Editing Pilsner

{{Short description|Type of pale lager}}
{{Redirect|Pilsener}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
[[File:Pilsner urquell mug.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Pilsner Urquell]], the world's first [[pale lager]] and ancestor of today's Pilsners]]

'''Pilsner''' (also '''pilsener''' or simply '''pils''') is a type of [[pale lager]]. It takes its name from the [[Bohemia]]n city of [[Plzeň]] ({{langx|de|Pilsen}}), where the world's first pale lager (now known as [[Pilsner Urquell]]) was produced in 1842 by [[Pilsner Urquell Brewery]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Michael|title=Prague: twinned with Burton-upon-Trent|url=http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000054.html|work=The Beer Hunter|access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/pils.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019092501/http://germanbeerinstitute.com/pils.html|title=German Beer Institute, PILS|archivedate=19 October 2011}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Feldschloesschen Brauerei.jpg|thumb|Historical examples of German pilsner beer labels from [[East Germany]]]]
[[File:Belgique - Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare - Quai - Belgian beers - 03.jpg|thumb|upright|Can of Belgian Pils represented on a mural of the railway station of [[Louvain-la-Neuve]] ([[Belgium]])]]

===Origin===
The city of Plzeň was granted brewing rights in 1307.<ref>{{cite web |title=Traces of the Pilsen History|url=https://www.pilsen.eu/citizen/about-the-city/history/traces-of-the-pilsen-history/traces-of-the-pilsen-history.aspx|publisher=City of Plzeň|language=cs|access-date=2021-08-29}}</ref> Until the mid-1840s, most Bohemian beers were top-[[brewing#Fermenting|fermented]]. The Pilsner Urquell Brewery, originally called in {{langx|de|Bürger-Brauerei Pilsen}} ({{langx|cs|Měšťanský pivovar Plzeň}}, {{langx|en|Plzeň Citizens' Brewery}}), is where Pilsen beer was first brewed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prazdroj.cz/en/about-the-company/history |title=Plzeňský Prazdroj, a. s. |publisher=prazdroj.cz |access-date=17 October 2009 }}</ref>

Brewers had begun aging beer made with [[cool fermenting]] [[yeast]]s in caves ([[lager]], i.e., {{langx|de|gelagert}} [stored]), which improved the beer's clarity and [[shelf-life]]. Part of this research benefited from the knowledge already expounded on in a book (printed in German in 1794, in Czech in 1799) written by Czech brewer {{lang|cs|František Ondřej Poupě|italic=no}} ({{langx|de|Franz Andreas Paupie|links=no}}) (1753–1805) from [[Brno]].<ref>Basařová G.: Der legendäre böhmische Brauer František Ondřej Poupě (Franz Andreas Paupie) 1753–1805. Jahrbuch 2003 Gesellschaft für die Geschichte und Bibliographie des Brauwesens e.V. (GGB), (2003) 1, 128–146.</ref>

The Plzeň brewery recruited the Bavarian brewer [[Josef Groll]] (1813–1887) who, using the local ingredients, produced the first batch of pale lager on 5 October 1842. The combination of Plzeň's remarkably soft water, local [[Saaz hops|Saaz]] [[noble hops]] from nearby [[Žatec]], low-protein Moravian barley malt prepared by indirectly heated kilning, and [[Bavaria]]n-style lagering produced a clear, golden beer.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

By 1853, the beer was available at 35 pubs in [[Prague]]. In 1856, it came to [[Vienna]] and in 1862 to Paris. In 1859, {{lang|de|Pilsner Bier}} was registered as a brand name at the Chamber of Commerce and Trade in Plzeň. In 1898, the Pilsner Urquell trademark was created to put emphasis on being the original brewery (''Urquell,'' meaning 'original source').{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Some beers are labeled ''Urtyp Pilsener'' (UP) meaning they are brewed according to the original process, although many breweries use this accolade for their top beer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/zipfer-urtyp/9236/|title=RateBeer|website=ratebeer.com|access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/jJqEnkSesv/austria/| title = Urtyp on the ''Craft Beer and Brewing'' website}}</ref>

===Modern developments===
The introduction of modern refrigeration to Germany by [[Carl von Linde]] in the late 19th century eliminated the need for caves for beer storage, enabling the brewing and storing of cool fermenting beer in many new locations.<ref>"Altbier im Alltag" by Genno Fonk, 1999, page 11</ref>

Until 1993 the [[Pilsner Urquell]] brewery fermented its beer using open [[barrel]]s in the [[wine cellar|cellar]]s beneath their brewery. This changed in 1993 with the use of large cylindrical tanks. Small samples are still brewed in a traditional way for taste comparisons.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

A modern pale lager termed a ''pilsner'' may have a very light, clear colour from pale to golden yellow, with varying levels of hop aroma and flavour. The alcohol strength of beers termed pilsner vary but are typically around 4.5%–5% (by volume). There are categories such as "European-Style Pilsner" at beer competitions such as the [[World Beer Cup]]. Pilsner style lagers are marketed internationally by numerous small brewers and larger conglomerates.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

==Styles==
;Czech-style Pilsner: Bright golden colour, moderately bitter and distinct aroma, brewed with malt and Saaz hops. In the Czech Republic, only [[Pilsner Urquell]] is named as "pilsner". However, outside of the Czech Republic, Czech-style Pilsner is synonymous with any such lager beers (including any Czech brand) – for example Pilsner Urquell, [[Budweiser Budvar Brewery|Budweiser Budvar]], [[Gambrinus (beer)|Gambrinus]], [[Velkopopovický Kozel|Kozel]], [[Radegast (beer)|Radegast]], [[Staropramen Brewery|Staropramen]], [[Starobrno Brewery|Starobrno]] and [[Royal Brewery of Krušovice|Krušovice]].
[[File:Bitburger Glass.JPG|thumb|A mug of [[Bitburger Brewery|Bitburger]], a German-style Pilsner]]
;German-style Pilsner:Light straw to golden colour with more bitter or earthy taste – such as [[Beck's Brewery|Beck's]],{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} [[Bitburger Brewery|Bitburger]], [[Flensburger Brauerei|Flensburger]], [[Fürstenberg Brewery|Fürstenberg]], [[Holsten Brewery|Holsten]], [[Jever Brewery|Jever]], [[König Brewery|König]], [[Krombacher Brauerei|Krombacher]], [[Radeberger Brewery|Radeberger]], [[St. Pauli Girl]],{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} [[Veltins Brewery|Veltins]], [[Warsteiner]], [[Wernesgrüner]] and [[Einbecker]].{{cn|date=October 2024}}

;European-style Pilsner:Has a slightly sweet taste, can be produced from grains other than barley [[malt]] – such as the Dutch: [[Amstel Brewery|Amstel]], [[Grolsch Brewery|Grolsch]] and [[Heineken]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.biernet.nl/bier/merken/heineken|title=Heineken bier – Pils gebrouwen door Heineken Brouwerij|website=biernet.nl}}</ref> or Belgian: [[Jupiler]], [[Maes pils|Maes]] and [[Stella Artois]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000225.html|title=Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter – Belgium's Great Beers|website=beerhunter.com}}</ref>

{{more citations needed|paragraph|date=January 2024}}
{{Original research|paragraph|date=January 2024}}
;Mexican-style Pilsner:A type of pale lager, with a taste that is crisp, clean, and balanced. Many German and other Europeans immigrated during the period of the [[Second Mexican Empire]], with [[Maximilian I of Mexico]] (who had his own brewer) coming from the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and they brought their style of beer making traditions with them. Except for some dark beers (Dos Equis Ambar, León Negra, Modelo Negra, and Noche Buena), which are Vienna-style beers almost all beer produced in Mexico is pilsner. [[Pacífico (beer)|Pacífico]], a Mexican pilsner is named after the Pacific Ocean. [[Modelo Especial]] is described as a Pilsner lager by the brewer, but has a slightly richer and fuller taste than [[Corona (beer)|Corona]].{{cn|date=October 2024}}

;American-style Pilsner: German immigrants brought pilsner style beers to America in the mid-19th century. American pilsners{{which|date=January 2024}} today are still closer to the German style, but a traditional grist may contain up to 25% corn and/or rice.  American pilsners have “significantly less flavor, hops, and bitterness than traditional European Pilsners,” according to the Beer Judge Certification Program.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://vinepair.com/articles/czech-german-american-pilsners
|title = The Differences Between Czech, German, and American Pilsners| date=26 September 2017 }}</ref>

;Australian-style Pilsner: Light straw to golden colour with more crisp, clean earthy taste.

==See also==
*[[Beer by region]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.ggb-berlin.de/de Gesellschaft für Geschichte des Brauwesens e.V. (GGB)]
*[http://www.brno.cz/index.php?nav01=2222&nav02=2220&nav03=2447&idosobnosti=196 Die Kunst des Bierbrauens]

{{beer styles}}
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[[Category:Beer styles]]
[[Category:Beer in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:German beer styles]]
[[Category:Plzeň]]
[[Category:Types of beer]]