Pilsners of the World
Pilsner is both a well-understood and poorly understood beer style. Craft beer enthusiasts know the origin story of the first pale lager brewed in 1842 in the Czech city of Pilsen (Plzeň in the Czech language). Casual beer drinkers may think Pilsner is another name for beer, since it is freely used on many light lagers (Miller Lite proudly says that it is “a fine Pilsner beer,” for instance). Adding to the confusion is that the terms “lager” and “Pilsner” are used interchangeably at times.
Most Americans and craft beer enthusiasts think of lagers as a type of beer fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast. Most Europeans think of lagers as a type of beer fermented and conditioned at cold temperatures. Both are correct usages, so it is best to understand the context and where the terms are used since the actual definitions differ. In this article, I use lager to mean a beer fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast at cool temperatures and then cold conditioned for a period of time.
Pilsner (which also can be written as Pilsener) is a type of pale lager that originated in Pilsen – the name literally means, “from Pilsen.” Within the Czech Republic, Pilsner is considered an appellation of origin, so only beers produced in Pilsen can be called Pilsners. This is why the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) terms these beers “Czech premium pale lagers,” which mirrors the Czech name světlý ležák (pale lager). Outside of the Czech Republic, these beers are sometimes called Czech Pilsners or Bohemian Pilsners (Bohemia is a region within the Czech Republic).
For purposes of discussing current beer styles, I often refer to Pilsner in the generic sense as a family of beers, including many that are not of Czech origin. It’s easier to write this way, but please consider this to mean Pilsner-type beer since I believe the Czechs deserve to protect their heritage. From this point forward, I will use Pilsner to mean the family of styles and will add a qualifier when I am talking about a specific style.
Meet the Pilsner Family
As a family of beer styles, Pilsners have common elements. The most important is that they are pale lager beers with noticeable hop character and bitterness. They are clear beers, no darker than golden in color, with a well-developed white head. They tend to be average strength beers (around 5% ABV with starting gravities around 1.048 or 12 °P). I usually think of Pilsners as having at least 20–25 IBUs in bitterness so as to separate them from the more common lager family of beers (not the broad category of lagers, but the collection of lower-bitterness, mass-marketed pale lagers — the BJCP calls these styles International pale lagers, American lagers, and American light lagers). Regardless of how they are branded, I don’t consider these beers to be true Pilsners due to their low bitterness.
Czech Pilsner (Bohemian Pilsner, Czech Premium Pale Lager, BJCP style 3B) is the original Pilsner style, made famous by what was later branded Pilsner Urquell. Compared to other Pilsners, these are maltier, richer, darker in color, and have more body. Czech beers in general have greater residual extract (higher finishing gravity) so they tend to have more of a malty finish and greater mouthfeel. They are characterized by a strong bitterness and traditionally feature Saaz hop aroma and flavor. Low-mineral water used in brewing allows for a higher level of hopping without harshness. Decoction mashing is common, with Pilsner Urquell using a triple decoction mash. Czech yeast and brewing techniques can leave a trace level of diacetyl in the beer, but this character should not be prominent.
German Pils (German Pilsner, BJCP style 5D) is derived from Czech Pilsner, and adapted to local brewing conditions. Compared to Czech Pilsner, it has a lighter body, a drier finish, and is lighter in color. It can have a sharper finish as some German water is higher in sulfates. German hop varieties are commonly used with noble-type hops being traditional. Step mashing is often used for producing the beer. Regional variations exist in Germany (as with bitters in the U.K.), with drier examples found in the north and maltier examples in the south.
American Pilsner (Pre-Prohibition Lager, BJCP Style 27) is derived from Czech Pilsner and German Pils-
ner, having come to the United States with immigration in the late 1800s. The ancestor to modern American lagers, this beer was balanced more like Czech Pilsner but made with American ingredients. Traditionally, 6-row malt with corn or rice as adjuncts was used, with native American hops used for bittering and imported European hops for aroma and flavor. Few examples exist today of this historical style, although it has inspired modern craft variations. After Prohibition ended, American Pilsner became more industrialized and increasingly bland and less bitter, so it essentially morphed into modern American lager.
Other European countries began making Pilsners in the style of German Pils, but adapting to their own markets. These tended to be less bitter, and they could be made with adjuncts. While they may be called Pilsners in their local markets, they are essentially described by the International Pale Lager style (BJCP style 2A). Distinct examples exist in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Poland, and elsewhere. While these examples may use local hop varieties, they are generally not hopped sufficiently to be recognizable as modern Pilsners. Many of these are premium mass-market beers of high quality, but generally have less bitterness than other Pilsner examples.
Entering the modern craft era, German Pilsner has served as the inspiration for a huge variety of modern examples. While Czech Pilsner is the undisputed original, it is the German Pilsner with its drier, crisper finish and more streamlined recipe and production method that is most often chosen as the template for variation and experimentation. While German and Czech Pilsners are not traditionally dry-hopped, many modern variations use this technique, as well as generally increasing the late hop profile.
I think there is actually a major variation of German Pilsners that involve dry hopping. Let’s call these hoppy Pilsners (best to enter currently as BJCP style 34B Mixed-Style Beer), although few are branded as such. With a change in hop varieties, I’ve seen these beers called Italian Pilsner (when using noble-type hops), West Coast Pilsner (when using American IPA-type hops), and New Zealand Pilsner (when using New Zealand hops; note, though, the Kiwis define New Zealand Pilsner differently). If you accept the general idea of hoppy Pilsner, then you can see how easy it is to extend the variations when additional hop varieties (possibly using hops not yet released) are used. Some brewers may use American Pilsner to mean something similar to West Coast Pilsner, rather than as a historical term.
These variations often make changes in base malt and water chemistry from the German Pilsner, not just varying hop varieties. However, they all do tend to use a similar neutral lager yeast, preferably ones that are low sulfur producers. In general, when increasing possibly sulfury hops, the sulfur content of the water should be lowered, which can often produce a softer finish. When the overall sulfur load in the beer becomes too high, the beer can seem increasingly objectionable, regardless of the source of the sulfur.
I find the currently popular West Coast Pilsner to be a curious notion. Brewers can make it in different ways, including using corn and rice as adjuncts. Some may use a warmer fermentation to attempt to reduce the sulfur content (which is what often made so-called India pale lagers, or IPLs, less popular). But an average strength lager made with IPA hops and possibly adjuncts sounds awfully familiar. Cold IPA, perhaps? Regardless, the resulting beers are quite enjoyable.
In New Zealand, they do have a local style they call New Zealand Pilsner (BJCP style X5). However, it is different from the style that many American craft brewers (and judges) seem to want to call that style. The base beer isn’t exactly like a German Pilsner; it is in between German and Czech examples in that it has a maltier, softer finish. But it doesn’t have the richer malt flavors often found in Czech examples. The most unusual aspect is that many New Zealand brewers produce this as a cool-fermented ale, not a lager. They could use a dry yeast like SafAle US-05 to make the beer, or the more traditional SafLager W-34/70. Commercial producers might use the faster ale yeast, while homebrewers prefer the traditional lager yeast. Either way, the beer tends to have a neutral fermentation profile.
In Germany, there is another traditional style worth mentioning. Kellerbier is a traditional family of lager beer using a more rustic conditioning and serving method, resulting in beers with a greater yeast character. While not traditionally applied to Pilsners, in the modern craft era the technique has been used this way to create what is sometimes called the Keller Pils (BJCP style 27). This type of beer does not have to be as clear, can have more body, and usually has greater fresh yeast flavor (including higher levels of fermentation byproducts typically reduced during long cold conditioning). This style is not limited to Germany, as craft brewers worldwide are producing it.
Germans and Czechs produce Pilsners (and other lagers) of differing strengths, often considering these to be separate styles. In Germany, a lower-alcohol Pilsner can be called a Leichtbier (BJCP style 5A), although that term can also be applied to a helles-type beer. Czechs typically include the degrees Plato in the beer description, and lower alcohol Czech Pilsners are categorized as Czech pale lagers (BJCP style 3A, světlé výčepní pivo).
As the Pilsner family continues to expand, there is also innovation in the lager family. Recently, styles such as Mexican lager and Japanese rice lager have become popular as craft beer styles in the U.S. and elsewhere. Lager could experience a similar treatment as Pilsner. For example, in Brazil I’ve seen dry hopping and increased late hopping applied to American-type lager to create something they call hop lager. I think techniques and experimentation seen in Pilsners are likely to continue in lagers as well, and vice versa. The craft era has broken many of the traditional beer style boundaries we once believed in, so for those who follow beer styles, try to have some flexibility in thought as brewers continue to experiment.
Brewing Variables
When brewing Pilsners, there are a few key choices the brewer can use to control the finished beers. While there is some similarity between styles, there is a surprising number of alternatives in how to approach individual styles. I think the important variables include the base malt choice, whether or not to use adjuncts, the mash program, the water chemistry, the hopping, and the yeast selection.
Wait, Gordon, that’s just about every part of beer. Yeah, pretty much. But there are some constraints to these choices that make it easier.
Regarding base malt, it kind of goes without saying that Pilsner malt is the most common choice. However, there are significant differences between Pilsner malt from different countries and between individual maltsters. The type of Pilsner malt can also influence the mash program. For instance, German Pilsners should be made from mostly German Pilsner malt, and the Germans traditionally use a step mash. Czechs can use a wide range of malts, from the same German Pilsner malt to Czech undermodified malt, which needs a more intensive mash program such as decoction. Some of these German and Czech malts are available as floor malted, different barley varieties can be used, and some are more highly kilned than others. I find some modern boutique Pilsner malts have too heavy a toasted flavor to taste good in a Pilsner, but that’s my opinion. I find some Belgian Pilsner malts to have a slight fruitiness to them. The important point is that not all Pilsner malts taste the same, so it’s best to understand the flavor profile from the ingredients you use.
Some American-style Pilsners and the lagers derived from them can be made with North American (U.S. or Canadian) Pilsner malt, lager malt, or 2-row brewer’s malt. These tend to have less flavor intensity, especially bready flavors, than the European malts. Sometimes, I will dilute European Pilsner malts with North American malts to reduce the stronger flavors that might not be wanted in all variations. Some of the American Pilsner styles can use corn or rice, but the brewer has the choice of the form. Flaked versions are easier to mash, but can have less flavor. The unprocessed grains normally have to be cooked using a cereal cooker or double mash program, so few homebrewers go this route. American styles using adjuncts may be made using an infusion mash as well, for simplicity.
The mash program isn’t just about converting starches to sugars; it also is how the brewer can control attenuation and how the beer finishes. The dry finish associated with German Pilsners is normally created by a step mash, although some brewers might use a single infusion mash with added dextrinous malts to not remove all the body. Czech lagers are normally at least double decocted to increase color, flavor, and mouthfeel associated with the beer.
German Pilsners often have calcium sulfate in the water to increase the dryness and sharpness in the finish. Just keep in mind that the added sulfur can cause some late hops to taste or smell unpleasant. Pilsners with a softer finish will use more calcium chloride, while Czech Pilsners are traditionally made with low-mineral water. Adjusting the water chemistry does more than facilitate the mash, keep in mind that it will have impacts on the finish of the beer and the interaction with the late hops.
Pilsners can benefit from high-alpha, but non-harsh, bittering hops. Something like Magnum is often used in German-style beers, but can certainly be used in any Pilsner style. The late hops drive the character of many Pilsners, and is what differentiates most modern Pilsners. Noble hops for German and Italian Pilsners, American or New World hops for West Coast Pilsners, and Czech Saaz hops for Czech Pilsners are common. The IPA-like Pilsners obviously have more choices, but remember to be aware of sulfury hops (like ones that have an oniony, dank, diesel-like, or other similar pungent character) that can clash with the water and yeast. Hoppy Pilsners can be made from other styles by replacing the bittering hops with first wort hops to increase the hop flavor while providing bitterness, and the flavor and aroma hops can be moved to the whirlpool or dry hop to increase the aroma.
Most Pilsners can be made with an attenuative, clean German lager yeast such as W-34/70. I’ve also had good luck with Mexican lager yeast, which is also clean and attenuative. Some lager yeast strains are known for producing additional fermentation byproducts that can enhance the flavor. If you have a hoppy beer, be sure you think about the interaction between yeast and hops flavors to have something compatible. Malty or less attenuative lager strains can be flavorful, but often have difficulty achieving the right finish in a Pilsner. I prefer to avoid lager strains that are known to be high sulfur producers, since I don’t want too much of this character in my finished beers. Don’t forget to lager the beer when fermentation is done; this step is critical to the smooth palate and clean flavors.
Final Thoughts
I often wonder what the original brewers of Pilsner in Pilsen would think of today’s pale lager landscape. Would they recognize their beer in so many forms? Would they feel honored or offended by how pale lagers became simplified to appeal to the wider beer market worldwide?
If you are discussing Pilsners with people, keep an open mind about how they are described. Those with different frames of reference or background may be using the term in a less precise way. I will often use those conversations to understand what the drinker really enjoys about the beer they are drinking, since that might lead to other choices for them to try.
Lager and Pilsner have become overloaded words that have multiple meanings. I normally expect Pilsners to be more bitter and sometimes more hoppy than beers simply called lager (without any adjectives or modifiers), but I do expect them all to be pale. I expect both to have a smooth palate and to be refreshingly drinkable. I will make that first separation by examining the balance, particularly the bitterness level. If you are talking to more novice drinkers, that’s not a bad place to start. If they like what they are tasting, feel free to pull out your beer passport and start showing them the Pilsners of the world. It’s an enjoyable trip, and I hope to see you there.
Recipes
I’ve included three Pilsner variations on the following pages. The German Pilsner recipe can be used as a template for any hoppy Pilsner. Replace bittering hops with a first wort hop addition of a flavor hop, move flavor and aroma hops to the whirlpool or dry hopping, and alter the variety of hops to match the target profile for the style.
The Pre-Prohibition Lager recipe can be a template for any adjunct Pilsner. For a throwback version, use 6-row lager malt and Cluster hops for bittering. Using IPA-like hopping with the beer can be used as a starting point for a West Coast Pilsner (or cold IPA).
The New Zealand Pilsner recipe can be a template for a Pilsner using a mixed grain bill to reduce the flavor of Pilsner malts. If you want to make it like some Kiwis do, substitute US-05 for the yeast. With all the variation in New Zealand hops today, feel free to experiment. Just keep in mind that New Zealand brewers almost never use Nelson SauvinTM hops alone; they have too strong a flavor.
German Pilsner
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.008
IBU = 29 SRM = 3.5 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
9.25 lbs. (4.2 kg) Pilsner malt
6 oz. (170 g) CaraFoam® malt
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 0.25 tsp. of calcium chloride and 0.5 tsp. of calcium sulfate to the mash.
This recipe uses a step mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in the malts at 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 10 minutes. Raise the temperature to 145 °F (63 °C) and hold for 40 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 10 minutes. Begin recirculating, raise the mash temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.
Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C), aerate the wort if using liquid yeast, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary, then continue to lager for 6–8 weeks at or near 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
German Pilsner
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.008
IBU = 29 SRM = 3.5 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
6.3 lbs. (2.9 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertauer hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (0 min.)
Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
7⁄8 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Turn off the heat. Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C), aerate the wort if using liquid yeast, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary, then continue to lager for 6–8 weeks at or near 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Pre-Prohibition Lager
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.053 FG = 1.012
IBU = 32 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
7.75 lbs. (3.5 kg) Pilsner malt
8 oz. (227 g) Munich malt
2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg) flaked maize
2 AAU Hallertauer (first wort hop) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Magnum (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertauer (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2035 (American Lager), White Labs WLP833 (German Bock), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. of calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash.
This recipe uses a step mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in the malts and maize at 131 °F (55 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to 145 °F (63 °C) and hold for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature to 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 15 minutes. Begin recirculating, raise the mash temperature to 169 °F (76 °C), and recirculate for 15 minutes.
Put the first wort hops in the boil kettle, then sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort.
Boil the wort for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe.
Chill the wort to 54 °F (12 °C), aerate if using a liquid yeast, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary and lager for two months at or near 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
Pre-Prohibition Lager
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.053 FG = 1.012
IBU = 32 SRM = 3 ABV = 5.4%
Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) extra light or Pilsner liquid malt extract
0.33 lb. (150 g) Munich liquid malt extract
1.6 lbs. (726 g) rice syrup
2 AAU Hallertauer (first wort hop) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Magnum (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertauer (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2035 (American Lager), White Labs WLP833 (German Bock), or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
For the extract version of this recipe we will use rice syrup instead of corn. Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Turn off the heat. Add the malt extracts and rice syrup and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Add the first wort hops to the kettle. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe.
Chill the wort to 54 °F (12 °C), aerate if using a liquid yeast, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary and lager for two months at or near 32 °F (0 °C).
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
New Zealand Pilsner
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.012
IBU = 38 SRM = 3 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) North American 2-row malt
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) German Pilsner malt
5 oz. (142 g) German wheat malt
5.3 AAU MotuekaTM hops (first wort hop) (0.7 oz./20 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nelson SauvinTM hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12.1% alpha acids)
1 oz (28 g) RiwakaTM hops (5 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or Imperial Yeast L13 (Global) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1 tsp. calcium chloride (CaCl2) to the mash.
This recipe uses a single infusion mash with a mashout. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash in all the grains at 149 °F (65 °C) and hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Raise the temperature by infusion or direct heating to 168 °F (76 °C) to mashout. Recirculate for 15 minutes. Sparge slowly with 168 °F (76 °C) water until 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort is collected.
Boil the wort for 75 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the recipe. The first wort hops are added to the kettle just before lautering begins. Chill to 48 °F (9 °C) and rack to the fermenter.
Oxygenate if using a liquid yeast and then pitch yeast. Start fermentation at 48 °F (9 °C), allowing temperature to rise naturally to 50 °F (10 °C) as fermentation progresses. After fermentation is complete, rack the beer to secondary and lager for 12 weeks at or near 0 °F (32 °C). Fine the beer with gelatin if needed.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
New Zealand Pilsner
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.050 FG = 1.012
IBU = 38 SRM = 3 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
6.8 lbs. (3.1 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
5.3 AAU MotuekaTM hops (first wort hop) (0.7 oz./20 g at 7.5% alpha acids)
6 AAU Nelson SauvinTM hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 12.1% alpha acids)
1 oz (28 g) RiwakaTM hops (5 min.)
SafLager W-34/70, White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), or Imperial Yeast L13 (Global) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Use 6 gallons (23 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C).
Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve the extract completely. You do not want to feel liquid extract at the bottom of the kettle when stirring with your spoon. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding the hops at times indicated in the recipe. The first wort hops are added to the kettle just after the malt extract is dissolved but before bringing to a boil.
Chill to 48 °F (9 °C) and rack to the fermenter.
Oxygenate if using a liquid yeast and then pitch yeast. Start fermentation at 48 °F (9 °C), allowing temperature to rise naturally to 50 °F (10 °C) as fermentation progresses. After fermentation is complete, rack the beer to secondary and lager for 12 weeks at or near 0 °F (32 °C). Fine the beer with gelatin if needed.
Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.
