Pilsner Urquell
Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s. | Plzen, Czech Republic
Not purchased; received as a gift.
Style: Czech Pilsner
ABV - 4.4%
IBU - 36
A word to the wise … be leery of clear or green colored bottles!! Reason being is that they let a lot of sunlight in and if not properly stored that sunlight will skunk up a beer fast! And I think that is exactly what happened to this one! In order for me to better review this brew, I’m going to have to go to Czechoslovakia myself and try it there as fresh as I can get it! This brew poured up a crystal clear light golden colored body with a thin foamy head that quickly dissipated and left negligible lacing. Immediately upon opening I could have sworn I could reach in and pull out that skunk by the tail! (This is why I feel that this brew was improperly cared for during shipping/storage/display.) Once the skunky-ness went away, the hops and slight sweet malts began to come forth. I was hesitant to taste it based on my initial smell of the brew but one must be brave and forage onward! Flavors of grasses (almost like lemon-grass) and hops hit you from the beginning and then finish up with a subtle twist of sweet malts to balance things out. Light-bodied with a dry, bitter finish and aftertaste. Definitely a quaffer on this round. If I can find this on tap or in the can I would definitely give it another try.
Pairing Recommendations: greasy, beefy, cheesy nachos!!
Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.