# Pilsner preferences? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403 "2004-03-20T15:54:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/1 "2004-03-20T15:54:04Z")
Even though I do greatly like Pilsner Urquel, I must admit that I prefer Saranac Golden. I’ve yet to taste Budvar (marketed in the USA as “Czechvar”, thanks to a bunch of asswipes who deserve to be shot with rusty spoons). ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/2 "2004-03-20T17:34:11Z")
I’m an ale fan, personally; I like the “fuller” taste. Sort of a red wine/white wine kind of thing. The only lager I ever purchase (in bottles) is Pilsner Urquell, though I sometimes obuy a Pilsner or a Marzen at one of the local brewpubs. I wasn’t aware that Budvar was available here; I’ll have to look for it. Any idea where it would be available? ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/3 "2004-03-20T18:58:57Z")
Grolsch. best. pils.ever.period…but only in De Nederlands. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/4 "2004-03-21T03:36:38Z")
> [@Suburban Plankton](#): > > I’m an ale fan, personally; I like the “fuller” taste. Sort of a red wine/white wine kind of thing. The only lager I ever purchase (in bottles) is Pilsner Urquell, though I sometimes obuy a Pilsner or a Marzen at one of the local brewpubs. “Lager” is not identical to “pilsner”. A pilsner is a specific type of lager. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/5 "2004-03-21T03:51:42Z")
Never liked Urquell; it’s too sweet for my tastes. Love Budvar (in Europe and on tap) and Grolsch. Most honest-to-og pilsners from the Czech Republic are great, with the exception of the aforementioned Urquell. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/6 "2004-03-21T03:52:23Z")
Another ale man checking in… I’d have to put Pilsner Urquell at the top of my pilsner list…but Spaten Pils comes in a close second. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/7 "2004-03-21T05:50:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Never liked Urquell; it’s too sweet for my tastes. Love Budvar (in Europe and on tap) and Grolsch. Most honest-to-og pilsners from the Czech Republic are great, with the exception of the aforementioned Urquell. You know, that’s how I was, but when the times I’ve visited the Czech Republic, the Urquell on tap is _fantastic_. It’s not as bubbly as the bottled variety. The Czechs I’ve talked to also claim (I have no idea of the veracity of this) that the stuff exported is a somewhat inferior product. The Czechs I’ve met in the US swear that Urquell is not the same stuff as in the Republic, and I can attest that the product does taste quite different–at least compared with the draft. I do prefer Budvar in bottles to Urquell. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/8 "2004-03-21T06:32:59Z")
Urquell, Czechvar and Spaten are all quite good, as others have said. My favorite though, is Bitburger Pils. Harder to find, but it has more bitterness to it, which I like. The trouble with all of them though, for us in the States, is that we never get them at their best. Long travel times and storage times under uncertain conditions make for less-than-peak quality beer. And as big a proponent as I am of the American craft brewing industry, Pilsener is one style that we just don’t do as well as our European brothers. Pyramid Pilsener (Washington state) is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/9 "2004-03-21T11:45:52Z")
I’m fond of **Trumer Pils**. It’s Austrian and a bit bitterer than most of those mentioned. You get in a great glass too - a thin cylinder about 25cm tall. As for Dutch pils, I like **Gulpener**. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/10 "2004-03-21T14:23:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You know, that’s how I was, but when the times I’ve visited the Czech Republic, the Urquell on tap is _fantastic_. It’s not as bubbly as the bottled variety. The Czechs I’ve talked to also claim (I have no idea of the veracity of this) that the stuff exported is a somewhat inferior product. The Czechs I’ve met in the US swear that Urquell is not the same stuff as in the Republic, and I can attest that the product does taste quite different–at least compared with the draft. > > I do prefer Budvar in bottles to Urquell. Agreed. Local beer on tap is always preferable to bottled and shipped long distances. The bottled Urquell export just misses being pisswater, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/11 "2004-03-21T16:08:50Z")
I’ve been beaten to the punch to complain about the travel time/conditions and bottled vs on tap. So I’ll just add a question. Are they any good micro Pils made in the U.S.? ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/12 "2004-03-21T18:10:26Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > I’ve been beaten to the punch to complain about the travel time/conditions and bottled vs on tap. So I’ll just add a question. Are they any good micro Pils made in the U.S.? There’s 3 that I can think of offhand. Victory’s Prima Pils from Philadelphia is usually considered the best micro pilsener in the US…very strongly hopped, and seems like they use more than just Saaz. Another quality pils-on-crack is Tupper’s Hop Pocket Pils from Virginia. Finally, if you want a more traditional pils, then Penn Brewery makes the fantastic Penn Pilsner. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pilsner-preferences/235403/13 "2004-03-21T19:19:27Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > I’ve been beaten to the punch to complain about the travel time/conditions and bottled vs on tap. So I’ll just add a question. Are they any good micro Pils made in the U.S.? I mentioned Pyramid Pilsener earlier, but I later realized I think I made that up! I’m not sure if Pyramid even makes a Pilsener. I was thinking of Saxer Pilsener. They make it as a summer seasonal. It’s pretty authentic, but a little hoppier than the “real” thing, and I’m pretty sure the water is a bit “harder” (more mineral content than the notably “soft” water in most traditional Pilseners). Full Sail makes a “double Pilsener”, sort of the IPA of lagers, with tons of hops and high alcohol (around 7.2%, IIRC). It’s tasty beer, but not really very Pilsenery, IMO.