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A True King Among Beer StylesJul 18 '01 (Updated Oct 28 '06) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Pilsners are refreshing, clean- tasting lagers that are balanced in taste, and acceptable to most any palate.
Pilsner is one of the world’s best- known styles of beer. Pilsner has inspired many other types of beer over the ages, like Oktoberfest, Vienna Lager, and many of the lagers brewed in the United States. It’s the most imitated of all the world’s beer styles, with many brewers placing the pilsner label on most any lager they produce. History of Pilsner: The origins of this style of beer can be traced to 1842 when the first pilsner was brewed in Pilsen, Bohemia (the Czech Republic today). This original pilsner was the product of the Mestansky Pivovar (meaning “citizen’s brewery) brewery, which would later change its name to the Plzensky Prazdroj (meaning “original source of pilsner”) brewery. The head of the operation was brewmaster Josef Groll, a young brewer of lager from Bavaria. His new product was later given the name “Pilsner Urquell”, which means “original source”. With this new beer, the pilsner style had been born. The popularity of this new beer spread quickly throughout Europe. It was exported to the United States for the first time in 1871. To protect this new venture in malt beverage creation, the brewery made “pilsner beer” a registered trademark. This protective measure didn’t last long. With the popularity of this type of beer growing so fast and being imitated so frequently, the term pilsner eventually became a generic word that was used to describe most any light lager, even if the beer wasn’t that similar to the original pilsner. Characteristics of Pilsner: Pilsners are made with bottom- fermenting lager yeast. The original gravity of pilsner is typically around 1.048 (12 degrees Plato) and the alcohol level is usually in the 4 to 5 percent range, by volume. Pilsners are light golden in color and a true pilsner should have a moderate amount of malt taste, and a substantial flavor of hops. The original pilsner, Pilsner Urquell, has a hop bitterness rating of 40 I.B.U. Other characteristics of pilsner include a pale body, and crisp, dry finish. Many American made, mass- produced beers try to claim that they are pilsners, even though they really don’t fit the definition at all. For the most part, these beers are just light American- style lagers, not pilsners. When a true lover of beer hears Miller Lite proclaim that it’s a “fine pilsner beer”, we just roll our eyes and chuckle. The only similarity between Miller Lite and Pilsner Urquell is that they are both light colored. Good Examples of Pilsner: Pilsner Urquell is the original and best example of a pilsner. This golden- colored beer has just the right balance of hops and malt, a crystal- clear body, and a taste of grain, hops, and a touch of butter. If I had to choose one pilsner to drink, this is the one I would choose. Many American craft- brewers have also brewed some good pilsners. I enjoy Samuel Adams Golden Pilsner, Brooklyn Pilsner, and August Schell Pilsner. I’ve also visited some brewpubs around the country that have some delicious examples of pilsner, brewed right on the premises and available on tap. Final Thoughts: Pilsners are a very popular style of beer, and it’s easy to see why. They are light, clean- tasting, and don’t fill a person up the way some of the darker beers do. Personally, I would rather have a stout, porter, or bock. But if I had to choose a lighter beer, pilsners would rank at the top of my list. Please note that I’m talking about real pilsners, not the light lagers that many American brewers try to call pilsner. Most all people in the United States have tried lager beers, but many have not yet sampled a true pilsner. The granddaddy of them all, Pilsner Urquell, is a popular import and is available all over the United States. If you haven’t tried it yet, then you should make it a point to find some and sample it. And keep an eye out for the small, craft- brewed pilsners out there. Many of them are excellent. We can thank our European friends in the Czech Republic for introducing pilsner beer to the world. Josef Groll, specifically, deserves the credit for creating this beer style that is so well- known and praised the world over. Let’s all have a toast to Mr. Groll! Lift your Pilsner glass into the air, and celebrate! Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read Advice on Other Beer Types: What Should You Know About Blonde Beers What Should You Know about Dunkles Beers What Should You Know About Black & Tan Beers What Should You Know About Porter Beers What Should You Know About Stout Beers What Should You Know About IPA Beers What Should You Know About Wheat Beers What Should You Know About Bock Beers What Should You Know About Doppelbock Beers What Should You Know About Ale Beers What Should You Know About Lager Beers  |
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