Pilsener is the quintessential beer style to dominate much of Europe. German, Dutch, Danish, Austrian and Polish pilseners abound. The granddaddy of them all is the Czech Pilsener, characterized by its crisp, clean flavor and its sharp hop bitterness. Anyone looking for a mild beer won’t find one among Czech pilseners, thanks to the bite provided by bittering hops.
Pilsner Urquell is the gold standard among Czech pilseners, brewed in Plzen since 1842. Other great examples include: Czechvar, Staropramen, and Golden Pheasant. There are quite a few American brewers successfully producing this style: Goose Island Four-Star Pils, Sam Adams Noble Pils, and Lagunitas Pils.
