Beer Style Studies and Pilsner Urquell

For those of you just tuning in, I've been studying for the Certified Cicerone exam since I passed the first level this past summer. I decided a year of study should be ample time to prepare, making the summer of 2015 my target for the test. We're almost a month into the new year, and there's no better time than now to triple check the syllabus and make sure all my bases are covered. A big chunk of the test involves knowing beer styles, about 69 of them, inside and out. To insure I've covered each one, I've made a study schedule for myself. I call it...

No Style Left Behind

Haha! Every serious study project deserves a corny name. Each week I'll take on 3-5 styles, and use any resource available to study them in-depth. This includes hunting down the best representation of each style I can find, and taking tasting notes on them. 

This past week (01/12-01/18) I studied Bohemian Pilsner, German Pilsner, and Munich Helles. My tasting examples were Pilsner Urquell, Red Rock Fröhlich Pilsner, and Spaten Lager, respectively. I won't put up my notes for all three right now, but here's my thoughts on the original pilsner. 

Pilsner Urquell

BG Poured from an 11.2 fl oz (330 ml) brown glass bottle into a pilsner glass, 4.4% ABV, Enjoy By 04/16/15

A Straw to light gold in color with one finger of dense white head. Super clear. Looks very refreshing! Lacing rings the glass as I sip.

A Bready malt notes, herby hops, a little skunk 

T Crisp, white bread, spicy hops, dry finish, a little buttery (diacetyl), 

M Med-light body, medium carbonation, a tiny bit slick from the diacetyl 

A A touch of lingering bitterness, pita bread

C Man oh man. It’s no wonder this beer has been going strong since 1842! It's a perfect example that less is more. There's beauty in uncomplicated beer that features only a few high quality ingredients. There's nothing for off flavors to hide behind (high alcohol, complex or intense flavors, adjuncts or additives). When brewed and stored properly, you're left with a clean, crisp, classy beer. It won't grab your attention like a barleywine or double IPA, but if you take your time and experience the simplicity, I think you'll be quite impressed. 

FP Soft pretzel with plenty of salt, no dipping sauce. Bitter greens salad with carrots, broccoli, grilled chicken and a light rosemary vinaigrette. Pizzelle cookies. 

This beer set the bar for what is now the most copied beer in the world. Germans created their own version of pilsner, and brought the style with them to America. The style managed to live through the hardships of the Prohibition and two World Wars, but came out on the other side as a watered down version of the pilsner we know today as Budweiser, Miller, and Coors. It’s because of the widespread success of the big three that a beer like Pilsner Urquell is often pushed to the wayside as another bottle of yellow, fizzy stuff we drink while watching football. Do not be fooled, my friends. This beer is the true embodiment of crisp, unadulterated refreshment without the Superbowl commercials and adjuncts.