Pilsner Urquell - Plzensky Prazdroj, a. s.

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue I:

This beer went from cult status to mass-produced over the past couple of decades. Even without a recipe change, many have noted a difference.

Clear and deep golden, filtered and pasteurized for extended shelf life. The lacing and head retention of this lager is quite amazing as it leaves a massive crowning ring on the glass and several rings further down. Clean, spicy herbal hop aroma with a graininess that is of fresh cut grass. Very smooth and crisp with a moderately-sized body. Sweet maltiness with biscuity and dried hay flavors. Bitterness from the hops helps to balance the small amount of malt sweetness that is present and goes a bit further with a pleasant spicy herbal note. Finishes dry with a faint metallic taste which is no doubt a by-product of the pasteurization.

A shell of its former self: globalization, growth and popularity all have their drawbacks, and you can see it in today's PU. Processed and overly clean compared to years past, yet still worth a try if you have not tried it before.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 17:05:14 | More by BeerAdvocate

Jason

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz green bottle with no freshness date. I grabbed this bottle from the cooler out of an unopened case ... so there is not chance of this beer being light-struck.

A- Bright shimmering golden hue, good white lacing on top.

S- Spicy hops with a canned Mandarin orange citric aroma to them, big waft of grassy grain in the nose as well.

T&M- Just as smooth as it is crisp. Strong hop bitterness, sweet grassy malted barley brushes across the palate with dry biscuity notes. Spiciness from the hops is pronounced with a light and dry finish that holds a long road of flavor.

D- With the use of hop extracts this beer almost tastes too fresh ... or perhaps I am used to old bottles. Either way it is pretty damn bitter, which is not a bad thing ... simply, it is not the same beer from years gone by but it still is a quality brew I would not mind visiting once in a while.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2006 05:19:17 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz green bottle with a foil neck wrap. No freshness date, but there is a batch number.

Appearance: Golden and clear with a lot of C02 activity. The heads stays as a thin creamy lace with bubbles.

Smell: Mild sulfur notes, with aromatic medly of light hop and malt.

Taste: Crisp and refreshing straight from the begining. A nice amount of dextrin sweetness, followed by a lemony tea-like hop flavour. Finishes with a strong aftertaste.

Notes: Claiming to be "The First Pilsner On Earth," this brew is by far the grandfather of the Pilsner style.

Update 12/29/2001 ...

This beer has definitely been altered/modernized, along with its packaging. This is not the same Pilsner Urquell your daddy used to drink. Softer on the palate now with less hop character and its "skunk" character has been smoothed out a lot.

Once the defining Pilsner, now not much different than any other mediocre to average Czech Pils. And, although the beer is brewed at the same location, all of the brewing equipment has been replaced by modern equipment and the hops are now 75% hop extract!! -- no wonder it tastes different now.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2000 00:00:01 | More by Todd

rabiddawg

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +11.7%

05-19-2013 17:58:45 | More by rabiddawg

CB2maltygoodness

District of Columbia

2.75/5  rDev -23.2%

05-19-2013 05:59:03 | More by CB2maltygoodness

Razr86

New York

4/5  rDev +11.7%

05-19-2013 04:56:33 | More by Razr86

Isotope

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-19-2013 03:03:09 | More by Isotope

jbarletto

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -16.2%

05-18-2013 22:00:41 | More by jbarletto

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +18.7%

05-17-2013 12:55:30 | More by randylangford

enelson

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-16-2013 12:37:35 | More by enelson

Chrily

Norway

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

05-16-2013 12:36:09 | More by Chrily

JoyHelfrich

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

05-15-2013 05:15:20 | More by JoyHelfrich

aty11b

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

05-14-2013 01:18:59 | More by aty11b

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -16.2%

05-12-2013 17:14:31 | More by mikeburd1128

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

One of the "1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die" -- #23 of the ones I've reviewed here.

This is a favorite beer of mine, though I've never had it on tap and I suspect I might bump my score up a bit if I ever get the chance (this is the sort of beer that's really meant to be drunk fresh out of a keg). While not the best Pilsner out there, it's probably my personal reference point for the style -- when I'm trying another Pilsner and I want to decide what I think of it, I usually compare it mentally to this. I would also give somebody who never had a Pilsner and wanted to know what that was like a bottle of this, it's the best introduction to the style I know.

Interesting notes include the color, which is surprisingly golden, the very light nose of hops and yeast which is mapped in the flavors, and the lasting lightly bitter/hoppy finish.

It's not a beer that you need to spend a lot of time talking about, and I think nowadays it's even a little underrated as a result. It is what it is, but "what it is" is pretty good, I think.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 18:36:27 | More by dougbassett

eulerthegrape

California

3/5  rDev -16.2%

05-10-2013 15:54:43 | More by eulerthegrape

JakeDebus

Maryland

3/5  rDev -16.2%

05-10-2013 14:57:07 | More by JakeDebus

DbbC

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

05-10-2013 03:14:51 | More by DbbC

rph97

Texas

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

05-10-2013 02:05:08 | More by rph97

ncstateplaya

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -9.2%

05-09-2013 19:39:11 | More by ncstateplaya

Bill235

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-09-2013 19:28:52 | More by Bill235

bigbutter

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-08-2013 01:31:37 | More by bigbutter

dalepryor

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-07-2013 22:46:36 | More by dalepryor

CheapBeerBuzz

California

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

05-07-2013 03:23:25 | More by CheapBeerBuzz

IdeaSpeeder

Ontario (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type - 500ml can, poured into a pilsner glass

Appearance - Pours a pale straw colour, but somehow darker than most pilsners. Sot of 'golden' coloured. A thin white head dissipates quickly. The filtered brew showcases the carbonation.

Smell - Some grains and bready smells. Not much of anything else that I can pick up.

Taste - Sweeter than I was anticipating. Grains, grass, dough - standard fare for a pilsner. Towards the finish I'm picking up an incredibly light citrus taste.

Mouthfeel - Medium carbonation, average to low for the style. Body isn't to heavy and isn't to light. Just right. Finishes crisp and satisfying.

Overal - 3.5/5.

Serving type: can

05-07-2013 03:21:52 | More by IdeaSpeeder