What Every Beer Lover Should Know About Pilsner Urquell

Pilsner Urquell is one of the most popular beers in the world. It is perhaps the most influential beer of the past 150 years. In fact, what Americans often refer to as "normal" beers (Bud, Coors, and other American style lagers) are all in some essential way an attempt at reproducing the original Bohemian product. The name itself (Urquell) actually means "original source," and any beer that calls itself a pilsner is referencing this beer and the place from which it comes.

The Czechoslovakian people are very proud of Pilsner Urquell's long tradition of excellence and have recently tried to get the World Trade Organization to grant it's very name privileged status. Although the ingredients are by no mean a secret, to this day trade restrictions are in place prohibiting the export of the locally produced hops and grains which give Urquell it's unique, unmistakable character.

Pilsner Urquell Facts

• First Brewed in Pilsen Czechoslovakia in 1842.
• The brewing tradition of this town dates back to 1307.
• Brewed from pale two-row malted barley in a triple decoction mashing procedure.
• Hopped three separate times with Saaz whole-flower buds.
• Alcohol content 4.4 % per volume.
• The average person in the Czech Republic consumes 158 liters of beer per year. Number one per-capita beer drinkers in the world (top 10 beer consuming countries). Almost 1/3 of the beer consumed in the Czech Republic comes from Pilsen.
• Approximately 30% of the people who participated in Beer Church’s Desert Island Beer survey, have chosen Pilsner Urquell as one of the 3 beers they would want to have if they could only choose three kinds of beer. More than any other beer.

The History of Pilsen

Pilsner Urquell is recognized as one of the world’s superior beer. Perhaps no beer is more widely admired and enjoyed. There are all sorts of rumors and historical half-truths surrounding this Bohemian treasure. The history of Urquell and the history of the town of Pilsen cannot be separated. Here is the history of Pilsen, one of the world’s most famous brewing communities, in their own words.

The story of the beer known as "Pilsner", or rather "Pilsner Urquell", is famous yet also slightly mysterious. The circumstances surrounding its origin, the raw materials used, the secrets of production, its long-term tradition, and unrivalled fame have encouraged many people to visit Central Europe. More precisely, many have come to the western part of the Czech Republic to find the capital of world beers, the town of Pilsen (Plzen).

The city of Pilsen was founded more than 700 years ago. Beer was brewed there for ages. In the Middle Ages, the "right of beer brewing" (brewing license) was an important privilege granted by rulers to cities and their burghers. To be honest, for years the beer brewed in Pilsen was about the same as the beer in any other Czech or German city, and its quality was even worse in the early 1800s. Beer brewing was facing a crisis.

Two types of beer were brewed at the time. The steam top-fermentation process produced beer with a shorter life-span, whereas bottom-fermentation produced beer with a slightly different taste and a much longer life-span. Top-fermented beer was brewed in Pilsen. In what was then known as Bohemia, there were 1,052 breweries of which 938 brewed top-fermented beer. In 1839, about 200 courageous Pilsen burgher owners of licensed beer brewing houses decided that they would no longer put up with the beer brewing situation in Pilsen. After overcoming initial problems they finally succeeded in founding the "Mestansky pivovar" (Burghers' Brewery).

Mr. Stelzer, an architect, was commissioned to plan the construction of the brewery. He approached his mission with a great sense of duty, and sought to bring in the experience of neighboring countries. In Bavaria only bottom-fermented beer was brewed. Stelzer's mission was to construct the most modern and efficient brewery of the time. His fact-finding mission also resulted in something very precious. Stelzer didn't just bring in the needed experience and know-how - he also brought in the master brewer, Josef Groll. He was charged with brewing the bottom-fermented Bavarian beer he once brewed in his country, only now he was using new ingredients: Czech malt, hops, and Pilsen water, exclusively.

Josef Groll was willful and rude, so the story goes. Nonetheless, as a brewer, he was a genius. He understood that his unique task was not to conform to tradition. He subsequently made a controlled technological "failure". Nobody can tell today whether he himself knew exactly what sort of beer would come from his recipe, but it was delicious! Such as no one had tasted before! A new mysterious recipe was born, inherited over the generations, brewer to brewer. The date was October 5, 1842. The Burghers' Brewery began its victorious journey through both the Czech and the world brewing industry. The Pilsner lager beer was given the name "Pilsner Urquell" shortly after by the Campenhaus brothers who were the brewery's Berlin representatives.