Beer style

Pilsner

Also called Pils, Pilsener, Czech pilsner, German pils, Bohemian pilsner

A pilsner is a pale, hop-forward lager first brewed in Plzeň, Bohemia, in 1842, made with pilsner malt and noble hops such as Saaz for a crisp, bitter finish. Czech versions are fuller and softer; German pils are drier and more bitter.

Origin	Plzeň, Bohemia (Czech Republic), 1842
Alcohol (ABV)	4.2–5.8%
Bitterness (IBU)	22–45
Color	Pale straw to deep gold
Glass	Pilsner flute, Stange or Czech dimpled mug
Serving temperature	5–8 °C
Classic examples	Pilsner Urquell, Budweiser Budvar, Bitburger Premium Pils, Jever Pilsener, König Pilsener, Rothaus Tannenzäpfle

History

In 1839 the burghers of Plzeň, unhappy with the town's beer, founded a new brewery and hired the Bavarian brewer Josef Groll. On 5 October 1842 he produced the first batch of a golden lager using pale malt kilned with English techniques, local Saaz hops, very soft water and Bavarian lager yeast. Sold from 1898 as Pilsner Urquell, it set the template for most of the world's beer. German brewers adapted it from the early 1870s for harder water and domestic hops, creating the drier German pils of Bitburger, Jever and König.

Appearance, aroma and taste

Pilsners are clear and topped by a dense, long-lasting white head. Czech premium pale lagers are gold to deep gold, with a rich bready malt, spicy and floral Saaz hops, sometimes a trace of diacetyl, and a soft, rounded bitterness. German pils are paler straw to light gold, lighter in body, more highly attenuated and crisply bitter, with herbal and floral notes from Hallertau, Tettnang or Spalt hops and a lingering dry finish. Both styles should taste fresh and clean, with no fruity esters.

How it is brewed

The grist is almost entirely pilsner malt, a very pale, lightly kilned barley malt. Czech brewers traditionally use one to three decoction mashes, boiling part of the mash to deepen malt character, and soft water low in minerals that keeps the bitterness smooth. German brewers more often use infusion mashing and water with more sulfate, which sharpens the hop bite. Noble hops are added at several points in the boil. Fermentation with lager yeast at 8 to 10 °C is followed by weeks of cold lagering.

Food pairing

The bitterness and carbonation of pilsner cut through fat and salt, which makes it a natural partner for Czech and German pub food: roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut, fried cheese (smažený sýr), schnitzel, sausages and pretzels. It also pairs with fish and chips, fried chicken, oysters and lightly spiced Asian dishes. Aged cheeses can overwhelm it, but young, mild cheeses such as Havarti or Edam work well.

Pilsner beers on the map (68)

BeerGuessr lists 68 brands whose flagship is a pilsner, from 14 countries. Most come from Germany (26). Their strength ranges from 4% to 5.5% ABV.

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Pilsner: questions and answers

What is the difference between a pilsner and a lager?

Pilsner is one type of lager. Lager describes any beer made with bottom-fermenting yeast and cold conditioning, including dark and strong styles. A pilsner is specifically a pale lager with pronounced noble hop aroma and bitterness, descended from the 1842 Plzeň original.

What is the difference between Czech and German pilsner?

Czech pilsners are usually deeper gold, fuller bodied and softer, with rich malt and Saaz hops, at 30 to 45 IBU. German pils are paler, drier and more sharply bitter, at 22 to 40 IBU, using German hop varieties and harder water.

Why is it called pilsner?

The name comes from Plzeň (Pilsen in German), the Bohemian city where Josef Groll brewed the first batch in 1842. Pilsner means 'from Pilsen'. The original brewery has sold its beer as Pilsner Urquell, 'original source', since 1898.

Related styles: pale lagers

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Sources: styles.bjcp.org, styles.bjcp.org, en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.