Pilsner Urquell
Encyclopedia
Plzeňský Prazdroj (ˈpl̩.zɛɲskiː ˈprazdroj, Original Source of Pilsner), known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell (ˈpɪlznɐ ˈʔuːɐ̯ˌkvɛl), is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world. Today it is a prominent brand of the global brewing empire SABMiller
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
, which has also started brewing Pilsner Urquell in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Pilsner Urquell is more strongly hopped
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
than most pilsner beers. Saaz
Saaz hops
Saaz is a "noble" variety of hops.It was named after the Czech city of Žatec . This hop is used extensively in Bohemia to flavor beer styles such as the Czech pilsener.Saaz hops accounted for more than 2/3 of total 2009 hop production in the Czech Republic....
hops, a noble hop variety, are a key element in its flavour profile, as are the use of soft water and fire-brewing. It is available in a 330 ml (third of a litre), as well as 12oz {355ml}, and a 500ml (half litre) in both aluminium cans and green bottles.
History
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
beer. It is characterised by its golden colour and clarity and was immensely successful – nine out of ten beers produced and consumed in the world are derived from the original Pilsen beer.
Before 1840, the standard beer in Bohemia was top-fermented and characterized by a dark colour, turbidity, and inconsistent quality. Pilsen burghers had not found this satisfying and the Pilsen city council ordered 36 casks to be dumped. They invested in a new, state-of-the art brewery, the Bürgerbrauerei (Town brewery, Měšťanský pivovar in Czech), and commissioned Josef Groll
Josef Groll
Josef Groll was a Bavarian brewer, best known for his invention of Pilsener beer.The citizens of Pilsen were no longer satisfied with their top-fermented Oberhefenbier. They publicly emptied several casks of beer in order to draw attention to its low quality and short storage life...
, a Bavarian brewer, to develop a better beer. On 5 October 1842, Groll had an entirely new mash ready and on 11 November 1842, the new beer was first served at the feast of Saint Martin markets.
Bürgerbrauerei registered Pilsner Bier B B brand in 1859. In 1898, they also registered Original Pilsner Bier 1842, Plzeňský pramen, Prapramen, Měšťanské Plzeňské, Plzeňský pravý zdroj and finally Pilsner Urquell and Plzeňský Prazdroj which are in use today.