Pilsner Urquell
By John & Dad on September 29, 2008 @ 7 PM (17 Comments)
For this week’s Thursday Father and Son beer session we decided to try the Pilsner Urquell, which states right on the bottle that it is “The Original Pilsner.” This one is a favorite of Beer Love neighbor Jerry who sent over some great history on the beer.
For starters it’s brewed in the town of Plzen over in the Czech Republic. We’ll give you three guesses what they invented there. Because of it’s water source, Pilsner Urquell has been used throughout Europe by many people to help dissolve kidney stones and gall stones. The water source comes from the nearby city of Marianske Lazne (visit their official web site), which is a spa town where people go to drink the local spring water for it’s health benefits. Not just the plebians of the town, but world dignitaries, royalty from many countries and other famous people as well. The visits are actually doctor prescribed in many instances. The spa is actually the town’s main industry. Now for the beer – they say one Pilsner Urquell a day will do it to realize the health benefits. Note the “one” qualification there – everything in moderation here people. No other beer has this claim because of the water source.
Now on to the review. For our test we used, naturally, a pilsner glass. We got an initial beer temperature of 44.2 F and our 12 oz bottle sports a 4.4% ABV. Our initial pour gave us an average 1 1/4″ fizzy white head that left virtually no head lacing as it dissipated quickly. It’s got a medium carbonation and the body is a clear sparkling yellow/golden color. It looks like a textbook pilsner.
For the aromas we picked up a light biscuit (almost a sweet biscuit smell), citrus, grass, bread dough and some ginger. It’s quite a clean smell – very refreshing and crisp. Unfortunately the smell is the most intriguing part of the beer.
On the taste side we were able to note the light biscuit, grass and some light lemon. Not much complexity here – you pick up some hops and it’s kind of like a Heineken on the finish – somewhat skunky and also slightly metallic. This results in a strange disconnect from the aromas to the flavor. The malts thin out significantly and the hop bitters edge on in. The finish is very sharp.
For our initial flavor notes we get a light sweet and a very light bitter. The finish notes evolve to a light acidic and moderate bitter. The finish is average in length and it’s not a coating finish – one sip of water cleans it right out of your palate. The mouthfeel is watery and the tongue hit is right in the middle of your tongue. There’s no body lacing to speak of and on our malt to hop scale it comes in about a click and a half to the right of balanced on the hoppy side.
For our bottom line notes we get a yes to drinkable, yes to repeatable and yes to balance. This means a no to harmony, memorable, wow factor and unfortunately a no to buy again.
It’s a textbook session beer at 4.4% ABV and we feel like it should be done pretty cold to dull the taste out a bit. Maybe a thick walled cold, not frozen glass. It could be a good intro to a slightly hopped beer without a strong malt backbone for a craft beer newbie. We want to like it more because of the smell, but ultimately we’re just not big fans.
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Sorry but i have to give it at least 8 out of 10, possibly the best pilsner i ever tasted
I’m really sorry, but you haven’t got a clue
This is the best review on Pilsner urquell I’ve ever seen. Absolutely amazing
An average score by experts (not yanks) for this beer is 4,8 (out of 5).
You are not even commenting on where was your sample bottled, and when. (If you were unfortunate enough to have a SA bottle, I would perhaps understand something like 7-8/10, as they messed it up quite badly….., but 3/10:D).
If you comment was not a joke. (definitively made me laugh), you should consider to drink Budweiser (not the original,…you would not understand it
Regards Martin
Martin, Martin… Appreciate the feedback, I really do. It’s no joke though. We could really give a crap what the experts think – this is about what WE think. We don’t claim to be experts in anything other than what WE like.
And we’re not rating these things for “best in style.” I know Pilsner Urquell would beat the pants of Bud, Miller, Coors and just about any of the mass market stuff and that’s great – we’re just not into mass market stuff and I think we’ve moved on past pilsners. You’re right though, for the pilsner category – I’ve not had much better. But I want some meat to my beer, if you know what I’m saying. 3 out of 10 is how much we enjoyed it relative to what we like.
Pilsner Urquell is serviceable to us – would be a good session beer for most of our friends and to people who only drink light lagers (which are most of our friends), but it doesn’t stand out amongst all the other beers and beer styles in the world for us. Hell – I bought a 6 pack and wound up giving some of them away to friends. We prefer our sessions to have more malt, more bold flavors and more lagniappe (I’m from Louisiana – look that one up). Thanks for posting what you think though – we love for people to share their real feelings and we take all the input seriously. But as for this one, I say to each his own – there’s a beer out there for all of us!
I found a recipe for ribs that called for Pilsner Urquell. I was wondering what your thoughts were about using this beer in a fruity BBQ recipe. Lastly, would you tell me where to buy it? Thanks!
Dear Aimathena,to borrow a phrase ” there is no fruit in BBQ” which is why it is in a food group all its own. The real groups are food, beer and BBQ. Seriously I think it could give a nice hop kick to a sauce but I wouldn’t cook the sauce to long after putting in the beer. Any decent liquor store should have it. It should be with the imports. I will plug Red Stripe as an excellent beer to serve with any Q. Good luck.
First off, Martin, congratulations on being a snobby, probably Eurotrash, elitist ASSHOLE! John I’m just saying what you were thinking. Way to go on keeping your cool while squaring him away. I’ve never had Pilsner Urquell and just heard about it today. I’d love to try it soon, though. Sorry about the profanity but if there is one thing I can’t stand is wine and beer snobs who don’t know how to decide what they like with their own tongue. Taste is just what it means. Everyone has different taste in everything especially when it comes to adult beverages. Some people like the commercial stuff because they’ve never had good beer and some people like other beer because some douche bag told them to. Martin, you’re a pussy. Regards, Erik
Interesting, well-written review, and to each his own. Live and let live.
But still, LOL. This is the only serious review I’ve ever seen of P-U that doesn’t give it very high marks; most say it’s the best pilsner in the world, with several saying it’s the best BEER in the world, which I agree with and Guinness being the only real competition. And please everybody save it about you local brewery’s whatever-whatever being the “best in he world”.
I mean, like WOW, man. Maybe you just caught a bottle or keg that got left out in the sun by accident?
Nice site. Enjoy your reviews. I must say disagree with your take a little, but that is only my tatse. I think for this category of beer – mass produced, inexpensive, light lager, this is quite decent. Definitely not great, but very enjoyable. WIthout a doubt you are correct that there are many Pilseners that are better, but I would give PU an easy 6.5/10. However, it is a subjective rating. Thank you again. I enjoy PU, buy often and really enjoy. Good, steady beer, if not grand. Thanks again man.
I agree with the Doctor! Skunky & metallic on the finish – I thought I had a Heineken. I’ll let the ‘experts’ drink it.
you suck!
3 out of 10 ???? Are you kidding me, Pilsner Urquell is one of the best and purest beers that exist.
Comparing it to Heineken which is one of the worst-made and worst-tasting massproduction beers in the world is totally crazy! You clearly have no idea what beer is all about!!
3 out of 10. You gotta be kidding!
This is either a rubbish review or you got a bottle from a bad batch.
Tivole (That’s czech for bullshit) I have to side with Stevie on this one!!
Pilsner Urquell is definitely the best overall beer i have tasted. I have lived in many countries and currenly reside in the Czech republic. Hands down, best beer country in the world. These guys drink beer to assist in exercise like americans drink Gatorade. I biked from Prague to Vienna – they do pitstops where they hydrate with tapped Pilsner U. They simply know their stuff when it comes to beer. This pilsner is creamy, tasty and delicious. I am actually drinking one right now from a 0.5L bottle, 4.4% alcohol and there is an expiry date. Maybe the one you drank was past due. The locals know this beer has a 12% gravity rating that gives it the delicious flavor it has. Gents, I’m sorry, but to give a 3/10 means one of two things – you dont know your beer, or you didnt do your homework. I personally found i had to have a few bottles before i became addicted to the taste. Having lived in Canada, I tried this beer from the local beer store, didnt taste the same . . .I leave you with one last thought. Having tried hundreds of different beers, full bodied and memorable as can be, I can tell you if I had only one to pick for the rest of my life, the choice would be easy. Pilsner Urquell.
First time for everything! I’ve never commented online for ANYTHING…but you’re messing with my baby! My blood pressure is up and my heart is racing and it’s not from my Pilsner Urquell intake. I can see why Martin was so angry, but I will try to comment in a more adult way. (Nice mouth, Erik.) I LOVE beer! It’s what I drink with dinner and for pleasure. Always have. Am I the only female commenting? I love Pilsner Urquell! I’m a patriot to the core and I love America, but I didn’t know what beer was until I spent the last year in the Czech Republic. The Pilsen Brewery was minutes from my home. I visited several times and witnessed one of the classiest…yet humble operations in my life. Hard working people, and a beautiful historic old factory, impeccably maintained, without a hint of pretense. No snobbery! (Don’t let the neighboring spa town mar your review for a great beer from an honest, hardworking beer town.) I tasted THE ORIGINAL PILSNER, unpasteurized, right from the old wooden barrels in the cellar…and I’m hooked. You don’t have to love it, but be RESPECTFUL! A 3 out of 10 rating is just rude, when reviewing the original Pilsner; the Pilsner others still imitate. You say that you are not an expert and that you are only posting your personal preference. Next time, consider doing the research or leave the review for a gem like Pilsner Urquell to those who’ve done it and deserve the honor. (So, again to Erik, so tough on Martin. Lose the attitude toward Martin and Elitist Eurotrash as you so eloquently put it. He was defending his BEER!)
I’ve been drinking this stuff for more years than I care to remember. It’s been great, the best beer ever, one of the few Good Things of Life. I considered Pilsner Urquell to be truly the Champaign of Bottled Beer. However, over the last year (or two), the taste has changed. First, to point that it tasted like just another good but not really great beer. Just another OK craft beer, as opposed to the cat piss the big brewers churn out. The last 4-pack I bought was actually at bit nasty. What happened?
Bad Bob
I am curious, I have been drinking Pilsner Urquell for 30 years, started the enjoyment in Germany. I just got a batch that tastes like it does not have any alcohol in it. Perhaps the yeast is missing. The number on the bottle is 7231113001. The taste is raw. My husband had two and mentioned there was no effect. He checked the official web site for the company and could not see an area, where the quality control feedback can be found. Has anyone else experienced this?