Difference between Pilsner and Lager
Globally, there are several types of beer and they are grouped based on their style, flavor, bitterness, region, and alcohol percentage. Pilsner and lager are one of the most outstanding types of beer due to their global consumption. They both have a similar brewing process which is the cold fermentation process and are brewed in cooler temperatures. Pilsner is a specific type of lager that originated from the city of Plzen, Czech Republic. Lager is a general name used to indicate beer produced from bottom-fermenting yeast and it has a very wide style. Pilsner is one of the numerous styles of Lager, i.e., all Pilsners are lagers but not all lagers are Pilsners.
Lager
This is a typical light-coloured type of beer prepared and conditioned at low temperatures. There are three different stages of Lager fermentation and they are; primary fermentation, maturation, and lagering. Lager’s colour could be dark, amber, or yellow pale which is the most consumed type of lager in the world. There are five types of lager: - Bock, Dunkel, Helles, Märzen, and Vienna.
Pilsner
Pilsner is a type of pale lager usually light in color and it is produced with Pilsens soft water and the local Saaz hops. Pilsner is known for its outstanding and classic aroma due to the local Saaz hop it is made from. A man called Josef Grill used Saaz hops when brewing to prevent his beer from spoiling. This process results in Pilsner and it made it the most popular beer style in the world. As the Saaz hops tend to make the beer a little spicier and give it a flavored taste. There are four styles of Pilsner: - American Pilsner, Belgian Pilsner, Czech Pilsner, and German Pilsner.
Table of comparison
| Parameters of Comparison | Lager | Pilsner |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A type of beer | A type of lager(Subcategory of lager |
| Taste | Sweet, crispy, sometimes bitter it depends on the type of lager | Hop flavour i.e spicier taste |
| Originated in | Northern Europe (Germany and Austria) | Plzen, Czech Republic |
| Invented by | Gabriel Sedlmayr and Anton Dreher | Josef Grill |
| Year of invention | 1835 | 1842 |
| Ingredients | Yeast, hops, barley, water | Local Saaz hops, Pilsner malt, soft water, yeast |
| Alcohol volume | 5% in most cases | 4% and 6% |
| Popularity | Common in Asia, parts of Africa, and America | Common in countries like Germany, Russia, Australia |
