Beer List

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Note: Sometimes the name for a style of beer refers to a region or country of origin and can legally describe beers brewed only in that area. At Hay Merchant, we believe names are important in describing a beer and help consumers make educated choices. That’s why we categorize beers in literal terms and reference the style, even if they weren’t brewed in a specified region. In order to help add clarity, we will use the word “Style” in the style name to make this distinction. For instance, beers brewed in the style of German Pilsner but not brewed in Germany will be called German Style Pilsner as opposed to German Pilsner.

Pilsner is the dominant beer style in the world today.  All 3 Pilsner sub styles—Czech (Bohemian), German and International—share the same basic flavor profile and the same root history, but German Pilsners are better attenuated and drier then their Czech cousins, showing off more hop bitterness. 

Appearance
Pilsners should be pale straw to golden, and very clear with a frothy, clean white head. Pilsners should look clean, and German Pilsner will be slightly lighter in color then the Czech style. 

Aroma/Flavor
Crispness is the most universal flavor profile for this style. Water type plays a huge role in taste. Pilsners have light malt aromas, a backbone of graininess and a grassy noble hop note. German Pilsners are more earthy and bitter in both aroma and flavor because they use Saaz hops in addition to other European Noble hops, whereas Czech Pilsner uses only Saaz hops.

There are two types of German Pilsner, distinguished by the difference in the water of Northern and Southern Germany. The water in the North is fairly hard, which accentuates bitterness and creates a very hoppy beer—strong, zesty, in-your-face hop bitterness. In Southern Germany, where you will find extremely soft water, the bitterness is suppressed, resulting in more of a mellow hop.

Ingredients
The most common ingredients for this style are 2-row Pilsner malts and German low Alpha hops. 

Glassware/Serving Temperature
At Hay Merchant, you will most often find Pilsners served in the 20oz Pilsner glass and stored in our lager cooler at 35° F.

Stats
This style will have a common ABV range of  4.5%-6% (American Pilsners trending toward the higher percentage). This style will have an average IBU range of 25-45 (German Pils trending toward the higher IBU).

History
The story of the Czech Pilsner is really a story about the blending of technology and raw ingredients. The Czech Pilsner was created as a result of the technological revolution that occurred in Germany in the mid-19^th century. The style was possible due to advances in refrigeration, transportation, steam and microbiology.

The style originated in the town of Plzen, Czechoslovakia around 1840. The Czech-speaking lands of Bohemia were home to two very important ingredients: very good quality 2-row barley and Saaz hops. For centuries, the Grand Dukes of Bohemia attempted to control the supply of these hops by imposing the death penalty on anyone caught smuggling the Saaz hop rhizomes (root cuttings) out of the region.  

In 1838, an entire season’s worth of beer was poured out in the town square because it was of low quality. The Czechs have always taken their beer very seriously and had little acceptance for bad beer. As a result of this bad batch of beer, in 1840, the town of Plzen voted to build a new brewery that utilized the pressurized steam to heat the brew kettles.

In 1842, Josef Groll was hired to be the brewmaster for this new state-of-the-art brewery. Groll was the son of a Bavarian brewer from just outside Munich. When he got to Pilzen, he borrowed heavily from Bavarian brewers and hired Bavarian assistants and Bavarian barrel makers. He even brought a Bavarian yeast strain with him.  For all his talent as a brewer, Groll was not a well-liked man. His own father called him “the rudest man in Bavaria.” It might have been for his inability to work with other people that led to his contract not being renewed when it expired in 1845. However, in his short tenure in Pilzen, he helped birth the Bohemia and the lager. 

Summary
In summary, the German Pilsner is slightly lighter in color than other Pilsner styles and are more earthy and hitter in aroma and flavor, due to its use of Saaz and other European Boble hops. Water distinguishes the two types of German Pilsner: hard water in Northern Germany accentuates bitterness and creates a very hoppy beer, which the soft water in the South suppresses the bitterness. 

Flavor: Citrus notes, specifically orange and grapefruit.

Aroma: Lots of orange peel.

Alpha Acids: 8.0 - 11.0%                 

Beta Acids: 6.0% - 7.0%      

Dual Purpose

Flavor: Intense citrus, grapefruit and piney notes.

Aroma: Spicy flowers and some grass.

Alpha Acids: 4.5 - 7%                      

Beta Acids: 4.5 - 7%                         

Dual Purpose