Pilsners are one of the latest styles to be “imperialized”: with characteristics, generally alcohol and hops, bumped up sufficiently to constitute a new style but with a familiar profile. These new imperial pilsners may sacrifice pilsner’s famed delicacy, but they retain the floral aromas and dry, bitter finish of their progenitor style.
The Bristol & District branch of CAMRA, in the southwest of England, pulled out all the stops for its Mild
Pilsner styles of beer originate from Bohemia in the Czech Republic. They are medium- to medium-full bodied and are characterized by high carbonation and tangy Czech varieties of hops that impart floral aromas and a crisp, bitter finish. The hallmark of a fresh pilsner is the dense, white head. The alcohol levels must be such as to give a rounded mouthfeel, typically around 5 percent ABV. Classic pilsners are thoroughly refreshing, but they are delicate and must be fresh to show their best. Few beers are as disappointing to the beer lover as a stale pilsner. German pilsner styles are similar, though often slightly lighter in body and color. Great pilsners are technically difficult to make and relatively expensive to produce.
Coming soon to a bar near you: mild ale. This traditional English beer, once the most popular style in the
Pale lagers are the standard international beer style, as personified by products from Miller to Heineken. This style is the generic spin-off of the pilsner style. Pale lagers are generally light- to medium-bodied with a light-to-medium hop impression and a clean, crisp malt character. Quality, from a flavor point of view, is very variable within this style and many examples use a proportion of non-malt additives such as rice or corn. Alcohol content is typically between 3.5-5 percent ABV, with the upper end of the range being preferable if one is to get a true lager mouthfeel.
In a distant bowling alley, I remember bowling with my grandfather while he enjoyed his beer of choice, a beer
500 Beers By Zak Avery Sellers Publishing, Hard cover, $16.95, 288 pp 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die
5 gallons OG: 1.055 Bitterness: 35 IBU Yeast: Wyeast 2112 or White Labs WLP810 Extract Recipe Steeping grain: 1.0 pound
5 gallons OG: 1.050 Bitterness: 35 IBU Yeast: Wyeast 2042 or 2278, or White Labs WLP830 or WLP840 All-Grain Recipe
Brewing Our Own American microbrewers have done more than their share in the past 30 years to enrich and enliven