The birth of Pilsner beer can be traced back to the ancient city of Plzen (or Pilsen, in Bohemia) which is situated in the western half of the Czech Republic.
It was first brewed by Josef Groll a head brewer at the civic brewhouse at Plzen in 1842, quickly attained attention throughout Europe.
Between 1880 and 1897, Pilsner exports to Germany multiplied 6 - fold and in the Austrian empire the Civic Brewery in Plzen came only second to Anton Dreher’ s brewery in Schwechat.
Due to its quality, it gradually spread not only all over Europe but actually worldwide. The Czech brewing industry flourished until World War I, the production in the Czech lands in 1912 reaching the record level of 11 mill. hl brewed in 650 breweries.
A classic American pilsner documented in Wahl and Henius’ 1902 classic American Handy Book of the Brewing, Malting and Allied Trades, would have had a gravity of 1.048-1.052 for draft “city beer,” and 1.052 to 1.060 for the bottled version, suitable for shipping.
This beer was brewed in the style of European Pilsners of the time, but with some important differences made necessary by the differences in domestic malt and hops.
History of Pilsner
