Yay!!! Welcome to our very first Into The Pint Glass post!! I’m so excited to be joining Katie (The Hungry Goat) to share a little about the pilsner beer style with you. So, let’s dive into that pint glass, shall we…
Pilsner, also known as pilsener, pilsen, or pils is a type of pale lager. It was originally produced in 1842 in the city of Plzeň, Bohemia, Czech Republic, where it got it’s name. The original Pilsner Urquell beer is still produced there to this day, though the brewing process has changed over the years. Pilsners are typically light in color (straw to golden color) and usually 4-5% ABV (alcohol by volume).
Pilsners can be further broken down into three styles:
German Pilsner
Is a crisp clean refreshing larger, featuring quite a lot of bitterness derived from Noble hops. Flavors expected are usually dry, clean, crisp, floral, and spicy. German Pils are drier and less malty than the Bohemian style.
Bohemian or Czech Pilsner
Are still clean and light but with more of a malty characteristic balanced with the bitter of the hops. Bohemian style comes across more full bodied, but still refreshing.
Classic American Pilsner
Is the heavier, more complex style of the three. It comes across malty and hoppy, with a hint of sweetness and/or grain flavor. Corn or rice is added to this style that adds the extra flavor characteristics not tasted in the Bohemian or German styles. This style of Pilsner is not as common as German or Bohemian in the general beer market.
Well, now that you know a little more about Pilsners, let’s move to the fun part, the tasting. Per my personality, I had trouble choosing just one. So, I tasted three 🙂
Sudwerk Northern Pilsner: Is a German-style pilsner. Sudwerk is located in Davis, CA.
Color: light with a golden hue.
Smell: Maltiness/sweetness in aroma but the sweetness is not in the taste.
Taste: Refreshing but not as bitter or dry as the Trumer Pils. It has a bit more of a maltiness on the front end of the tasting but finishes clean and fairly dry.
Trumer Pils: Is a German style pilsner, brewed in Berkeley, CA.
Color: very light, the lightest in color of the three I tried.
Smell: Earthy, graininess.
Taste: clean, crisp and dry with a distinctive bitter finish. The hop flavors shows up in the front to the end, finishing with the more bitter ending.
Fall Brewing Plenty for All: Fall Brewing is one of our neighborhood breweries here in San Diego. Plenty for All is described as a pilsner brewed in the California Common Style.
Color: Light with a deeper golden hue than the Sudwerk pilsner.
Smell: Maltiness, some sweetness, with some hoppiness notes.
Taste: This was the heaviest in mouthfeel of the three I tasted. Malty in the front end that stays strong until a slightly sweeter, less pronounced bitter finished. This is still a refreshing beer, but the grain/malt flavor is more prominent than in the Trumer or Sudwerk.
Overall, a pilsner is considered a refreshing style of beer. I think it is perfect for warmer weather or with meals. It makes me think bbq or ball games. Since it mostly finishes clean, it doesn’t compete with other flavors. Recommended food pairing are bratwurst (shocking right), hot dogs, salmon, chicken, salads. I personally like it with a grilled chicken salad. A creamy dressing pairs a bit better than a vinaigrette. A Bohemian goes better than the German with a vinaigrette dressing. I also like a pilsner with a burger, but to me, beer and burgers are such a natural pairing.
Now I want to see what pilsners you found! Link-up your beer post below. This link-up will stay open until the next one is opened on February 19th. So, you still have time to find a pilsner and link-up! Be sure to tag your drink of choice with #IntoThePintGlass.
These are the upcoming styles, so you have plenty of time to find your beers for future posts 🙂
If you have any other questions please let me know! Is there something you would have liked to know that I didn’t mention? Are you a pilsner fan or not so much? Do you have a favorite pilsner?
