Best Pilsner Beer
Pilsner (also spelled pilsener) is by far the most widely made beer style in the world today. At least 90% of all beer is broadly in the pilsner style. You can find good pilsner beer almost anywhere. The beer is named after the town where it was invented in the 19th century, Plzen in what is now the Czech Republic. It's a golden colored lager beer with great clarity. As a lager beer, different from the older ales, pilsner is a clean, crisp, refreshing beer that goes down easily and appeals to most of us. Part of its appeal is the use of the distinctive hops grown in that part of Europe. Pilsner beers are so ubiquitous that in much of Europe, the word "pils" is synonymous with "beer".
Real beer geeks like to dispute the merits of substyles such as Bohemian pilsners, German pilsners, and American pilsners, but for most of us these are just variations on the same style. In general, pilsner tends to be a fairly delicate beer, so if you have a choice, go for the freshest one available. However, there are some that really do stand out from the crowd.
Why it's best:
This is the most amazing pilsner you will ever taste. As soon as you open the bottle, the aroma itself is distinctive. It's a blend of pure malt with the delicate scent of fine Czech hops. Instead of the pale, washed-out color of most American mass market beers, Czechvar is ... read full review
Why it's a best pick:
While Czechvar is the best Bohemian pilsner, Bitburger is hands-down the best German pilsner I've found. "Bit" has slightly more bitterness than the Czech version, which makes it come across even crisper and more thirst-quenching. Where the floral quality of the Cz... read full review
Why it's a best pick:
Where Bitburger is the classic German pils, Veltins represents the milder, less hoppy northern variety. Where a slight graininess is a standard pilsner quality, Veltins has managed to smooth that out for the northern German palate, and it's easy to see why it's a market lead... read full review
Why it's a best pick:
Obviously, the first great thing about any beer made in the USA is that it's going to be a little fresher than any imported beer. But Victory, a small Pennsylvania craft brewery, has pretty much nailed the style, while at the same time giving it an American twist by increasi... read full review
Why it's a best pick:
You can almost never go wrong with a beer from Brooklyn, where the head brewer gets fanatical on the subject of authenticity when he creates his recipes. This pilsner is a good example of that. Very German in character, and shows off both the malt and the hops while blending... read full review