Beer is a widely consumed alcoholic beverage, ranking third in popularity among all beverages globally. It is produced through a process called brewing and can be classified as either ale or lager, depending on their brewing styles. Pilsner is a popular beer brand that is often mistakenly thought of as a type of beer. This article examines Pilsner beer to determine if there is any difference between this popular beer and Lager beer.
Key Takeaways
- Pilsner is a type of lager beer that includes many other varieties
- Lager is one of the two broad categories of beer, the other being ale
- Lager beer makes up more than 90% of the total beer produced across the world
Lager
Lager is one of the two basic categories of beer made worldwide, with the other being ale. The difference between ale and lager is not related to taste or bitterness. Ales are ancient, with the Sumerians and Egyptians known to have brewed and consumed this beer thousands of years ago. Lagers, on the other hand, were introduced in the 19th century. The distinction between the two lies in the use of different yeast, which dictates different ingredients and techniques in their brewing.
Lager beers are made with bottom fermenting yeasts, whereas ale beers use top fermenting yeasts that rise to the top during the brewing process. Lager beers are brewed at colder temperatures than ales, resulting in a milder taste. Lagers are also very smooth beers that need to be served at cold temperatures. Lager beers are popular worldwide, with nearly 90% of the total beer production being lager. Lager has a relatively longer brewing cycle than ale beer and takes months to be prepared.
Pilsner
Pilsner is a type of lager beer and is named after the city in Czechoslovakia where it was first made in 1842. The brewery where Pilsner was produced was called Pilsen, and soon the beer became so popular that it made its way to Vienna and Paris.
Pilsner was the preferred style of beer throughout Europe, and by the end of the century, the company had to register it under the trade name Pilsner Urquell. Today there are three different styles of Pilsners: German, Czech, and European.
Lager vs Pilsner
- Pilsner is a type of lager beer that includes many other varieties
- Lager is one of the two broad categories of beer, the other being ale
- Lager beer makes up more than 90% of the total beer produced across the world
- Pilsner beer is so called because of the name of the city in the Czech Republic where it was first produced in 1842
- Lager is a word in German that means to store, and Lager beers require refrigeration for several months to brew
- Pilsner beer is characterized by slow fermentation of the yeast at the bottom of the tanks
- Pilsner beer is golden in color and is the most popular beer around the world
