Pilsner origin and characteristics of the queen of Lagers
The Pilsner beer, or Pils, is one of the most iconic and appreciated styles in the beer world. Born in the heart of Europe in the 19th century, it has won over generations of enthusiasts thanks to its drinkability, fine hopping, and elegant profile.
Moreover, all the pale beers you find in supermarkets and in every bar and pizzeria are somehow descendants – some prefer to call them “poor copies” – of this style. What is certain is that today Pils beers are experiencing a second youth thanks to craft breweries, which reinterpret them in a modern key while keeping their historical roots alive.
The birth in Plzeň in 1842: the Pilsner method
It all started in Plzeň (Pilsen in German), a town in today’s Czech Republic where in 1838 36 barrels of poor-quality beer produced at the city brewery were dumped in protest. This revolt by the brewers’ guild, which included the most important innkeepers of the Bohemian city, was meant to convince the administration to build a new brewery. The project was entrusted to local architect Martin Steltzer and included a malt house “equipped in the English style”: this made all the difference, given the great success that Pale Ales from across the Channel were having, also thanks to their lighter color. In 1842 everything was ready to start the new production, entrusted to Bavarian brewmaster Joseph Groll, who combined the use of pale malts with further innovations, such as fermentation at lower temperatures – already common practice for at least three centuries in Bavaria but innovative for Bohemia – and the use of Czech hops, now called noble hops, from nearby Žatec.
The result was a clear, bright, fragrant, and extraordinarily refreshing beer: thus was born the Pilsner, which went down in history as the first example of golden Lager. The beer takes its name from the city and is destined to forever change the global brewing landscape.
From Plzeň to Germany: the rise of the Pils
The success of the Pilsner was immediate and overwhelming. Within about 35 years, almost all Bohemian breweries, which previously produced top-fermented beers, closed or changed their production direction. Soon, several breweries across Europe, first and foremost in Germany, began to emulate the beer from Plzeň. The German term Pilsener, often shortened to Pils, became synonymous with pale and hopped beer, even if produced elsewhere.
However, in the Czech Republic, the name Pilsner remains inseparably linked to the original. By law, in fact, only one beer can officially carry this name: Pilsner Urquell (from German, "the original Pilsner"). An icon embodying the tradition of the world’s first Pilsner beer, still produced with very similar ingredients and techniques in the same brewery, Pivovar Plzeňský Prazdroj. So what do small independent breweries that carry on the brewing tradition throughout Czechia call their beers if they cannot be called Pilsner? They simply call them Světlý Ležák, meaning pale Lager.
Pilsner beer: characteristics and variants
With the explosion of the craft beer movement, although after many other styles, Pils have also experienced and are experiencing a revival. To paraphrase Lorenzo “Kuaska” Dabove, we could say that “the Pils does not exist, the Pils exist.”
German Pils and Bohemian Pils: two craft interpretations
Among Italian and worldwide brewers, some prefer to give a more faithful interpretation to the German examples – and here we could open several chapters on “how many Germanys” exist from a brewing point of view, because a Pils from Bavaria is profoundly different from one produced in Lower Saxony – while others are more interested in the Czech versions, often ignoring, however, that in the homeland there are major differences between the Světlý Ležák of Prague, České Budějovice, and Brno, for example.
Anyway, in the craft world two lines of thought immediately emerged that gave rise to two “substyles”: German Pils and Bohemian Pilsner.
The new frontiers of Pils: New Zealand and Italian Pilsner
In recent years, the craft beer revolution has also given rise to even more modern reinterpretations of the style, especially in countries without a long brewing tradition. Among these, two innovative variants stand out:
So, the Pilsner is much more than just a pale beer: it is a style with a fascinating history, a strong identity, and a surprising ability to evolve. Whether it is the historic Pilsner Urquell, a crisp German Pils, or a modern Italian Pilsner, each interpretation carries a piece of brewing culture.
Discover the craft Pils in our shop and let yourself be won over by the beer that changed the world!
