Pilsener is a type of lager beer. It originated in Pilsen, Czech Republic where brewers noticed that beer had a better taste if it was stored in cold caves and kept on ice. It is generally distinguished from other lagers by a more prominent hop character, particularly from noble hops.
In the world of beer, plenty of drinkers wade through lagers and pilsners as if they are the same drink. You can thank the bottomless dollars worth of promotions and hype from the big breweries that have nearly brainwashed most beer drinkers into thinking this by placing sick amounts of focus on brand name recognition rather than brand education. Little do they know that macro-breweries dilute and abuse these “products” with large quantities of rice and corn, in excess at times and that both styles have very rich histories outside of the US.
One style that has yet to be desecrated with this kind of cheap-minded ruthlessness is the Czech Pilsner, sometimes known as a Bohemian Pilsner. The birth of Pilsner beer can be traced back to its namesake, the ancient city of Plzen (or Pilsen) which is situated in the western half of the Czech Republic in what was once Czechoslovakia and previously part of the of Bohemian kingdom.
Pilsner beer was first brewed back in the 1840s when the citizens, brewers, and maltsters of Plzen of formed a brewer’s guild and called it the People’s Brewery of Pilsen. This was primarily out of frustration of the brewing scene of the day. The consumption of beer became more and more customary and drew a bigger demand, and a call for better quality was also at hand.
The land of Plzen was, and still is, rich in brewing resources, from Bohemian and Moravian malts to the renowned Saaz hops (Zatec Red, being its ancient name). Saaz hops were such coveted treasures that back in the Medieval days the law was an ironfisted and unforgiving one. Records state that anyone caught smuggling rhizomes (hop root cuttings) out of the country would be sentenced to death! Even the waters of Plzen were perfect for brewing, being very soft and making for some pleasant brewing compared to the hard harsh waters of England.
However, it was the last piece of the brewing puzzle that pulled this historic style together. The guild got the low-down that the Germans, notably in Munich, were using a bottom-fermenting yeast (lager yeast) with much success. Bavarian monks managed to smuggle a working yeast strain into Bohemia and soon after Josef Groll became the first brewmaster for the guild in 1842. The rest lies in every bottle of Pilsner beer that we consume today, and nowadays you’ll also find Belgian Pils, German and American Pilsners, each with their own distinct characteristics.
The Trademark Pilsner
Traditional Pilsners are typically around the 4 to 5% alcohol by volume, though some of the older renditions are a tad lower or higher. The Colour is obviously light and crystal clear to the eye, light straw to golden. Hops are very prevalent usually with a spicy bitterness and or a spicy floral flavor and aroma, notably one of the defining characteristics of Saaz. Smooth and crisp with a clean malty palate, some of the originals will show some archaic yeast characteristics similar to very mild buttery or fusel (rose like alcohol) flavors.
Pilsners are also extremely refreshing, spirit and palate lifting, and easy to knock back making them the quintessential session beer and a perfect match for almost any food style.
