by Mark Meli

The first golden lager was brewed in Plzen, Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, in 1842 by Bavarian Josef Groll. It quickly gained worldwide attention for its bright golden color and its clarity, which were shown off beautifully in Bohemian crystal. The brewery where Groll brewed his beer is now known as Pilsner Urquell in German, the “original source.” And that it truly is, since this is the beer that influenced all the pale lagers in the world, from Budweiser in the US to Asahi in Japan.

But here we are concerned with the real thing, not pale imitations. In the Czech language, Světlý Ležák is the name of the beer we usually call Bohemian pilsner. This is a golden-colored beer of 12-13° Plato, giving 4.5-5.5% alcohol. Světlé Výčepní is a lighter version at 10° Plato and about 4% alcohol. Sometimes these beers are served Nefiltrované, unfiltered, or with a bit of yeasty wort added, as Kvasnicový (yeast beer).

Enough of the Czech lesson. What makes these beers special, and how do they differ from other types of golden lagers? Generally speaking, these beers display a rich, bread-like malt character, a relatively full body without being heavy, and the fragrant aroma and clean bitterness of Bohemia-grown Žatec hops―better known around the world by their German name, Saaz. Without Saaz, with its grassy, herbal, and slight citrus aroma, no pilsner is truly Bohemian. German-style pils, on the other hand, tends to be slightly lighter in malt, bitterer in the finish, and uses hops with slightly different aromas. Drink an Urquell and a Bitburger side-by-side and you will get a good idea of the difference. If you drink those beers in Japan, however, chances are that you will not be tasting the real thing. It’s the same beer, but pilsners are delicate beers that do not travel well. I never had one outside of Bohemia that tasted as good as it did there.

Luckily, there are many excellent craft pilsners brewed in Japan, starting with the one from Nihonkai Club, which is made by a true Bohemian. It is rich and malty with a good dose of Saaz. Akashi Kaigan Beer is also an excellent example, brightly hoppy with a clean, bitter finish. Yokohama Bohemian Pilsner is a lovely deep gold, with biscuity grains and big Saaz flavors.

There are few things in the world better than sitting in an old square in Prague, drinking a fresh draught pilsner. But having a good Japanese-made one on a hot summer day here isn’t too shabby either.

All Beer Styles articles are written by Mark Meli, author of Craft Beer in Japan.

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.