Greetings curious beer drinkers and foam lovers! If you are here, it is because you have probably asked yourself on more than one occasion: "What is the difference between a lager and a Pilsner?" And let me tell you, friend, you are not alone in this beer quest.
It's a question that has intrigued many a liquid gold aficionado and at Beer Sapiens we're here to unravel the mystery and fill your jug with refreshing knowledge. Are you ready for the trip? So let's get started!
The Pilsner style: its sensory profile
The first thing, and it will help you a lot, is to know that all Pilsners are lagers. As simple as that. It is an evolution in Central Europe of the original British lager recipe.
What will make the difference is, among other things, the sensory profile of the Pilsner style. The type of yeasts used, low fermentation, are different in their behavior from what we say high fermentation or "ale", since they work at colder temperatures: fermentations take place around 10 °C approx. The cold slows down your metabolism, which results in a great aromatic cleansing with full expression of local raw materials.
Another fundamental characteristic will be the color that will be golden and its transparency.
But before going into details, we must distinguish between the different subcategories of Pilsner , which we already talked about in this article : the Bohemian Pilsner, the German Pilsner or Pils and, finally, the most exotic, the New Zealand Pilsner.
Let's see how to distinguish each of them.
Bohemian Pilsner
In the case of the original Pilsners, we are going to find a bright and light golden color, with a dense and creamy white head of good retention. Its aroma is "malty" with memories of grain and bread and the herbal touches, spices and flowers typical of noble hops, will be very present. Some diacetyl may also appear, which should not stand out, but which is not incorrect in style. On the palate they have a medium body and a perfect balance between sweet maltiness at the beginning and a dry and hoppy finish with fine bitterness. Soft water helps to reinforce its drinkability. And, in fact, they are among the easiest beers to drink on the planet!
Technical characteristics
- Alcohol: 4.2-5.4%
- IBU: 35-45
- EBC Colour: 7-12
German Pilsner or Pils
German Pilseners or “Pils” are the German version of the style and start from a different water, not as soft. They are somewhat paler, straw or light gold in color, lighter bodied, and drier than Czech Pilsners. They also have higher carbonation and a bitterness that lingers longer due to their higher attenuation and sulfate-rich water. All this makes them less malty than their Czech sisters and they don't usually contain diacetyl either.
Modern examples of German Pilsners tend to become paler in color, drier in finish, and more bitter the further south we go from Germany to the north.
Technical characteristics
- Alcohol: 4.4-5.2%
- IBU: 25-45
- EBC Color: 4-10
New Zealand Pilsner
The New Zealand Pilsner style is more modern and clearly geared towards newer hop varieties from this country. In color, attenuation, and overall balance it would be somewhere between the Czech and German style, but there is less malty complexity.
On the other hand, the aromatic hops stand out powerfully with their citrus, herbal and tropical flavors, although the palate should be smooth, round and without any harshness. The overall balance should be bitter, but the malt should be present as well. Light touches of DMS are acceptable.
Technical characteristics
- Alcohol: 4.5-5.8%
- IBU: 35-45
- EBC Colour: 4-14
How are artisan style pilsners made?
Pilsners are a challenge for the brewer because they require very few raw materials, but of the highest quality. Great precision is also needed in the elaboration to achieve the cleanliness and balance that define them.
In addition, the water must be very soft for the Czech style and a little less, but a medium content of sulfates for the German. The base malts will be of the Pilsen type, very pale. Those of Moravia are especially famous, but they can come from other regions of Central Europe and other countries. A minimal percentage of pale caramel or crystal malts is acceptable to improve mouthfeel and head retention.
Step maceration and decoction: the complexity of a simple recipe
Traditionally, the maceration of these malts has been done by "steps" of temperature, which allows to obtain all its sensory richness. At each temperature corresponds a certain type of enzymes. Czech and German brewers used the so-called decoction method to solve the problem of temperature escalation with the limited technical means of the 19th century.
This system has a deep, rich maltiness as a side effect and remains the traditional standard. The decoction consists of periodically extracting a part of the macerate, which is brought to a boil and returned to the vat, which raises its temperature, but also produces a certain characteristic caramelization. This process can be done twice (double decoction) which will take about three hours of maceration in total or three times (triple decoction) with which we would leave almost six hours of maceration!
The final touch: hops and fermentation
The hops will be incorporated in several phases: initially for bittering and to achieve the traditional flavor profile known as kettle hops. In the middle of cooking there is usually another load of hops and another one a few minutes before turning off the heat to reinforce the aroma. The quantities are generous.
Fermentation will occur at temperatures around 10ºC, more or less. Once finished, we will do what is called a "diacetyl rest" raising the temperature a bit so that the yeasts finish eliminating this fermentation by-product.
After fermentation, Pilsner lagers must mature cold (at about 0ºC) to precipitate all their turbidity, acquiring the crystalline appearance that defines them, and "clean" and round off their flavors, since in their first days they can have sulfur aromas that They will go away with a little patience. This cold maturation is sometimes known as "lagerization" and is essential to a good Pilsner .
Here you are, fellow brewers, the fascinating journey behind the making of a Pilsner beer. The next time you enjoy an ice cold Pilsner on a hot summer's day, you're sure to take a moment to appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into creating it.
Think of the craft brewers who perfect their craft, the farmers who grow the finest hops, and the tradition that has transcended the centuries. And in your friend's store that brings you all these beers to your house.
Here's to brewmasters, shared moments and the amazing world of beer!