Beer Centric: German Pilsner vs Czech Pilsner vs Italian Pilsner

German pilsners are typically crisper, drier, and more bitter than their Czech counterparts, often using German noble hops like Hallertau or Tettnanger, and may feature harder water chemistry to enhance sharpness. They are generally lighter in color and less malty than Czech pilsners, which are known for their fuller body, slightly sweet malt character, and the use of distinctive Czech Saaz hops that contribute floral and spicy notes.   In contrast, Italian pilsners are defined by dry-hopping, which imparts a pronounced floral and aromatic hop character not commonly found in traditional German pilsners, where dry-hopping is rare.

 

Pilsner Urquell was my entry into European beers and when I happened upon Budvar, I was hooked on Czech Pilsner.  Pleasantly malted with a unique spicy finish. Eventually I started exploring Warsteiner, Bitburger, and locally Victory Prima Pils, Brau Pils, and the Hardywood Pils where German Pilsners became my thing. I think it's the maltiness and hard water bitterness that is so attractive. As for the Italian angle, I was never a great fan of that style since it seems that the dry-hopping overwhelms the mid-palate. In any case here's a breakdown of the three pilsner styles.

Beer Centric: Kellerbier -- A Taste of Germany’s Cellar-Fresh Tradition

The next Beer Centric profile is Kellerbier -- a style that we are seeing more often -- most recently at Juicy Brewing Company with their Schultz. Few beer styles capture the essence of "from the cellar to the glass" like Kellerbier. Literally translating to "cellar beer", Kellerbier offers a glimpse into the origins of German lagering and the unfiltered, naturally conditioned beers that shaped Bavaria’s brewing identity. 

A Brief History of Kellerbier

Kellerbier traces its roots to Franconia, a historic brewing region in northern Bavaria. Before refrigeration and modern filtration, brewers stored their beers in cool underground cellars or Kellers to ferment and mature. These spaces were often carved into hillsides or caves and provided stable temperatures ideal for bottom-fermenting yeast, which thrives in cooler environments. 

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Bavarian brewers perfected this technique, leading to the development of lagers as we know them today. But while many of those early beers evolved into clear, refined styles like Helles or Pilsner, Kellerbier remained raw, rustic, and closer to the brewer’s original intent—unfiltered, naturally cloudy, and full of flavor.

Traditionally, Kellerbier was served directly from the lagering barrel in the cellar. These early versions had a shorter shelf life but were celebrated for their freshness, soft carbonation, and malty depth.

How Kellerbier Is Made

At its core, Kellerbier is a young, unfiltered lager, typically brewed using traditional German ingredients and methods. The malt bill typically involves Pilsner malt or a mix of Pilsner and Munich malts to achieve a balanced golden-to-amber color and a gentle malt sweetness. German noble hops -such as Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Tettnang, or Spalt - are added to provide delicate herbal and floral notes. Kellerbier employs lager yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus), which ferments at cooler temperatures (around 8–12°C / 46–54°F). The beer is then cold-conditioned for several weeks to smooth out rough edges, though it is typically packaged and served before full maturation—retaining a slightly yeasty, bready character. Unlike filtered lagers, Kellerbier remains naturally hazy with yeast and proteins suspended in the beer. It is often naturally carbonated in the keg or bottle, giving it a gentle, creamy mouthfeel rather than a sharp carbonation.

Styles and Variations

There are two main variations of Kellerbier: Helles Kellerbier (or Zwickelbier) and Dunkles Kellerbier.  Helles Kellerbier is generally pale golden, lightly hopped, smooth, and slightly sweet. Zwickelbier—named after the Zwickel sample tap used to taste beer directly from the tank—is essentially a lighter, younger version of Kellerbier. In contrast, Dunkles Kellerbier is amber to deep copper in color, with toasted malt and caramel notes. This style is closer to the original Franconian cellared lagers.

Beer Centric: Discovering the Subtle Brilliance of Helles Lager

This past weekend while visiting Nepenthe Brewing Company in Baltimore, I realized that the Helles Lager is my favorite beer style. The rationale? I always include that style in my flight and usually return home with a six-pack. This also occurred after recent visits to Lost Generation Brewing Company and Black Hoof Brewing Company. But ironically, I 've never researched the history of this pale and malty beer. 

The Helles Lager originated as "Münchner Hell" (meaning "Munich Light") on March 21, 1894, at a time when people in Munich and in Germany either enjoyed dark and sweet-malty beer or sharply bitter Pilsners from neighboring Bohemia. Spaten Brewery chose to release a softer, malt-forward alternative to these Pilsners and the sweeter Märzen and Dunkel beers by utilizing Munich's brewers own strengths: malty sweetness, smooth textures, and a touch of noble hops for balance. The success of Spaten's Helles inspired other breweries to adopt the style. In 1893, Hacker-Pschorr introduced a lighter, hopper version called Münchner Gold, which further refined the pale lager profile.  Paulaner followed suit, launching its own Münchner Hell in 1895, which quickly became a signature beer of Munich and a staple at the Oktoberfest. The development of pale lagers was also influenced by advancements in brewing science, particularly the understanding of water chemistry, which allowed brewers to produce more balanced golden lagers despite the region's alkaline water.

Helles Lager is all about nuance. Expect gentle notes of fresh-baked bread, biscuits, and a hint of honey, supported by a mild floral or spicy hop character from traditional Hallertau or Tettnang hops. The finish is crisp, clean, and refreshing — the hallmark of expert lagering. 

• Appearance: Pale gold, crystal clear, with a dense, white head
• Aroma: Soft malt sweetness with light floral or herbal hops
• Taste: Balanced malt-forward character, low bitterness, smooth finish
• ABV: Typically 4.7–5.4%
• IBU: Around 16–22

You can determine the strength of any brewing operation by the quality of these pale lagers. Without bold hops or roasted malts to hide behind, any imperfection stands out. The process demands precision — a slow, cold fermentation with clean Bavarian yeast strains, followed by extended lagering at near-freezing temperatures. The result is clarity, both visual and sensory.