Style Sheet for... American Style Pilsener
Greetings,
"This style of beer is a light-straw colored, full bodied, lagered, bottom fermented beer named after the town of Pilzen (in what was then known as Bohemia), where it was first brewed in 1842. It quickly became a popular unique style because it was so different from the amber brews that were the norm at that time. Pilsener Urquell (literal translation - "Original from Pilzen"), named for the town of Pilzen, in what is now the Czech Republic, was the first golden colored lager developed in the Seventeenth Century. Until that time almost all brews, ale and lager, were amber colored or darker."
"Unlike the producers of Champagne, who legislated on an international level, the use of the word "Pilsener" on the label of a beer often has no relation at all to the place of origin of that particular beer. The word "Pilsner" has come to mean any bottom-fermented, golden colored, sparkling malt beverage."
"Even the Association of Brewers' 2004 Beer Style Guidelines has three different "Pilsener" classifications: European-Style Pilsener, German-Style Pilsener, and American Style Pilsener."
"They describe the American Style Pilsener as a "classic and unique pre-Prohibition American-style Pilsener (that) is straw to deep gold in color. Hop bitterness, flavor and aroma are medium to high, and use of noble-type hops for flavor and aroma is preferred. Up to 25 percent corn in the grist should be used, and some slight sweetness and flavor of corn are expected. Alcohol by volume is between 5-6%."
"N.B. - "Pilsener" is the spelling used by the Association of Brewers."
Cheers!
Peter LaFrance
( http://www.beerbasics.com/ )
The above is one of my entries to The Oxford University Companion to American Food & Drink:
http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-American-Food-Drink/dp/0195307968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201787712&sr=1-1
