Pilsner Urquell Kvasnicový (Yeast beer)

Brewed by Plzensky Prazdroj (SABMiller)
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Plzen, Czech Republic

It’s just a shame that this beer cannot be released for sale. It’s just as good as it gets.

Vive la Pilsner Urquell! The best golden beer to drink in the whole wide world.

Unfiltered, unpasteurized from the tap in Pilzen at Na Parkanu...lost for words.

Simply the best. A sharp, clean taste with a slight bitterness that leaves you wanting more. What all other Pilseners should be judged by.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There exists many versions of this beer. The unfiltered Pilsner Urquell available at Na Parkanu, the un-pasteurized Pilsner Urquell available at U Zlatého Tygra and the unfiltered-un-pasteurized in wooden Pilsner Urquell Barrel available at the end of the brewery tour. I see that people are entering ratings for the regulars and wooden-barrel ones here. I’m reviewing all three but the score is for the wooden barrel one. The two first one can arguably remain one entry in ratebeer but the one aged in wooden barrels should definitely be a separate entry. It is totally different from the other two. Totally different aroma and taste. It even looks totally different

Unfiltered Pilsner Urquell: 3.9
In short: Typical
How: Tap at Na Parkanu, Pilsen, Czech Republic
The look: Almost clear golden body with a large but quickly diminishing white head.
In long: Overall rather inexpressive malts with some pleasant hay. Hopping is something else, wonderful hops bouquet. Sharp medium bitterness with a little lemon twist. The beer gets dry before the finish and the finish is very dry. Didn’t feel unbalanced despite the intense hopping and inexpressive malts.

Un-pasteurized Pilsner Urquell: 3.8
How: Tap at U Zlatého Tygra
The look: Almost clear golden body with a large off-white head.
In long: Very similar to the above but with a little tiny bit of added acidity.

Unfiltered un-pasteurized aged in wooden barrel Pilsner Urquell:4.9
How: From the barrel at the end of the brewery tour
The look: Cloudy golden yellow body with a small white head.
In long: Round and chewy body. Very woody but a different type of wood than what we get from that new trend of barrel-aged-xyz. This felt like freshly cut wet wood. Unlike its non-barrel-aged unfiltered sisters the hopping on that one is dry grassy and slightly lemony. Here it felt juicy citrusy which is obviously something coming of a strange alliance between the wood barrels and the hops. Some dry grass on the come-back only. Softer than usual carbonation and it fitted perfectly with the fresh chewy juicy body. Fruity notes are light but rather complex with peaches, bananas, pears and more. But overall it’s that freshness feeling that enchanted me. During my Czech Republic pub crawl the freshness was a key ingredient but never as much as in this beer. This felts like it was just harvested from some kind of magical beer tree. To say this beer is highly drinkable is an understatement.

In Conclusion:While the unfiltered and un-pasteurized Pilsner Urquells are superior Pilsners (certainly far superior to the regular Pilsner Urquell) it is really the unfiltered-un-pasteurized aged in wooden barrel Pilsner Urquell that is the shit. Brewed in very limited quantity it unfortunately never leaves the wet caves of the brewery. It is unfortunate that like the penis of an obese man this beer will never see the light of day because it will remain alone in its wet and moist spot and no-one will ever abuse it.

On tap (from the barrel at the brewery 30 days "old", at the pub U Parkanu 60 days "old") Hazy, golden coloured, fluffy to firm head; fresh, fruity nose with a touch of yeast and hoppiness (Saazer Roter Mittelfrüh); creamy mouthfeel, not so malty as the filtered version, but a nice bitter-sweet flavour. Soft, but distinctive bitter-aromatic finish. Extremely well quaffable, well balanced..........Worth a journey, českemú pivu zdar !!!!!!!!&#

Draft at Na Parkanu and from the barrel on the brewery tour. As in Glouglouburp’s fantastic scientific presentation rating, my number stands for the barrel version from the tour. Considering that my guide gave me a big cup and told me to go get a second helping( I had built up a mighty thirst on the two hour + tour) I was as close to heaven as a living man is able to get. While the unfiltered and unpasturized version of this critter is yeasty, raw oak infused and has some citrus zest, the peary/peach nose then peppery hop tones were the highlight for me. Some agressive hopping enable this beer to extend its nice dry finish into something that makes your taste buds awaken and drool for another mouthful. At one point I thought I would pull a Mickey Rourke from Barfly and just stick my mouth under the tap. This beer is truly worth the pilgramage to the hallowed caves. Outstanding and humbling.

Nothing beats this beer. I have tried it from the brewery in Plzen and no other beer compares to this true original. The Saaz hops are number one in the world. There are young women that pick these in the fields. Bohemia is where all and any real beer has come from and there is no better place to have it than from the original brewery.