If you have followed me on Twitter for any length of time, you are familiar with a small obsession I have with posting pictures of the beers that I drink. That, in and of itself, is not all that shocking but what I am about to say is: Pilsners, but specifically and importantly, German and Czech Pilsners, are the greatest of the beers.
*Ducks head to avoid digitally hurled beer bottle
In a world of liquor store coolers stacked row on top of row with all variations of IPA’s, hopped up Pale Ales and the lowest of the low, American Pilsners, it takes some effort to find the diamonds in the rough: the true Old World beer style of German Pils. That dig at American Pilsners may have been a bit harsh given the perfect dependability and technical prowess required to make that seemingly basic beer. Indeed, it is wildly popular at backyard barbecues, softball fields and dive bars all across the United States and is usually the beer drinkers’ entry into the world of beer drinking writ large.
So why the distinction? For starters, American Pilsners have significantly less flavor, hops, and bitterness than traditional European Pilsners (remember those “bitter beer face” ads?). In fact, many so-called American Pilsners are not allowed to be marketed as Pilsers in Europe. Now, far be it from me to applaud any state sponsored or compulsory market based naming regulations, but it is readily evident that the method of brewing American Pilsners involves a substantial deviation from the method of brewing Old World Pilsners, but it is not entirely the American brewers’ fault that this style of beer became so popular.
Throughout the 19th Century, many immigrants came to the United States and brought with them their beer brewing knowledge. Many of these first generation Germans began brewing beer that was similar to the traditional beer that they brewed back in their homeland, and they had an immediate impact on cultural drinking patterns, advances in brewing processes and even contributed to the development of commercial refrigeration in the U.S. This would stand to reason, since the production of Pilsner-style lagers was significantly different from the production of the darker English beers of the times. These Pilsner-style lagers were made using a bottom-fermenting technique that required an extended period of rest, known as “lagering,” at low temperatures. The entrepreneurial brewers were continually looking for ways to keep their products cool, be that via geographical means (deep within natural caves or man-made vaults buried deep underground) or new and innovative artificial means via mechanical refrigeration in large aboveground stockhouses (undoubtedly contributing to commercial refrigeration development). So the next time you are sipping on that IPA in an air conditioned bar on a hot summer day, be sure to raise a toast to Pilsners, the greatest of the beers!
Joking aside, another aspect that affected the art of brewing in the U.S. for the immigrant brewers was that the climate was different, which affected the availability and types of crops that the brewers could utilize. But, beyond general climate differences, beginning roughly in the 1880’s, a series of events caused the brewers to alter their brewing methods, substitute ingredients and most extremely, stop brewing beer altogether. One of the first major calamities was that no sooner had the brewers cornered the market on the mass production of lighter beers, which fit well with cultural mores regarding drinking in the U.S., Prohibition reared its ugly head. Overnight, brewing full strength beer became illegal and owing to the fact that it was far easier for bootleggers to smuggle whiskey than a whole barrel of beer, the beer brewing industry came to a screeching halt. Larger breweries were able to change gears and produce non beer related goods in their production lines, but the smaller breweries were decimated (more on that in this article).
Over the course of time throughout Prohibition, not surprisingly, the American flavor palette changed to prefer spirits over beer, forcing beer brewers to have to adjust on the fly to accommodate the changing drinking patterns. With the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, a seeming boom era awaited the brewers, but the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl drought was right around the corner. Once again, brewers had to adapt and make due with limited funds, resources and substitute ingredients which, necessarily and unfortunately, further distanced the new Pilsers from their Old World brethren. One specific example is that corn became an increasingly common substitute in American Pilsners in the post-Prohibition era. Alas, having been without beer for so long, many had long forgotten what a true Pilsner was supposed to taste like and were just happy to have the beer supply flowing again, albeit completely diluted from its original flavor.
Admittedly, that is an all too brief overview of the history of American Pilsners, but it’s important to understand how they came to be so different from their European cousins. But that’s enough history, let’s dive into the exquisite flavor palette of the traditional style German and Czech Pilsners.
The most noticeable and appealing aspect of German Pils is that it is dry and crisp with a sustained bitterness. The hop aroma and flavor is moderate yet, somehow, pronounced. When compared to Czech Pilsners, the German Pils tends to have increased carbonation levels, is paler in color and lighter in body, and comes with a distinct dense, pure white head upon pouring it in the glass. The appearance is clear, lacks haze and has a color profile from straw to pale. They are easy to drink, perfectly refreshing and are incredibly versatile for pairing with food. For me, the best combination is raw oysters and a good German Pils. They offer a clean aftertaste and they are rather sessionable with a typical 4.6-5.3% ABV range and a bitterness (IBU) range between 25-50.
Similar to German Pils, the Czech Style Pilsner will be clear and should lack haze, but its color profile is straw to gold. They are characterized by slightly sweet, toasted biscuit and malty aromas and they offer moderate to low carbonation in contrast to the German Pils, while still providing a dense head. The hop aroma and flavor is medium-low to medium and the perceived bitterness is slightly higher than the German Pils. They offer a clean aftertaste and they are also sessionable with a typical 4.1-5.1% ABV range and a bitterness (IBU) range between 30-45.
So with that, here goes – in no particular order – my favorite Old World style Pilsners list of 2021 to help you find these great beers. To be sure, this list is very Colorado centric, but what can I say, I am blessed to live in the epicenter of one of the greatest beer brewing cities in the world. Not all are available year round and some are limited runs, but all are worth seeking out.
Be careful, don’t be fooled by modifiers placed in front of the word Pilsner, just keep an eye out for a label that simply says German Style Pilsner, Pils, or Bohemian Pilsner (a description that has its roots in Bohemia, or modern day Czech Republic). More specifically, Pils references the town of Plzeň, where Pilsner Urquell has been brewed for over 150 years; which conveniently brings us to the beginning of the list. Enjoy!
The Original Pilsner – Pilsner Urquell
The granddaddy of them all, Pilsner Urquell has been brewed in Plzeň, Czech Republic, for over 150 years and is a world renown Pilsner that continues to stand the test of time. Pro tip: buy it in the can instead of the bottle, trust me, it just tastes better.
Pilsner UrqWeld – WeldWerks Brewing Company
With a name like that, it better live up to expectations and this beer certainly did and it has a nice can design to boot! Good luck finding it in stores as it had a limited distribution run. Side note, I definitely didn’t spend an hour long round trip on my day off driving to South Denver to pick up a couple four packs of this beer…I should have picked up more!
Slow Pour Pils – Bierstadt Lagerhaus
This brewery makes German-style lagers in a traditional way, which is certainly appealing to me. Slow Pour Pils is a northern German inspired Pils that is strikingly pale, crisp and bitter. Be sure to stop by the brewery in person and get one of these beers served up in one of the best beer vessels ever created. Side note, there is a small silver lining concerning the recent government mandated shutdowns with respect to this beer: Bierstadt begrudgingly started offering this beer in a can available at my local liquor store, but I get it, it’s much better to drink it straight from the tap at the brewery.
Pilsner – Prost Brewing Co. & Biergarten
This brewery has made it their mission to create authentic German beers using traditional methods based on the Reinheitsgebot purity law. They have definitely achieved their mission and they offer a wide variety of traditional style beers that are available year round. What’s even better is that they bought their brewing equipment from an old brewery in Germany and had it shipped across the ocean and deposited just outside of downtown Denver. Side note: Prost makes one of the best Marzen/Oktoberfest beers around, but that’s a list for another day.
Clock Maker Pilsner – Coda Brewing Co.
Calibrated Eye Pilsner – Coda Brewing Co.
I happened to visit this brewery at just the right time in the fall of 2020, for they had two fantastic German Pilsners on tap. After having a few at the brewery, I grabbed two four packs of each and a few days later found myself wondering why I didn’t pick up more?
Perfect Drift – 4 Noses Brewing Company
A crisp and refreshing German-Style Pilsner, this beer is an old standby for me and a perfect traditional style German Pilsner. This beer is readily available in any liquor store and for good reason; it’s sessionable, refreshing and reliable.
Bavik Super Pils – Brewery De Brabandere
Although it’s not a German or Czech Pilsner, this Belgian Pilsner from the Old World is a great beer that you can find in the import section of your favorite liquor store. It is typically available in those squatty sized cans which is funny to me, so take that for what it’s worth.
Here are a few honorable mentions also worth seeking out:
River North Pils – River North Brewery
Blue Paddle – New Belgium Brewing Company
Bohemian Girl – Tivoli Brewing Company
Pillow Drops Colorado Pilsner – New Terrain Brewing (not exactly a German Pils, but still a decent Pilsner)
Summer Pils – Breckenridge Brewery
Did I forget your favorite German Pils? Is this the worst take in beer history? Hit me up and let me know about your favorite beer style!
Prost!
