The best way to understand the pilsner is to know that all pilsners are lagers, but not all lagers are pilsners. That is to say that lager is the umbrella that pilsner is under. This lager style is brewed with pilsner malt and lager yeast. It’s a bottom-fermented beer that got its name from the Czech Republic city of Plzeň (or Pilsen).
This is where, in 1842, the brewers at Pilsner Urquell first gave the world the pale lager that we all now lovingly refer to as a pilsner. The best part? While the beer has paved the way for countless European pilsners as well as American craft beers, the original Pilsner Urquell is still just as crisp and delicious as it was more than 180 years ago.
Before we move on, it should be noted that while there are offshoots, there are generally two different pilsner styles. There’s the classic Bohemian style (like Pilsner Urquell) which is known for its malty, grassy, floral flavor. Then there’s the German style, which is known for its cereal grain, honey, floral, and lightly bitter flavor.
Either way, there’s no wrong time to imbibe this classic beer–and some of the best examples of this style are available at most beer and grocery stores.
Bitburger Premium Pilsner
Brewed since 1909, Bitburger Premium Pilsner is one of the most popular pilsners in Germany. It’s well-known for its straw color and fresh, crisp, floral flavor profile. It’s the kind of no-frills pilsner you’ll want to have in your fridge at the height of summer or in the middle of winter. It pairs just as well with holiday foods as it does with Fourth of July fireworks.
Buy: $7.99
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella
This 4.7 percent ABV, Bohemian-style pilsner is brewed with Saaz and Aramis hops. It has a crisp, thirst-quenching flavor profile featuring a nice pilsner malt base as well as honey sweetness, citrus peels, and floral, earthy hops. It’s extremely well-balanced and well-suited for all weather. But it especially hits well on a hot, humid day.
Buy: $9.49
Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
There’s nothing wrong with a classic, no-frills, crisp, refreshing pilsner. But sometimes you want something slightly different. This is where Firestone Walker Pivo Pils comes in. This award-winning, 5.3 percent ABV pilsner is brewed with pilsner malt. The brewers add Saphir, Spalter Select, and Tradition hops in the kettle. To add to that, it’s dry-hopped with even more Saphir hops. The result is a clean, crisp, very hoppy beer that you’ll go back to again and again.
Buy: $10.49
Pilsner Urquell
You can’t make a list of the best widely available pilsners without including the original. To say that the recipe of water, grain, yeast, and Saaz hops has been perfected in the last 180-plus years is an understatement. This is the beer that every other pilsner strives to be. It’s a perfect balance of pilsner malts, honey, citrus, and floral, herbal hops. It’s crisp, delicious, and always available.
Buy: $9.49
Victory Prima Pilsner
When it comes to American craft beers, you’ll have a difficult time finding a pilsner more authentic than Victory Prima Pilsner. This popular 5.3 percent ABV beer is brewed with pilsner malt as well as a trio of Noble hops including Saaz, Tettnang, and Hallertau. It’s loaded with bready malts, lemon peels, sweet honey, grass, and floral, Noble hops.
Buy: $8.99
Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle
If you took a poll of brewers and beer aficionados and asked them to tell you their favorite authentic German pilsner, you’d get a lot of people who shout out Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle. Brewed with hops from both Tettnant and Hallertau, local barley, and pure spring water, it has a fresh, clean, crisp taste and flavors of bready malts, citrus peels, and floral, earthy Noble hops. If you only try one pilsner on this list, make it this one. You’ll be glad you did.
Buy: $20.99
Half Acre Pony
This 5.5 percent ABV pilsner is the epitome of crisp, refreshing, and no frills. Brewed with Tettnang, Liberty, and Tradition hops, it has aromas and flavors of freshly baked bread, honey, lemon peels, hay, and floral, herbal, Noble hops. The finish is sweet, floral, and pleasantly bitter. Buy a four-pack of 16-ounce beers, find a comfortable place to sit, and slowly sip on a few of these bad boys.
Buy: $10.99
