Pilsner (also known as Pilsner or Pilsen beer) is the type of lager beer originally brewed in the 19th century in the city of Pilsen, in the western part of the historical region of Bohemia
At ForBeerLovers we're going to tell you everything you need to know about Pilsen beer, one of the most popular and widely consumed types of beer in the world.
Characteristics of Pilsen beer
They are made from Moravian pilsen malts, low-hardness water and above all from Czech hops from Zatec (Saaz) which vary from 2 to 5 % alpha acids, and are fermented with low-fermentation yeast.
Some of the features of the Pilsen are as follows:
Aroma
It is characterized by being clean and having a complex and rich malt feel
Graduation
Its alcohol content is average (around 3 to 5 %) as is its extract.
Appearance
It has a shade that ranges from golden to dark orange, with a dense creamy white crown that is able to last a good amount of time
Taste
It is characterized by its complexity, with malt tones accompanied by the spiciness of the hops, a remarkable bitterness and a clean finish and no outstanding fruity esters.
How to serve Pilsen
With a glass specifically for this style, the pilsner allows you to appreciate all the carbonation of the beer. To get the best possible head, we must hold the glass almost horizontally, that is, in line with the bottle. We must serve until it is about to touch the rim, and then slowly straighten
What to eat with
It is ideal for accompanying smoked or roasted dishes, so it goes perfectly with meat cuts, sausages or meat products with a lot of fat such as bacon or bacon
Ingredients of the Pilsen
This type of beer has ingredients like the ones we discover below. Take note!
Malta
- 6 kg of malt base
- 300g. of crystal malt
Hops
- 60gr Hops Saaz
Clarifying agents
- Irish 1 tsp
Yeast
- lager 11g
How it is made
Do you want to make Pilsen beer at home? You should know that, by following the all-grain method, you can make a high-quality beer yourself. To do so, follow these steps and you will get 23 liters of Pilsen:
- Maceration: It uses 11.6 liters of water to macerate the pilsner malt. Macerate at a temperature of 65ºC, for one hour.
- Boiling: Put 27 litres of water and must to boil and add the hops at the indicated times. Total boiling time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Fermentation: Fermentation at 12 ºC with lager yeast.
- Conditioning: Matured for about four weeks at 3 ºC.
Here's a video so you know how to do Pilsen at home:
History of Pilsen beer
Until about 1840 the vast majority of products made in Bohemia were very different from the typical Pilsen of today.
The poor quality of the products produced at that time led to the foundation of a brewery in the city of Pilsen called Pilsner Urquell.
The citizens of Pilsen themselves hired a famous master malt maker from Bavaria, Josef Groll. Groll's various experiments resulted in a mythical beer that has remained intact to this day.
The 3 best brands of Pilsen
We conclude this article by discussing the most prominent IPA brands of the moment. Although there is a wide variety of options, here we are going to leave you with a list of the 3 best ones you have to try, yes or yes!
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Hopfmeister Franz Joseph: a very hoppy low-fermentation beer, which is not bitter (it's only 20 IBUs), which stands out as a somewhat cloudy lager since it has not been filtered. With an alcohol content of 5.1%, it is a very aromatic beer in which spicy and fruity notes stand out, especially grapefruit
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Sharp's Camel Valley Pilsner: This is a very peculiar beer that is first brewed in Sharp's facilities using British malts, Czech Saaz hops and Pils yeasts and then bottled in champagne type bottles to which brut yeasts are added, leaving the beer to mature for six weeks. The result is a beer with 6.6% alcohol
- Budweiser Czech Budvar: Made only in the Czech Republic, this beer is a completely refreshing Pilsen. In the city of Prague this beer is even cheaper than water.
