beer itself—though I’m genuinely proud of how it turned out—it’s what it represents. In a city that’s constantly changing, there’s something deeply satisfying about two Brooklyn businesses coming together to celebrate what makes this place special. Peter Luger has been doing their thing for 137 years. We’re newer to the scene, but we share that same commitment to craft and community.
The best part? Watching people discover the pairing for the first time. Whether it’s with Peter Luger’s famous burger, their new housemade bratwurst (which they actually poach in the beer), or alongside one of their legendary steaks, there’s this moment when you see someone realize that this combination just works.
That’s the thing about good partnerships—they make both sides better. Peter Luger’s commitment to excellence pushes us to be better brewers. Hopefully, our approach to beer brings something new to their table. Either way, we’re proud to be part of the Peter Luger story, even in this small way.
Because at the end of the day, this is what community looks like: longtime Brooklyn institutions supporting each other, creating something together that neither could have made alone, and sharing it with people who appreciate quality over everything else.
Now that’s worth raising a glass to.
Are you a brewer with a beer inspiration story that you would like featured on All About Beer? Contact editor John Holl via email JohnHoll@AllAboutBeer.com
Mike Naclerio is the VP of Sales & Production at Threes Brewing