Pilsner beer is one of the most popular types of larger beer and has been gaining in popularity over the last few years. This golden lager originated from Plzen, a town located in central Europe in what is today known as the Czech Republic.
It’s crisp flavor, light color, and effervescence have made it a favorite.
Top Pilsner Beer Brands To Try
From the Czech classic Pilsner Urquell to Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils, there are a range of my favourite pilsner beers to try.
Best Overall: Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell is the original pilsner beer brand and widely regarded as the best overall pilsner beer. It’s a top-fermented Czech lager featuring a golden color, hoppy flavor with an unmistakable crisp taste that tantalizes the taste buds of all beer enthusiasts.
The brewing process involves blending Bohemian barley malt, soft Saaz hops, and pure deep well water from Plzeň (the birthplace of Pilsner). Brewing has taken place at Plzeňský Prazdroj since 1842 following strict protocols for fermentation time and temperature for its consistently unique flavor profile.
This craftsmanship has been recognized over the years with many awards such as ‘World’s Best Lager’ routinely given to this brewery.
Best American: Heater Allen Pils
With a fascinating history that dates back to the mid-1900s, Heater Allen Pils is one of the most recognizable American beer brands. First brewed in 2006 by Bill and Cathy Heaton in McMinnville, Oregon, this German-style pilsner has grown into one of today’s most sought after craft beers.
Made with Northwest two-row pale malt and hopped with Saaz hops from Europe, Heater Allen Pils delivers an aroma of baking bread and light grassy smell due to its medium carbonation level.
In terms of taste profile, the malt base provides a bready flavor while still remaining easy drinking.
What sets Heater Allen apart from other American breweries? Their dedication to slow production helps develop unique flavors created carefully through ages old recipes that have been perfected over time.
Best Belgian Pilsner: Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a classic example of the perfect Belgian-style pilsner. Originating in Leuven, Belgium, this refreshing golden lager has been brewed according to an authentic recipe with only four ingredients: malted barley, hops, water and yeast.
It offers that signature Belgian flavor profile with a gentle sweetness from two aromatic European hop varieties and a light freshness on the finish. This brew champions its rich heritage in brewing excellence dating all the way back to 1366—the year it was created by Den Horen brewery masters in Leuven.
Since then Stella Artois has become one of the world’s most beloved pilsners due its distinct character which stands out amongst other brands around the globe. It boasts complex aromas that range from spicy Noble hops to caramelized malt notes while remaining balanced and drinkable no matter what style you prefer when drinking pilsner beers.
Crispiest Pilsner: Brooklyn Pilsner
Brooklyn Pilsner is one of the top pilsner beers to try, renowned for its crispness and light freshness. This golden-colored beer has a well-balanced mixture of malt and hop aroma.
The 4.6% ABV certainly adds to Brooklyn Pilsner’s drinkability factor; it has enough strength with delicately robust flavor that you can really savor your drinking experience without getting overly drunk.
When trying this beer, be prepared for the grassy hops taste up front along with some herbal & floral elements, delivered on a creamy but refreshingly bubbly body from medium carbonation levels.
The finish leaves you with a surprisingly long lasting tanginess that lingers on nicely.
Top Czech Pilsner: Staropramen
As one of the oldest and best-known brands of Czech Pilsner, Staropramen is a beer with a history. For over 150 years, this light, golden lager has been brewed to perfection in the Czech Republic using 100% domestic ingredients.
On the palate, it reveals aromas of toasted bread and malt with subtle herbal notes leading into soft hop bitterness. With an alcohol content at 5%, Staropramen makes for a refreshing sip anytime you’re looking for something easy drinking with plenty of flavor.
The brewing process starts off with traditional European hops such as Saaz and Goldings, which give this beer its clean finish followed by mild citrus flavors on the nose.
The fermentation takes place gradually over several days at extra low temperatures to keep all those delicate aromatics intact for maximum taste impact when poured into your glass or bottle.
Top German Pilsner: Warsteiner Pilsner
Warsteiner Pilsner is one of the best examples of a classic German beer. This top-notch pilsner has a pleasant malt character with subtle hop flavor and aroma present in minimal amounts.
It’s brewed in accordance to the German purity law, which limits its ingredient list solely to water, barley and hops – making it a true epitome of what makes up an authentic German brew.
Its medium body provides ample carbonation that paves the way for its crispness, while its delicate balance between sweetness and bitterness adds another layer of complexity.
In terms of flavor profile, Warsteiner Pilsner hit all the right notes: bready maltiness accompanied by spicy herbal hops undertones make for an intriguing combination that goes well with flavorful dishes like currywurst or pork schnitzel.
What makes this beer stand out even more is its crisp finish derived from noble hop bitterness shared only amongst some other high quality beers.
Top Italian Style Pilsner: Zero Gravity Pisolino Italian Pilsner
Zero Gravity’s Pisolino Italian Pilsner is a crisp, light-bodied beer brewed with quality ingredients and time-honored brewing techniques. The pale golden hued lager has a mild bitterness that comes from well balanced Noble Saaz hops and German malt for the malt backbone.
It carries subtle aromas of sweet grain, spicy herbal notes like coriander, piney hop resins and zesty citrus from Lemondrop hops. On the finish you’ll find hints of hay and honey on your tastebuds with just enough lingering sweetness to balance out its dryness.
When poured properly into a glass this classic pilsner will be crowned with an impressive thick white foam head that holds up for about three minutes or so before dissipating down into clear liquid gold.
Top Hoppy Pilsner: Victory Brewing Prima Pils
Hoppy beer lovers looking for a great pilsner should definitely try Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils. This award-winning craft pilsner is always top of the list in terms of bitterness and hoppy notes, but it also delivers plenty of flavor and nuance to tantalize your tastebuds.
For many years, Prima Pals has been hitting all the right marks for beer drinkers who love a wide array of hop profiles including floral, grassy, citrusy, grapefruit and herbal aromas.
Best Session Pilsner: Notch Brewing Session Pils Czech Pale Lager
Notch Brewing’s Session Pils Czech Pale Lager has become a favorite among serious beer drinkers, from the craft beer fanatics to those who enjoy sitting around and drinking a few cold ones over good conversation.
The pale lager is light in body, full of flavor and easy to drink multiple bottles without getting too filled up. It features an intricate blend of malt sweetness and hop bitterness that bring out its crisp edge.
The taste reveals notes of herbal hops, wildflowers, creamy caramelized barley along with subtle spice aromas on the finish. Notch Brewing also tires hard to keep their Session Pils Czech Pale Lagers as fresh as possible so you’ll always be reaping the benefits of sweet flavor profiles that comes with such astounding beers like these.
Most Refreshing Pilsner: Sixpoint The Crisp
Sixpoint The Crisp is a highly-rated American pilsner beer lauded by many connoisseurs for its refreshing taste. It’s lightbodied, golden color and slightly hoppy aroma make it the perfect choice when you’re looking for a crisp, clean finish.
Powered by noble hops such as Saaz, Hallertau Hersbrücker, Tettnang Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon which give this beer its signature flavor notes of citrus and floral overtones which balance beautifully with the mildly bitter finish that makes drinking this dry hopped lager so enjoyable.
As an added sweet bonus it’s one of the most sessionable beers available today boasting both a low ABV percentage at 4.4% and IBU rating at 33 in comparison to other top pilsners on the market.
Best Dry Hopped Pilsner: Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
As a beer enthusiast, I am always looking for the best pilsner to enjoy with friends. One of the top picks in my book is Firestone Walker Pivo Pils.
Unlike other beer styles, regular or unfiltered pilsners are not typically dry-hopped. Dry hopping involves adding hops during and after the brewing process either in pellet form or as loose flowers.
This changes the flavor and aroma by introducing hop oils while still retaining a light and refreshing body characteristic of traditional lagers. With dry hopping, you get an added layer of character to your favorite hoppy beers such as IPAs but with a smoother finish compared to regular lagers that lack bitterness but also depth.
The result when these two elements come together — malted barley & wheat tamed by German Noble Hops only accentuated further through perfecting their own proprietary “Sigmundian Ringer” technique — makes this one truly special example amongst American crafted products: no wonder Firestone Walke has become almost synonymous “benchmark” status amongst most discerning who’ve tried it before..and even must nowadays opt for cans since they eliminate oxidation that bottles aren’t able protect against as effectively! You can find favorites like Victory San Diego Prima Pilz or Cisco Summer Visitor following suit without burning out taste receptors’ palettes in just 15minutes time like some less creative ones do!
Most Dry Pilsner: Bitburger Premium Pils
Bitburger Premium Pils is truly one of the top pilsner beers you must try. It is a traditional, German-style pilsner beer that utilizes certified hops and recipes to ensure its distinct flavour and aroma.
This pilsner prides itself on being incredibly light and dry with a clean hop finish, which makes it highly sought after among beer connoisseurs. With its crisp maltiness, balanced bitterness as well as subtle citrusy notes owing to its Saaz hops base – Bitburger Premium Pils simply can’t be beaten when looking for an extremely dry yet refreshing experience from a unique German style brew.
If you’re looking for the best most dry pilsners out there then look no further than Bitburger Premium P
Factors To Consider When Choosing Pilsner Beer
When selecting the perfect pilsner beer for your tastebuds, consider flavor profile, alcohol content, carbonation level, bitterness, aroma and freshness as they play a significant role in creating an ideal drinking experience.
Flavor Profile
When it comes to beer, Pilsner is one of the most popular styles. This beer type is characterized by its crisp, light body, with a golden hue and rich flavor profile featuring sweet, sour and bitter notes.
The sweetness comes from malts used in brewing the beer while spicy hops provide bitterness and nose-pleasing aromas. Traditionally produced using only natural ingredients such as malted barley or wheat and hops, Pilsners can also contain adjuncts like maize for additional sweetness or different hop varieties for a range of flavors including citrusy tastes.
There are several famous brands recognized worldwide that produce excellent examples of pilsner beers – some classic ones include Czech brand Pilsner Urquell that has been on sale since 1842 as well as Heater Allen American Pils brew which produces an aromatic hoppy version originating from US Northwest coast breweries.
From Belgium there’s Stella Artois known for its dry taste along with Italy’s Zero Gravity brewery offering the country’s unique Italian summer piled high with bold character .
Not forgetting Germany where Warsteiner is a favourite for their herbal hint accompanied by Victory Brewing Prima Piles sessionable yet flavourful pale ale style lager or Bitburger Premium Dry version which takes it to another level entirely with its carbonated texture capturing all those sought after attributes without overpowering you at 5%.
Alcohol Content
When tasting a pilsner beer, the alcohol content is one of the most important factors to consider – and it can have a decisive influence on your experience. The higher amount of alcohol in beer will tend to increase its flavor intensity, creating savory and tart notes that are more plentiful than lighter lagers or beers with lower ABV (alcohol by volume).in addition, there’s an increased chance of getting more hop character from beers with elevated alcoholic levels, as this results in bittering agents being able to live for longer periods during fermentation.
On top of that, craft brewers often use large amounts of dry-hopping when producing stronger beers – which creates immense flavors packed into every sip.
So if you want a highly flavorful beer with enhanced aromas, then picking out something between 5%-7 % ABV should suit your taste buds perfectly! Of course different styles come attached to their own level of alcohol: while light ales like Kölsch will remain quite gentle around 4%ABV , Pilsners reach up till 6%, Belgium Blondes over 7%.
Carbonation
One of the key factors to consider when choosing a Pilsner beer is the level of carbonation. Carbonation influences the taste and mouthfeel of a beer, creating either a refreshingly crisp or fizzy sensation.
The higher the amount of carbon dioxide in the liquid, the crisper and livelier it will taste upon drinking. If there’s too much CO2 present, however, it can overpower other flavors in your pint which may make for an unpleasant experience.
There are many different variations within Pilsners when it comes to carbonation levels since each brewery has its own unique method for adding bubbles into their brews. But generally speaking, Czech-style pilsners have lower amounts while German varieties tend to have slightly more effervescence in them.
Bitterness
A key factor in choosing a great tasting pilsner beer is understanding the bitterness. Bitterness can be found on the International Bitterness Units (IBU) scale, which ranges from 0-120.
A low IBU number indicates there’s only a faint trace of bitter hops and malt flavor, while higher IBUs reveal sharp and bitter flavours. Pilsner beers often range between 15-40 IBU for an ideal balance of sweet and tart.
German brewers are particularly adept at using hop varieties such as Spalt Select or Saaz to achieve subtle yet tantalizing levels of bitterness that doesn’t overpower other flavors present in their Pilsners.
Aroma
Aroma is an important factor when selecting a Pilsner beer, as it can have a significant impact on the drinking experience. There are many aromas that can be found in Pilsner beer, ranging from floral and spicy to malty sweetness.
For example, German Pilsners tend to be very hoppy with notes of freshly cut grass and citrus, while Czech lagers often offer more subtle and delicate aromas of herbs and sweet malt.
The crisp, clean smell of some European-style pilsners can be especially inviting and refreshing. Some well-known brands like Heater Allen Pils from Oregon or Warsteiner Pilsner from Germany are known for their distinctive aromas that make them popular amongst beer enthusiasts across the globe.
Freshness
When it comes to pilsner beer, freshness is key. A freshly brewed pilsner has a distinct aroma and flavor that you can’t get from an older bottle or draft. This is because the taste, aromas, and carbonation of all beers start to dissipate over time as they are exposed to air and heat.
One of the most well-known examples of a fresh tasting pilsner is Pilsner Urquell – made with natural ingredients such as yeast, barley malt and Czech hops it has become one of the most recognizable beers in Europe for its full flavor profile and crisp finish.
Similarly, Brooklyn Pilsner offers drinkers an unprecedented level of hop character with piney citrus aromas balanced by light caramel notes from their German malt– both delicious options thanks to their exceptional levels of freshness.
Brewery Reputation
Brewery reputation is an important factor to consider when choosing a pilsner beer. A brewery’s long history of producing craft beer, whether it has won brewing awards ,and its overall customer satisfaction ratings are all indicators that can provide key insights into whether its beers will be suitable for your palate and expectations.
Generally speaking, breweries with decades of experience in the craft beer industry usually make consistently high-quality products that live up to their claims – this is especially true when it comes to pilsners.
For instance, Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic stands out as one of the best European examples of traditional pilsner brewing with over 180 years in business. This brewery continues to use original copper kettles and source ingredients from local Czech farmers for its incredibly balanced lager beer that provides drinkers with a unique flavor profile each time they sample another batch.
Pilsner Beer Vs
Pilsner beer has some notable differences compared to other beer types such as its pale color, sweet malty flavor, and light hoppy aroma.
IPA
IPA stands for India Pale Ale and is a type of beer that originated in England. IPAs are typically brewed with robust, highly hopped flavors and sometimes other ingredients added like spices, fruit juices, and herbs.
These beers boast light to medium body but with an intense hop presence that can range from smooth to abrasive depending on the bitterness level. Pilsner beers are by comparison more muted in flavor than some IPA varieties, generally light-bodied with a mellow balancing sweetness provided by maltier grains like barley or wheat.
While pilsners often feature hops used mostly as flavoring as opposed to bittering agents compared side-by-side to IPAs, it may not be immediately apparent what differentiates them since both have origins tracing far back in history.
Lager
When tasting lager beer, you will likely experience a smooth, light flavor with low bitterness. Lagers are commonly made using lighter-colored malts and hops that provide subtle notes of sweetness, typically without an intense hoppiness.
The fermentation process for these beers also differs from pilsner, where the yeast is slowly fermented at cooler temperatures over a longer period of time resulting in more complex flavors with less sharpness.
Additionally, due to its relative lack of strong hop bitterness or alcoholic strength compared to other popular styles like IPA’s or craft beers, it has become one of the most widely consumed drinks around the world—and is a classic favorite among those who prefer their drinking experiences on the milder side.
Pilsner and lager have distinct taste profiles; however both types can be brewed according to traditional German or Czech brewing techniques.
Pale Ale
Pale Ale is an incredibly popular beer style and a must-have for any serious craft beer drinker. Originating in England in the 1700s, this type of ale has since spread across the world and can be found in many varieties like English pale ales, American pale ales, and black IPAs.
The common thread between them is their subtle maltiness balanced with earthy tones from English hops or bright tropical notes through American ones. Pale Ales have an ABV (Alcohol by Volume) of 4-6 percent on average making it great to enjoy multiple glasses without feeling too buzzed.
Stout
Stout is a dark and heavy type of beer which often has an intense roasted flavor. It is usually made by adding unmalted or charred grains to the mixture, resulting in a deep-colored, full-bodied brew.
The ABV (alcohol by volume) tends to be relatively high with stout beers ranging from 4% – 10%. Stouts were commonly brewed in Britain but today they are enjoyed all around the world, making them one of the most popular types of beer.
One of the distinguishing characteristics between stouts and other styles such as pilsner and lager is that stouts are generally thicker with more prominent roast flavors whereas light colored beers tend to be crisper and less dense.
Popular stout brands include Guinness Draught from Ireland, Founders Breakfast Stout from Michigan USA; Sam Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout from Yorkshire UK; Tröegs Java Head from Pennsylvania USA; Stone Brewing Co.’s Double Bastard Ale from California USA; Rogue Dead Guy Ale from Oregon USA; Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout New York USA; Wells & Young’s Bombardier English Beer Devon England ; De Bock Oerbier Special Reserva Flanders Belgium ;and Anchor Porter form San Francisco California USA.
What defines a pilsner beer?
A Pilsner beer is traditionally defined as a bottom-fermented pale lager, typically made with light malts and hops for refreshing bitterness and flavor. Some popular examples of Pilsners include Czech Budweiser (or Bohemian Budvar), German Bitburger or Urquell, along with several American craft brews such as the popular Troegs Perpetual IPA or Victory Prima Pils.
How should I serve my pilsner beer?
Pilsners should ideally be served cold at around 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in clear glassware that tapers outward towards the lip of the glass —this shape helps retain aromas while presenting an aesthetically pleasing appearance when filled appropriately. Always pour your beers downward into glasses in one continuous stream to not create too much foam (unless desired) and let the beverage settle before consuming it!
Are there any food pairings that complement pilsners?
Connecting your dish selection to specific aspects of each beer can help bring out complementary flavors between them like salmon dishes for Blonde Ales, Spicy Indian dishes for IPAs/Brown Ales…etc; however many people prefer simply some pretzels & cheeses when enjoying their favorite pilsner since these don’t often overshadow its delicate balance between malt & hop qualities – though you may also find yourself discovering completely new tastes because traditional American hamburgers or Mexican carnes asadas goes so incredibly well with this type of larger…so just try what sounds tasty & figure out which combinations work best personally!
Conclusion
The choice of a pilsner beer brand is down to the individual and their own tastes. Different types of pilsners have distinct flavor profiles, but they are all lagers that can be light or malty in character.
It’s important to remember that each beer should be judged on its own merits as oppose to trying to compare it with other types of beers. There are several factors which need to be considered when seeking out the best pilsner for one’s taste buds such as flavour profile, alcohol content, carbonation level, bitterness level, aroma and freshness.
Additionally, breweries reputation also matters, since craft brewers have been particularly inventive when brewing Pilsner beer brands like Brooklyn Pislers Craft Beer from New York.
