The Complete Pilsner Guide

Pilsner 101

Last Updated: October 19, 2020

A light, crisp beer, pilsners trace their history to the former Kingdom of Bohemia in the modern-day Czech Republic. Today, pilsners are available in Europe, North America, and worldwide. Traditionally pilsners are made with Bavarian bottom-fermenting lager yeasts, light malts, and floral, spicy Saaz hops. They are a type of lager.

The most famous pilsner brand is Pilsner Urquell, an 1842 brew that hails from Plzeň, Czech Republic. Its widespread popularity spawned a number of similarly crisp, dry beers with a clean finish, many of which were named pils, pilsener, or some variation thereof.

Pilsners reemerged as a craft beer favorite in recent years. Notable versions include Victory Brewing’s Prima Pilsner, Creature Comfort’s Legend Has It, Sixpoint’s The Crisp, and Crooked Stave’s Von Pilsner. Classic and timeless, pilsners are the navy blazer of beer. Read up on the style in the articles below.

Read Our Full Pilsner 101 Guide