The Notch Session Pils is having great success in draft and bottle with very positive feedback, which is encouraging. Encouraging because Czech style lagers are very different from other European pilsners (Germany, Copenhagen), and I had a bit of trepidation about releasing a style rarely seen in the US. It’s not everyday a US craft brewer releases an unfiltered Czech Pils known as Vyčepni Svetle, so I knew there would be a few naysayers about how this Pils does not reflect their idea of a true Pils. True to what style of Pils? There are many. The great thing is that beer fans are drinking the Notch Pils based on the flavor alone, and are not getting too caught up on style details.
But for those who do care about style, Notch Session Pils is a Czech style Pils and different from the more common German style Pils. How do they differ? Time to bring in the experts, and what follows is a nice description from Ron Pattinson, a noted beer historian and author of the European Beer Guide. This is from his guide to Prague:
…it has to be remembered that the Czech beer has little connection with what is called pils in the rest of the world. Real (Czech) pilsener is much fuller in colour – almost amber – has a big malty body with honey and fruit tones, finished off with a bitter punch of Saaz hops. A complex and well-balanced beer, where the interplay of malt and hops is of great importance. These characteristics are true, to some extent, of all Czech pale lagers, which have more body and colour than in most countries. They have an aroma all of their own, creamy with hints of yeast and bread.
The best of them [4% ABV Czech lagers] are tasty, satisfying and very moreish. Thankfully, their relatively low alcohol content means that 5 or 6 half litres aren’t too dangerous. Outside of the UK, the Czech Republic is the only country to produce sizeable quantities of tasty and original beer of under 4% alcohol. Try the ‘light’ beers produced in most of the world and you will see that this is not as simple as it may appear.
And what can be added to this description is that a Czech Pils does not finish as dry as a German Pils, as the finishing gravities are typically high – 1.012 to 1.015 SG, with Pilsner Urqeull finishing at 1.015 SG. What this means to those not interested in numbers, is that a Czech Pils has a fuller, less dry finish. However, with a good portion of both first wort and late kettle Saaz hop, this malty finish is dried out with a well balanced earthy, spicy hop flavor.
I also love how Ron describes Czech beers as having a “moreish” character, and since the tasty beer is under 4%, 5 – 6 half liters are not too dangerous. Sounds a lot like British session beer, yes? Now you know why I wanted to have a Czech lager in the line-up, it is the equivalent of the British Bitter.