Bright, Clear, Flavorful

There’s light lager, pilsner, amber lager, and dark lager (not to mention Bock) in the lager family. While there are almost no occasions for light lager, fall seems to be perfect for amber lager, spring is a great season for dark lager, which leaves summer as the domain of pilsner.
Today, more than 90 percent of the beers purchased and drank are of the light beer variety, and for most of those drinkers, lager, pilsner and by some accounts ‘beer’ are all synonymous with fizzy, yellow, low-flavor beverage in a can.
It may be surprising to learn, the first lagers were made in Münich, Germany, and unlike the bulk of lagers available today, were celebrated for their dark tones and strong, malty flavors. Lager brewing likely began at some point in the 15^th century, as beer brewed with lager yeast was stored in cold, underground cellars. Even with the advent of commercial refrigeration and icemakers, at some point early in the 19^th century, lagers were still dark and at least somewhat malty. It wasn’t until the 1840s in the town of Pilsen in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) when the first golden lagers appeared.
A German brewer living in Pilsen used the newer method of bottom fermentation to create the gold beer that would become world-renowned. The new style of lager was called Pilsner, named after its town of origin, a German tradition. All brews in this style made in Pilsen were called Pilsners.
The success of the Bohemian Pilsner not only in the region but across Europe forced the Germans to develop a pilsner of their own. Germans turned out a new, slightly different style of pilsner, and it was probably this version of the style, that was brought to the USA by European immigrants.
Bohemian or Czech pilsners offer a surprising sweet malt flavor, due to the soft, low-mineral water of the area. These lagers also almost exclusively employ Saaz hops, which bring out a peppery, piney flavor, not an overly bitter one. These beers are also clean and malty in the mouth, but light to medium-bodied. For such a bright, light colored and smooth drinking beer, this type of lager is extremely complex and has much to offer the drinker.
German pilsners are much hoppier than their Czech cousins, at times making use of Saaz as well as other noble hops, and a high mineral water that cuts through much of the malt aroma and flavor. This lack of malt flavor to balance the beer leaves the German version seeming much more crisp and lighter than its Czech cousin. Overall, a very clean and very dry beer, with a longer, more bitter aftertaste. Sadly, true, solid German pilsners are few and far between. Available examples of the style are Bitburger and Warsteiner; both average if you can locate a fresh bottle.
True, pre-prohibition, German-influenced but with indigenous ingredients examples of Classic American Pilsner are non-existent. The beers our great-grandfathers drank are no more. The macro lagers of today share nothing with those old guys. Several craft-brewed American Pilsners are available, most adhering to either the Bohemian or German styles.
My favorite American pilsner, similar to the German style, is Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils. The huge hop cone on the label should tell you everything -“Whole flower European hops and fine German hops” are what you will find in this lager. The smell is grain malt, lemon and salt. Taste is a sharp, spicy hop presence with a gentle strain of biscuit malt. At 5.3% ABV, this is a heavenly sessionable Pilsner.
Even though these American pilsners will not be the citrus hop bombs that you expect from our IPAs, they are quite hoppy for a lager, in their own unique way; summer beers for beer lovers. True pilsners are the beers that you want when you realize you just don’t get enough from light lagers. Enjoy the brews … cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net